Let me know what you think! : ) The next chapter should be up pretty soon.
The Story
"Will you tell me the story again?" Little five-year-old, Samuel asked his mother Hannah.
They were sitting on the marble steps of the temple. The sun was shining vibrantly and a cool breeze floated on the air. A few people were milling about the temple courtyard down below and were murmuring quietly. Several people were sacrificing and others were talking to the Lord.
"Of course, little one" she replied holding him in her arms.
Samuel snuggled down in his new robe that his mother made him and laid his dark curly head on his mother's shoulder.
"I was sad because I didn't have a little boy." His mother started, "I prayed to the Lord to give me a son for many years."
"Then what happened?" Samuel asked knowing perfectly well what happened next.
"I made a covenant with God." She answered.
"What's a cove-net?" he inquired curiously.
"Covenant. It means a special promise that you cannot bre-…" She explained.
"What was the promise?" Samuel interrupted.
"It was: O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant, but give me a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life." She said quietly.
"What happened after that?" Samuel requested his bright, deep, brown eyes wide with wonder.
"I had a handsome baby boy." Hannah said her eyes sparkling with joy.
"Me!" Samuel exclaimed excitedly.
"Yes." Hannah laughed, "Then when you were two, I brought you here to live with Morra Eli."
"Ema, tell me what my name means." Samuel swayed the conversation.
"Your name means, from the Lord. Because I asked the Lord for you." She whispered in his olive colored ear.
Samuel sat there thoughtfully for a few moments.
"Samuel!" Someone shouted, "Samuel!"
"Eli is calling you." His mother said.
"I don't want to go, ema. I want to stay here with you!" he cried, wrapping his arms around her neck.
"I know, but you must obey Morra Eli. Do you want to obey God?" she asked.
He slowly nodded his head.
"If you don't obey Eli you aren't obeying the Lord."
"Yes Ema." Samuel got up reluctantly and walked away slowly.
Suddenly, he whirled around and ran back to his mother. He ran into her arms and started to cry.
"I don't want you to go!" he cried.
"Shhh…there, there." She comforted him, gently stroking his hair, "I'll see you again next year."
"I know, but I will miss you!"
"I know. I will too." She told him.
He quieted a bit and then she kissed him and wiped away his remaining tears/
"Now go. The Lord will be with you." She commanded softly.
"Yes ema." He said and then ran to go find Eli.
--
Hebrew Translation:
Ema – mother
Morra – teacher