3
1 The
child Samuel
ministered to the
LORD before Eli.
The LORD’s word
was rare in
those days. There
were not many
visions, then.
2 At
that time, when
Eli was laid
down in his
place (now his
eyes had begun
to grow dim, so
that he could
not see),
3 and
God’s lamp hadn’t
yet gone out,
and Samuel had
laid down in
the LORD’s temple
where God’s ark
was,
4 The
LORD called Samuel.
He said, “Here
I am.”
5 He
ran to Eli
and said, “Here
I am; for
you called me.”
He said, “I didn’t
call. Lie down
again.”
He went and
lay down.
6 The
LORD called yet
again, “Samuel!”
Samuel arose and
went to Eli
and said, “Here
I am; for
you called me.”
He answered, “I
didn’t call, my
son. Lie down
again.”
7 Now
Samuel didn’t yet
know the LORD,
neither was the
LORD’s word yet
revealed to him.
8 The
LORD called Samuel
again the third
time. He arose
and went to
Eli and said, “Here
I am; for
you called me.”
Eli perceived that
the LORD had
called the child.
9 Therefore
Eli said to
Samuel, “Go, lie
down. It shall
be, if he
calls you, that
you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD; for your
servant hears.’ ”
So Samuel went
and lay down
in his place.
10 The
LORD came, and
stood, and called
as at other
times, “Samuel!
Samuel!”
Then Samuel said,
“Speak; for your
servant hears.”
11 The
LORD said to
Samuel, “Behold, I
will do a
thing in Israel
at which both
the ears of
everyone who hears
it will tingle.
12 In
that day I
will perform
against Eli all
that I have
spoken concerning
his house, from
the beginning even
to the end.
13 For
I have told
him that I
will judge his
house forever for
the iniquity which
he knew, because
his sons brought
a curse on
themselves, and
he didn’t restrain them.
14 Therefore
I have sworn
to the house
of Eli that
the iniquity of
Eli’s house shall
not be removed
with sacrifice or
offering forever.”
15 Samuel
lay until the
morning, and
opened the doors
of the LORD’s
house. Samuel was
afraid to show
Eli the vision.
16 Then
Eli called Samuel
and said, “Samuel,
my son!”
He said, “Here
I am.”
17 He
said, “What is
the thing that
he has spoken
to you?
Please don’t hide
it from me. God
do so to
you, and more
also, if you hide
anything from me
of all the
things that he
spoke to you.”
18 Samuel
told him every bit,
and hid nothing
from him.
He said, “It
is the LORD.
Let him do
what seems good
to him.”
19 Samuel
grew, and the
LORD was with
him and let
none of his
words fall to
the ground.
20 All
Israel from Dan
even to Beersheba
knew that Samuel
was established to
be a prophet
of the LORD.
21 The
LORD appeared
again in Shiloh;
for the LORD
revealed himself
to Samuel in
Shiloh by the
LORD’s word.