3:1 The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.
3:2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place.
3:3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.
3:4 Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.”
3:5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
3:6 Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”
3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.
3:8 The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy.
3:9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
3:10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
3:11 And the LORD said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle.
3:12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family–from beginning to end.
3:13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them.
3:14 Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”
3:15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the LORD. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision,
3:16 but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.” Samuel answered, “Here I am.”
3:17 “What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.”
3:18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes.”
3:19 The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground.
3:20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD.
3:21 The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.
3:1 And the boy Samuel ministered to Jehovah before Eli. Now the word of Jehovah was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.
3:2 And at that time Eli lay in his place, and his eyesight had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see.
3:3 And the lamp of God had not yet gone out. And Samuel lay in the temple of Jehovah, where the Ark of God was.
3:4 Then Jehovah called to Samuel. And he said, Here I am.
3:5 And he ran to Eli and said, Here I am, for you called me. And he said, I did not call. Go back and lie down. And he went and lay down.
3:6 And Jehovah called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel rose up and went to Eli and said, Here I am, for you called me. And he said, I did not call, my son. Go back and lie down.
3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know Jehovah, and the word of Jehovah had not yet been revealed to him.
3:8 Then Jehovah called Samuel again, the third time. And he rose up and went to Eli and said, Here I am, for you called me. Then Eli perceived that it was Jehovah calling the boy.
3:9 And Eli said to Samuel, Go and lie down, and if He calls you, you shall say, Speak, O Jehovah; for Your servant is listening. And Samuel went and lay down in his place.
3:10 Then Jehovah came and stood by and called as at the other times, Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for Your servant is listening.
3:11 And Jehovah said to Samuel, I am about to do something in Israel which will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle.
3:12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.
3:13 For I have told him that I am about to judge his house forever because of the iniquity which he knew; for his sons brought the curse upon themselves, and he did not restrain them.
3:14 And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of the house of Eli shall not be expiated by sacrifice or by offering forever.
3:15 And Samuel lay down until the morning, when he opened the doors of the house of Jehovah. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.
3:16 But Eli called Samuel and said, Samuel my son. And he said, Here I am.
3:17 And he said, What was the word that He spoke to you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and even more, if you hide from me any of the word which He spoke to you.
3:18 So Samuel told him everything and did not hide anything from him. And he said, He is Jehovah; let Him do what is good in His sight.
3:19 And Samuel grew, and Jehovah was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.
3:20 And all Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of Jehovah.
3:21 And Jehovah continued to appear in Shiloh, for Jehovah revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of Jehovah.