• Eli and Samuel: 1 Samuel 1-3

    During the days of the judges, a woman named Hannah, wife of Elkanah, was unable to have children. She was distressed over this, and so she prayed to God about it. She made a vow to the Lord, promising that if God gave her a son, she would give him back to the Lord. Meanwhile, Eli the priest was watching her, thinking she was drunk. But she told him that she had poured out her soul before God.

    God listened to Hannah and gave her a son, who was called Samuel. She, in turn, kept her vow and gave him back to the Lord, bringing him to Eli. She praised God for what He had done for her.

    As a boy, Samuel ministered before the Lord. He would wear a linen ephod that his mother made for him every year. During these days, visions were infrequent. One night, God called Samuel. But Samuel thought it was Eli calling, so he ran to see what Eli wanted. This happened three times, and Eli figured out that it was God. He told Samuel how to answer. So when God called again, Samuel responded, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

    God told Samuel what was going to happen to Eli and his house because of Eli’s wicked sons. Samuel did not want to tell all of this to Eli, but Eli insisted that Samuel not hide anything from him. So Samuel told Eli what God said, to which Eli responded, “It is the LORD; let Him do what seems good to Him.”

    So Samuel grew up serving the Lord. Everyone in Israel came to know that Samuel was a prophet of God. They knew that Samuel spoke the word of God to them; and so he would become the last judge of Israel.

    Discussion
    1. Who was Elkanah? Who was Hannah? Why was Hannah distressed?

    2. What vow did Hannah make before God? Did God hear her prayer? Did she fulfill her vow? What did Eli think of Hannah at first?

    3. Why was God going to bring judgment on Eli’s household?

    4. What was Samuel’s relationship to Eli? How did Samuel repond when God called him?