Samuel Hears God

Samuel was a boy who lived at God's house in Shiloh. His mother, Hannah, had prayed and prayed for a baby, and when Samuel was born she gave him to God's service. So Samuel grew up helping Eli, the old priest.

In those days, people did not often hear messages from God. Eli was very old, and his eyes were so weak he could hardly see.

One night, while the lamp in God's house was still burning, Samuel was lying down in the temple, near the ark of God. Then God called, Samuel!

Samuel jumped up and ran to Eli. Yes, Eli? he said. What do you need? But Eli said he had not called him, and told him to go back to bed.

God called Samuel a second time. Again Samuel ran to Eli, and again Eli sent him back to bed. Samuel didn't know yet that it was God, because God had never spoken to him before.

When God called a third time and Samuel came running, Eli finally understood. God was calling the boy! Eli told Samuel to go and lie down, and if the voice called again, to tell God that he was ready to listen.

So Samuel went back. Then God was there, calling him again, Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel answered that he was listening.

God gave Samuel a hard message about Eli's family, because Eli's sons had been doing very wrong things and Eli had not stopped them. In the morning Samuel was afraid to tell Eli. But Eli asked him to tell everything, and Samuel did. Eli accepted that it came from God.

Samuel grew up, and God stayed close to him. Everything God told Samuel came true, and all Israel knew that Samuel was God's prophet.

God speaks to us too, especially when we pray and read the Bible. We can tell him we are listening.