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 would deign  to  give  her  children. So one  day  she  went  to  Silo to pray  in  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Lord. There, before  the  door of the  Tabernacle,  she  shed  many  tears  and  prayed,  and  made  a vow  saying:  “O  Lord  of  Hosts,  if  Thou  wilt  be  mindful  of  me and  give  me  a man-child,  I will  give  him  to  the  Lord  all  the days of  his  life.”

The Lord  heard  her  prayer,  and  gave  her  a son,  whom  she called Samuel,  which  means  “heard  of  God”,  or  also  “asked  of God”. Now when  three  years  were  passed,  and  the  child  was yet very  young,  Anna  took  three  calves,  three  bushels  of  flour, and a bottle  of  wine,  and  carrying  the  boy  with  her  she  went  to the  House  of  the  Lord. There she  offered  her  son  to  Heli  the High Priest,  saying:  “The  Lord  has  granted  my  petition,  therefore I also  have  lent  my  child  to  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  his life.” And  the  child  ministered  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  before the face  of  Heli. Now the  two  sons  of  Heli,  Ophni  and  Phinees, were wicked  and  had  no  fear  of  God,  for  when  the  people  came to offer  sacrifices,  Ophni  and  Phinees  carried  the  flesh  of  the  victims away  by  force. So their  sin  was  very  great,  because  they withdrew men  from  the  sacrifice  of  the  Lord.

Heli knew  all  this; he  knew  what  wicked  things  his  sons  did in the  Sanctuary,  and  he  mildly  rebuked  them,  saying: “It  is  no good  report  that  I hear,  that  you  make  the  people  of  the  Lord to transgress.”  But,  being  very  old,  he  took  no  severe  measures to punish  them,  or  prevent  their  evil  deeds.

It came  to  pass  that  one  night,  before  the  lamp  of  the  Lord had gone  out,  Heli  slept  on  a couch  near  the  Tabernacle,  and Samuel hard  by. The Lord  called  Samuel. He answered: “Here am  I”,  and  went  to  Heli  and  asked:  “Why  hast  thou