Later, as they sat beside their pitched tents in the cool of the evening, having finished their meal, Elkanah asked Samuel about himself and about his life in the temple.

"I have to help clean the vessels used for sacrifice, Abba. And I help Eli the priest with his work. He is very old now, but his sons are not following the ways of the LORD."

"I have brought your new coat, Sami," his Imah told him. "The old one must be getting rather small, you are growing so tall."

"Yes, Imah, it is. Thank you for the new one you bring every year. The Temple ladies have tried to make the old one longer. They are very kind to me."

Yudah, his worried expression back, tugged at Samuel's arm.

"Are you happy, Sami? Aren't't you sad that you can't come home? I hope Abba and Imah don't give me away!"

Samuel looked earnestly at his little brother. "Don't you know why I stay at the Temple, Yudah?"

Yudah thought for a moment, then answered: "Imah says you serve the LORD God. But I should think you would still want to come home."

"Oh, but I do miss our home and Abba and Imah. And YOU, of course!" he said, hugging Yudah.

"But you see, Yudah, before I was born, Imah knew she couldn't't have any children. So she came here to the Temple and prayed to the LORD God, asking for a child. She promised the LORD that, if He would give her a son, she would lend that son back to the LORD, to serve him. Well, I was born and Imah kept her promise to the LORD. Yudah, even though I miss you all, I love being here in the Temple."

Samuel caught his mother's eye and they shared a smile. He looked back at Yudah.

"Shall I tell you something very wonderful, little brother?"

Yudah nodded eagerly and Channah and Elkanah stopped their conversation to listen. Samuel began to tell an amazing story:

"Many weeks ago, the Holy One Himself came and spoke to me."

Elkanah broke in to say sternly, "Is this the truth, my son? Do you know what you are saying?"

The other children stared at Sami, while Peninah sniggered in the background.

© Emmie Goodenough, 1999