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28 verses, of a gripping personal story. Elkana, a wealthy religious man was married to two women, one very fertile, and the other, Hana, was childless. Hana bitterly prays for a son, offering to dedicate him to God. When she bears a son she calls him "Shmuel" meaning: on-loan from God. When she finishes nursing him, she delivers him to the chief priest, Eli.
36 verses. The two sons of Eli, the high priest, abuse the worshippers, attract the wrath of God, and His stiff judgment. Samuel grows up in the priesthood, and God and man like him. Hana, his mother is blessed by Eli, the high priest, and bears 3 more boys and two girls, living thankfully, as it figures, with her good husband. On parting from the priesthood, leaving Samuel as God's dedicated servant, Hana is gripped by remarkable poetic inspiration and recites a most pointed song in praise of God who turns the tables on the smug and self believers powerful, and elevates the down trodden. And for that God is the one to worship and praise.
21 verses. God speaks to Samuel the boy, and starts the special relationship with him. Eli the high priest aware of the revelation presses upon the boy to disclose its contents, and acts in resignation when he finds out the harsh judgement against his children. The way God reveals Himself to Shmuel is instructive. He calls him and Shmuel thinks the voice he hears is from his boss, the high priest, and he runs to him, time and again, until the priest realizes it's God calling. Shmuel replies to the voice, with the same word that Ya'acov did when God talked to him before going down to Egypt: "Here I am!" הנני