hen Samuel was weaned, and was an infant, the mother took
him, and three calves and three measures of meal, and a bottle of wine,
and brought him unto the house of our Lord in Shilo and sacrificed that
calf and offered the child to Eli, and told to Eli that she was the
woman that prayed our Lord for that child. And there Hannah worshipped
our Lord and thanked him, and there made this psalm which is one of the
canticles: My heart hath rejoiced in the Lord, and so forth, all the
remnant of that psalm. And then Elkanah with his wife returned home to
his house. After this our Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived three
sons, and two daughters, which she brought forth. And Samuel abode in
the house of our Lord and was minister in the sight of Eli. But the two
sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were children of Belial, not knowing
our Lord, but did great sins against the commandments of God. And our
Lord sent a prophet to Eli because he corrected not his sons, and said
he would take the office from him and from his house, and that there
should not be an old man in his house and kindred, but should die ere
they came to man's estate, and that God should raise a priest that
should be faithful and after his heart.

Samuel served and ministered our Lord in a surplice before Eli. And on a
time as Eli lay in his bed his eyes were so dimmed that he might not see
the lantern of God till it was quenched and put out. Samuel slept in the
temple of our Lord whereas the ark of God was, and our Lord called
Samuel, which answered: I am ready, and ran to Eli and said: I am ready,
thou callest me. Which said: I called thee not my son, return and sleep,
and he returned and slept. And our Lord called him the second time, and
he arose and went to Eli and said: Lo! I am here, thou calledst me,
which answered: I called thee not, go thy way, and sleep. Samuel knew
not the calling of our Lord yet, ne there was never revelation showed
him tofore. And our Lord called Samuel the third time, which arose and
came to Eli and said: I am here, for thou calledst me. Then Eli
understood that our Lord had called him, and said to Samuel: Go and
sleep, and if thou be called again thou shalt say: Speak, Lord, for thy
servant heareth thee. Samuel returned and slept in his place, and our
Lord came and called him: Samuel! Samuel! and Samuel said: Say, Lord,
what it pleaseth, for thy servant heareth. And then our Lord said to
Samuel: Lo! I make my word to be known in Is