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Samuel’s Birth and Dedication
There was a certain man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
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In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked him of the Lord.’
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The Child Samuel at Shiloh
Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy wearing a linen ephod.
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And the Lord took note of Hannah; she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.
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Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favour with the Lord and with the people.
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Samuel’s Calling and Prophetic Activity
Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.
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the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.
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Then the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ and he said, ‘Here I am!’
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The Lord called again, ‘Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call, my son; lie down again.’
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Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
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The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy.
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Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
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Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’
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Then the Lord said to Samuel, ‘See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle.
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Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.
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But Eli called Samuel and said, ‘Samuel, my son.’ He said, ‘Here I am.’
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So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, ‘It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.’
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As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.
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And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord.
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The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.
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And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.
The Ark of God Captured
In those days the Philistines mustered for war against Israel, and Israel went out to battle against them; they encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek.
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Samuel as Judge
Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, ‘If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Astartes from among you. Direct your heart to the Lord, and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.’
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Then Samuel said, ‘Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.’
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So they gathered at Mizpah, and drew water and poured it out before the Lord. They fasted that day, and said, ‘We have sinned against the Lord.’ And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah.
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The people of Israel said to Samuel, ‘Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, and pray that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.’
