1

God’s Servant

1 Samuel 1-3

Characters: Narrator, , , , Samuel, God

Narrator: Near the end of the time when the Judges ruled, there lived a man named Elkanah who had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. Peninnah gloated in this fact, and constantly mocked Hannah for being unable to give birth.

Peninnah: God finds favor on those that bear children. Look how many children I have! How many children do you have, Hannah?

Narrator: Elkanah took his wives and his children into the town to worship God. While there, Hannah prayed to God. Eli, the priest watched her pray. Hannah’s lips were moving, but she was praying silently.

Hannah: (to herself) Lord, if you see my misery, please remember me, and give me a son. If you do this, I will give him up to you for all the days of his life.

Narrator: Because Hannah was not actually speaking, but her lips were moving, Eli thought Hannah was really drunk.

Eli: How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine, and go home.

Hannah: I am not drunk, but I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine, but I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant to be a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.

Eli: Then go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant him what you have asked of him.

Hannah: May your servant find favor in your eyes.

Narrator: Hannah left the priest, and was no longer as sad as when she came in to pray. God remembered Hannah’s prayers, and Hannah became pregnant. She eventually gave birth to a son.

Elkanah: What should we name him?

Hannah: We should name him Samuel, because I asked the Lord for him.

Narrator: A year later, it was time to give the annual sacrifice to God. Elkanah asked Hannah:

Elkanah: Will you come with us, and bring Samuel to the Lord’s house?

Hannah: No, I will stay here, and bring Samuel to the Lord’s house after he begins to eat solid food. Once he is able to do that, I will present him to the Lord, and he will live in the Lord’s house always.

Elkanah; Do what seems best to you. 2

Narrator: Elkanah left for his annual trip. True to her word, Hannah raised Samuel until he was old enough to eat, and then brought him to the house of the Lord at Shilo. She brought the boy to Eli, and Hannah said:

Hannah: Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord, for his entire life.

Narrator: Hannah then sang a song praising God for giving her a son. Soon, it was time for Hannah to go, and she left her son in the service of Eli the priest. Samuel would soon grow up to be a teenager, and because Hannah kept her promise to God, she gave birth to several more children.

Eli’s sons were very wicked men. They often broke the laws of the Lord, and stole sacrifices meant for God. Eli soon found out about his sons behavior, and rebuked them for it:

Eli: I can’t believe you have been sinning against God this way—stealing what is meant to be his sacrifices! When you sin against another, God intercedes for you, but who will intercede for you when you sin against God!

Narrator: But, Eli’s sons refused to listen to the rebuke. They continued in their wicked ways, and Eli gave up on them, and ignored their sins. But God did not ignore his sons’ sins. One night, while Samuel was sleeping, a mysterious voice called out to him:

God: Samuel!

Narrator: Samuel woke up, and thought Eli was calling him. He went to Eli, and said:

Samuel: Here I am; you called me.

Eli: My son, I did not call, go back to sleep.

Narrator: Samuel went back to sleep, but was soon awoken by the voice again:

God: Samuel!

Narrator: And once again, Samuel ran to Eli, and said:

Samuel: Here I am, you called me.

Eli: No, I didn’t call. Go back and lie down.

Narrator: Samuel went back to his bed, and fell asleep. A third time the voice called Samuel:

God: Samuel!

Narrator: For a third time, Samuel ran to Eli.

Samuel: Here I am! You called me again!

Narrator: Eli soon realized that it was God calling the boy, and told him: 3

Eli: I did not call you, but I believe that God did! Go back and lie down. If he calls you again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’

Narrator: Samuel returned to his bed, only to be awoken by the voice once again:

God: Samuel!

Samuel: Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening!

God: I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. I have seen the wickedness of Eli’s sons! They steal from me, and Eli refuses to do anything about it! Therefore, I will cut the house of Eli’s lives short—none of Eli’s descendants will ever reach old age. Eli’s sons will both die, and it will be a sign from me that both will die on the same day. I had promised Eli that the members of his family would minister before me forever—but he has not held up his end of the covenant! I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do my will!

Narrator: Samuel was unable to sleep that night. The next morning, Eli called for Samuel:

Eli: Come here, Samuel!

Narrator: Samuel hesitantly went to Eli. Eli then asked him what the Lord had told him. Samuel was hesitant in telling Eli the prophecy, because he cared for Eli.

Eli: What was it he said to you? Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.

Narrator: Samuel told Eli everything, and Eli responded:

Eli: He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.

Narrator: The Lord’s prophecy soon came true. Eli’s sons were struck down on the same day, and God had chosen another priest to be his servant—Samuel. Word of this prophecy spread throughout Israel, and soon everyone realized that Samuel was a true of God.