Lesson 044
High Priest Eli had two sons who served as priests at the tabernacle.
Elai ghaa mwẹ emọ ikpia eva ni vbe gha ga zẹvbe ohẹn vbe ibọkpọ ọghe ugamwẹ.
Their names were Hophni and Phinehas.
Eni iran ọre Hofnai kevbe Finihaz.
They did not obey Jehovah’s laws, and they treated the people very badly.
Iran ma gha lele uhi ọghe Jehova, iran na vbe gha ya obọ dan mu emwa.
When the Israelites brought sacrifices for Jehovah, Hophni and Phinehas would take the best meat for themselves.
Ivbi Izrẹl gha do ya aranmwẹ ru izọese gie Jehova, e Hofnai kevbe Finihaz ghi rri abọ nọ maan sẹ vbọ.
Eli heard about what his sons were doing, but he did nothing about it.
Vbe Elai ghi họn vbekpae orukhọ ne ivbi ẹre ru, ọ ma gbe iran hin ọkhọ rre.
Would Jehovah let this keep happening?
E Jehova gha kue ne ọna wa gha sunu khian ra?
Although Samuel was much younger than Hophni and Phinehas, he did not imitate them.
Agharhemiẹn wẹẹ, ọvbokhan kherhe ẹre Samuẹl ghaa khin vbe ehe ne Hofnai vbe Finihaz ye, ọ ma yegbe taa iran.
Jehovah was pleased with Samuel.
E Jehova keghi hoẹmwẹ e Samuẹl.
One night while he was sleeping, Samuel heard a voice call his name.
E Samuẹl ghi vbiẹ vbe asọn ọkpa, ọ keghi họn vbe ọmwa tie eni ẹnrẹn.
He got up, ran to Eli, and said:
Ẹre ọ na kpaegbe rhulẹ bu Elai ya tama rẹn wẹẹ:
‘Here I am!’
‘Ghee mwẹ mwa!’
But Eli said:
Sokpan Elai keghi tama rẹn wẹẹ:
‘I did not call you.
‘I ma tie ruẹ.
Go back to sleep.’
Ya lovbiẹ.’
Samuel went back to bed.
E Samuẹl na ya lovbiẹ.
Then it happened again.
E Samuẹl na werriegbe họn urhu nii igbava.
When Samuel heard the voice a third time, Eli realized that it was Jehovah who was calling Samuel.
Vbe Samuẹl ghi bu Elai vbe nogieha, Elai na ghi rẹn wẹẹ e Jehova ẹre ọ tie ẹre na.
He told Samuel that if he heard the voice again, he should say:
Ẹre Elai na ghi tama e Samuẹl wẹẹ, deghẹ ọ na ghi werriegbe họn urhu nii, ne ọ wanniẹn ọnrẹn wẹẹ:
‘Speak, Jehovah.
‘Ghee mwẹ mwa e Jehova.
Your servant is listening.’
Mẹ ne ọguọmwadia ruẹ danmwehọ ruẹ.’
Samuel went back to bed.
E Samuẹl na werriegbe ya lovbiẹ.
Then he heard:
Ẹre ọ na werriegbe họn vbe ọmwa tie ẹre wẹẹ:
‘Samuel! Samuel!’
‘Samuẹl! Samuẹl!’
He answered:
Ẹre Samuẹl na ghi wanniẹn wẹẹ:
‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’
‘Ghee mwẹ mwa. Mẹ ne ọguọmwadia ruẹ danmwehọ ruẹ.’
Jehovah told him:
E Jehova na ghi tama rẹn wẹẹ:
‘Tell Eli that I am going to punish him and his family.
‘Tama Elai wẹẹ te I khian rri irẹn vbe ẹgbẹe ọre oya.
He knows that his sons are doing bad things in my tabernacle, but he does nothing about it.’
Ọ rẹnrẹn wẹẹ emwi ne ivbi irẹn ru vbe ibọkpọ mwẹ i maan, sokpan ọ ma sẹtin dia iran.’
The next morning Samuel opened the doors to the tabernacle, as he always did.
Ẹdẹ ghi gbe, e Samuẹl na ya kie urho ọghe ibọkpọ zẹvbe ne ọ ka ruẹ.
He was afraid to tell the high priest what Jehovah had said.
Ohan ma gi ẹre tama Elai uhunmwu ne Jehova gie ẹre.
But Eli called for him and asked:
Sokpan Elai keghi tama rẹn wẹẹ:
‘My son, what did Jehovah say to you? Tell me everything.’
‘Ovbimwẹ, tama mwẹ emwi hia ne Jehova tama ruẹ.’
So Samuel told Eli everything.
Ẹre Samuẹl na ghi ta emwi hia ma Elai.
As Samuel grew up, Jehovah continued to be with him.
Vbene Samuẹl ya gha waan, erriọ e Jehova ya gha ru iyobọ nẹ.
From one end of the land to the other, all the Israelites knew that Jehovah had chosen Samuel to be a prophet and a judge.
Emwa hia ni ghaa rrọọ vbe ẹghẹ nii keghi rẹn wẹẹ, e Samuẹl ẹre Jehova zẹ nọ gha re akhasẹ kevbe ọbuohiẹn.
“Remember, then, your Grand Creator in the days of your youth.”—Ecclesiastes 12:1
“Yee Ayi ne ọ yii ruẹ rre vbe ne u he na re ọvbokhan na.”—Asan-Ibo 12:1
Questions:
Inọta:
How was Samuel different from Hophni and Phinehas?
De vbene Samuẹl ya lughaẹn ne Hofnai kevbe Finihaz hẹ?
What message did Jehovah give to Samuel?
De uhunmwu ne Jehova gie Samuẹl re?