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law who loves you, who is worth more to you than seven sons, has borne a son to Boaz!'

So Naomi took the child in her arms and she became

its nurse. Her neighbors also gave it a name, saying, 'A son is born to Naomi!' and they named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, who was the father of David.

I SAMUEL

THE FOUNDING OF THE HEBREW COMMONWEALTH

71. A MOTHER'S PRAYERS

Elkanah the son of Jeroham, a Zuphite of the highlands of Ephraim, lived at Ramah with his two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

This man used to go up from his village each year to worship and offer a sacrifice to Jehovah of hosts at Shiloh. Now Eli and his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests there to Jehovah.

Whenever the day came for Elkanah to offer a sacrifice he gave portions to his wife Peninnah and to all his sons and daughters, but to Hannah he gave only one portion, although he loved her; for Jehovah had given her no children. Her rival made her angry by taunting her because Jehovah had given her no children. Elkanah did this year after year; but whenever Hannah went up to the temple of Jehovah, Peninnah made her so angry that she wept and would not eat. So Elkanah her husband said to her, 'Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat? Why are you so troubled? Am I not more to you than ten

sons?'

After they had eaten in Shiloh Hannah arose and stood before Jehovah, while Eli the priest was sitting on his seat beside the door-posts of the temple of Jehovah. With a heavy heart she prayed fervently to Jehovah and wept bitterly. She also made this vow:

O Jehovah of hosts!

If thou wilt regard my affliction,

And remember, not forgetting thy servant,
But wilt give thy servant a son,

Then I will give him to thee,

Throughout all the days of his life;
And no razor shall touch his head.

While she continued praying before Jehovah, Eli watched her mouth. She spoke to herself; her lips moved, but her voice was not heard, so that Eli thought that she was drunk and said to her, 'How long will you act like a drunken woman? Put away your wine and go from the presence of Jehovah.' But Hannah answered, 'No, my lord, I am an unhappy woman; I have not drunk wine nor any intoxicating drink, but I have been pouring out my heart before Jehovah. Do not think that your servant is a wicked woman, for I have gone on speaking until now because my grief and irritation are so great.' Then Eli answered, 'Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the petition that you have asked of him.' She said, 'May your servant win your approval!' So the woman went away and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

Early in the morning they rose, and after they had worshipped Jehovah, they returned to their home at Ramah. And in the course of the year Hannah bore a son and named him Samuel, saying, 'I asked him of Jehovah.'

Elkanah and all his household again went to offer the yearly sacrifice to Jehovah and to make good his vow, but Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, When the child is weaned, then I will take him, and he shall go to Jehovah's temple and he shall live there the rest of his life.' Elkanah said to her, 'Do what seems best to you; wait until you have

weaned him; only may Jehovah help you to do what you have promised.'

So the woman waited and nursed her son until she weaned him. Then she took him with her, and a three-year-old ox, a bushel of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the temple of Jehovah at Shiloh. Then they killed the ox, and Hannah brought the child to Eli and said, 'Oh, my lord, as surely as you live, I am the woman who stood near you here praying earnestly to Jehovah. This is the boy for whom I prayed, and Jehovah has granted what I asked of him. Therefore I have dedicated him to Jehovah; as long as he lives he is dedicated to Jehovah.' Then Hannah prayed this prayer:

My heart rejoices in Jehovah,

My might is made great by the Lord,
I exult proudly over my enemies,
For I glory in thy salvation.

None is holy like Jehovah,

For there is none other beside thee,
There is no rock like our God.

Speak no more thus proudly,
Let no arrogant words escape you;
For Jehovah is a God who knows,
And by him all actions are weighed.
The bows of the warriors are broken,
Those who stumble are girded with strength.
They who were full toil for bread,

And those who were famished cease laboring;
The barren is the mother of seven,

And she who had many has none.

Jehovah kills, and gives life,

He brings down to the grave, and brings up,
Jehovah makes poor, and makes rich,

He brings men low, and exalts them,
Raising the poor from the dust,
From the dunghill exalting the needy,
To let them sit with princes,
And inherit a glorious throne;

For the pillars of earth are Jehovah's,
He has set the world upon them.

He will guard the steps of his loved ones,
But the wicked shall perish in darkness;
For man shall not triumph by force,
Jehovah's foes shall be shattered,

He will thunder against them in heaven.
He will judge the ends of the earth,
He will give great strength to his king,
And increase the might of his anointed.

72. SAMUEL'S BOYHOOD TRAINING

Elkanah returned to his home in Ramah, but the boy remained to serve Jehovah under the direction of Eli the priest. So Samuel-a young boy dressed in a robe of linen-performed priestly service at the sanctuary. His mother also made him a little robe and each year brought it to him when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. Eli blessed Elkanah and said, ‘Jehovah repay you with children from this woman for the gift which she has given to Jehovah.' Then they returned to their home; and Hannah had three more sons and two daughters. Meantime the boy Samuel grew up in the temple of Jehovah.

The sons of Eli were degenerate men; they had no personal knowledge of Jehovah, and they despised the offerings which were brought to him. Eli, moreover, was very old, and whenever he heard that his sons

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