Study Desk

But Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, "It is better for you to continue working with his women workers. If you work in another field, someone might hurt you."

Wash yourself, put on perfume, change your clothes, and go down to the threshing floor. But don't let him know you're there until he has finished his dinner.

It is true that I am a relative who is to take care of you, but you have a closer relative than I.

Stay here tonight, and in the morning we will see if he will take care of you. If he decides to take care of you, that is fine. But if he refuses, I will take care of you myself, as surely as the Lord lives. So stay here until morning."

So Ruth stayed near his feet until morning but got up while it was still too dark to recognize anyone. Boaz thought, "People in town must not know that the woman came here to the threshing floor."

So I decided to tell you about it: If you want to buy back the land, then buy it in front of the people who are sitting here and in front of the elders of my people. But if you don't want to buy it, tell me, because you are the only one who can buy it, and I am next after you." The close relative answered, "I will buy back the land."

Elkanah had two wives named Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

But Elkanah always gave a special share of the meat to Hannah, because he loved Hannah and because the Lord had kept her from having children.

She was praying in her heart so her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk

But one time Hannah did not go with him. She told him, "When the boy is old enough to eat solid food, I will take him to Shiloh. Then I will give him to the Lord , and he will always live there."

"There is no one holy like the Lord . There is no God but you; there is no Rock like our God.

"The bows of warriors break, but weak people become strong.

Those who once had plenty of food now must work for food, but people who were hungry are hungry no more. The woman who could not have children now has seven, but the woman who had many children now is sad.

He protects those who are loyal to him, but evil people will be silenced in darkness. Power is not the key to success.

Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy continued to serve the Lord under Eli the priest.

He would plunge the fork into the pot or the kettle. Whatever the fork brought out of the pot belonged to the priest. But this is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh to offer sacrifices.

But Samuel obeyed the Lord . As a boy he wore a linen holy vest.

If you sin against someone, God can help you. But if you sin against the Lord himself, no one can help you!" But Eli's sons would not listen to him, because the Lord had decided to put them to death.

"So the Lord , the God of Israel, says: ‘I promised that your family and your ancestor's family would serve me always.' But now the Lord says: ‘This must stop! I will honor those who honor me, but I will dishonor those who ignore me.

I will not totally cut off your family from my altar. But your eyes will cry and your heart be sad, because all your descendants will die.