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Samuel’s Birth and Dedication
There was a certain man of Ramatha′im-zo′phim of the hill country of E′phraim, whose name was Elka′nah the son of Jero′ham, son of Eli′hu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an E′phraimite.
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and in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name 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 girded with a linen ephod.
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And the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord.
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Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men.
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Samuel’s Calling and Prophetic Activity
Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.
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the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down within 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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And the Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose 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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And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose 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 thy servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
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And the Lord came and stood forth, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for thy servant hears.”
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Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel, at which the two ears of every one that hears it will tingle.
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Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.
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But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.”
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So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.”
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And Samuel grew, and 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 established as a prophet of the Lord.
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And the Lord appeared again 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
Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines; they encamped at Ebene′zer, 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 Ash′taroth from among you, and 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, and fasted on that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah.
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And the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry to the Lord our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
