After Joshua died, God chose new leaders for the Israelites. They were called judges. Eli was one of the judges. He was also God’s priest. He took care of the tabernacle. He burned sacrifices for the people.

1 Samuel 1:3, 9

One day a woman named Hannah came to the tabernacle to pray. She was sad because she had no children.

1 Samuel 1:4–6

Hannah asked God to let her have a baby boy. She promised to teach the baby to obey God. She would take him to the tabernacle to serve God.

1 Samuel 1:10–11

Eli heard Hannah pray. He told her God would give her a baby boy. Hannah was happy.

1 Samuel 1:12–18

God blessed her. She had a baby boy. She named him Samuel. Hannah took good care of Samuel.

1 Samuel 1:19–23

One day Hannah took Samuel to Eli. She asked Eli to teach Samuel to do God’s work. Hannah left Samuel with Eli and went home. Samuel helped Eli do God’s work.

1 Samuel 1:24–2:11

Samuel learned to help others. God was happy with him. The people who came to the tabernacle liked Samuel.

1 Samuel 2:18, 21, 26; 1 Samuel 3:1

Eli had two sons. They helped him at the tabernacle. But they did not help the people. They did many wicked things. The people told Eli his sons were wicked. But Eli still let his sons work in the tabernacle.

1 Samuel 2:12–17, 22–23

One day God sent a prophet to Eli. The prophet told Eli God was not happy with his sons. They had the priesthood, but they were not righteous. They could not keep the priesthood. God would give the priesthood to a righteous man. The prophet said Eli’s sons would be killed. Eli was very sad.

1 Samuel 2:27–36

One night Eli was in bed. Samuel was in bed in another room. Samuel heard someone call his name.

1 Samuel 3:2–4

Samuel thought Eli had called him. He ran to Eli. Eli said he had not called Samuel. He told Samuel to lie down again, and Samuel did.

1 Samuel 3:5

Samuel heard someone call his name three times. Each time he went to Eli. And each time Eli told Samuel to go back to bed.

1 Samuel 3:6–8

At last Eli told Samuel that God was calling him. Eli told Samuel to go to his room and to listen to God.

1 Samuel 3:9

God told Samuel Eli had let his sons be wicked. So Eli and his sons could not work in the tabernacle. They would die.

1 Samuel 3:10–14; 1 Samuel 2:34

In the morning Samuel told Eli what God said. Eli knew that God had spoken to Samuel.

1 Samuel 3:18

Later Eli’s sons were killed in a battle. Eli died when he heard about his sons.

1 Samuel 4:17–18

Samuel grew up, and God blessed him. God chose Samuel to be the new prophet and judge. Samuel had the priesthood. God came to Samuel and spoke to him. All the people knew Samuel was a prophet of God.

1 Samuel 3:19–21; 1 Samuel 7:15–17