¹¹ Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah. But the child ^[a]ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest.

Samuel’s First Prophecy

3 Now ^(A)the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And ^(B)the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.

Samuel’s Childhood Ministry

^18 (A)But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, ^(B)wearing a linen ephod.

²⁸ Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be ^[a]lent to the Lord.” So they ^(A)worshiped the Lord there.

¹⁵ So Samuel lay down until ^[a]morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision.

Samuel Is Born and Dedicated

¹⁹ Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah ^(A)knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord ^(B)remembered her.