"Speak, Lord; for Thy servant heareth."—1 Sam. 3:9.
HANNAH brought her little son Samuel, to be brought up in the holy place by the High Priest Eli.
Samuel was very good and holy, and God blessed him and loved him. One night, when everyone was gone to bed, but the lamp in the holy place was not yet gone out, Samuel heard a voice calling to him, "Samuel!" He sprang up at once, for he thought that Eli had called him, and he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for thou didst call me." But Eli answered, "I called not, my son; lie down again;" and Samuel went back to his bed.
Then again came the voice calling to him, "Samuel!" and again he thought it was Eli's call. He was not lazy, or fretful at being roused out of his sleep, but he ran at once to Eli, and again said, "Here I am, for thou didst call me." But Eli sent him back to his bed again; and there again he heard the call, "Samuel!"
Patiently he once more rose and came to the old man, but this time Eli knew that it must have been no other than God's own voice speaking to the child. So he bade Samuel go back, and next time he heard the voice, to say, "Speak, Lord; for Thy servant heareth."
And so Samuel did. Again his name was called, and he made answer, "Speak; for Thy servant heareth."
And God spoke to him in the still night, and told him to give Eli a fresh warning of the sad things that were coming on him and on his sons. Samuel was forced to tell Eli all in the morning, sad and mournful as it was. He was afraid and grieved to have such things to say, but he told the truth, and Eli was too good a man to be angry with him, and only said, "It is the Lord: let Him do what seemeth Him good."