1 Samuel 3

1 And the child Samuel served Jehovah before Eli. And the word of Jehovah was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision.

The boy Samuel served before the Lord under Eli's supervision. At that time messages from the Lord were rare—visions were not common.

2 And it came to pass 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),

One evening, Eli had gone to bed in his room. His eyes were now so weak that he couldn't see.

3 and the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down in the temple of Jehovah where the ark of God was,

The lamp of God hadn't yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Lord's Temple where the Ark of God was.

4 that Jehovah called Samuel. And he said, Here I am.

Then the Lord called, “Samuel!” He answered, “I'm here.”

5 And he ran to Eli, and said, Here I am, for thou called me. And he said, I did not call. Lie down again. And he went and lay down.

He ran to Eli, and said, “I'm here—you called me.” “I didn't call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So Samuel went back to bed.

6 And Jehovah called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here I am, for thou called me. And he answered, I did not call, my son. Lie down again.

Then the Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up, went to Eli and said, “I'm here—you called me.” “I didn't call you, my son,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.”

7 Now Samuel did not yet know Jehovah, neither was the word of Jehovah yet revealed to him.

(Samuel hadn't yet come to know the Lord and had not received any message from him.)

8 And Jehovah called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here I am, for thou called me. And Eli perceived that Jehovah had called the child.

The Lord called again for the third time, “Samuel!” He got up went to Eli and said, “I'm here—you called me.” Then Eli realized that it was the Lord calling the boy.

9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down, and it shall be, if he calls thee, that thou shall say, Speak, Jehovah, for thy servant hears. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Eli told Samuel, “Go back to bed, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, because your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to his bed.

10 And Jehovah came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel said, Speak, for thy servant hears.

The Lord came and stood there, calling just as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak, because your servant is listening.”

11 And Jehovah said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle.

The Lord told Samuel: “Pay attention, because I'm going to do something in Israel that will surprise everyone who hears it.

12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end.

That's when I will carry out against Eli and his family everything I have said, from beginning to 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 upon themselves, and he did not restrain them.

I told him that I will judge his family forever because of the sins he knows about, because his sons blasphemed God and he did not try and stop them.

14 And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering forever.

That's why I swore to Eli and his family, ‘The guilt of Eli and his descendants will never be removed by sacrifice or offering.’”

15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of Jehovah. And Samuel was afraid to show Eli the vision.

Samuel remained in bed until the morning. Then he got up and opened the doors of the Lord's Temple as usual. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.

16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he said, Here I am.

But Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.” “I'm here,” Samuel answered.

17 And he said, What is the thing that Jehovah has spoken to thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me. God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide anything from me of all the things that he spoke to thee.

“What did he tell you?” Eli asked. “Don't hide it from me. May God punish you very severely if you hide anything he told you from me!”

18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is Jehovah. Let him do what seems him good.

So Samuel told him everything and didn't hide anything from him. “It's the Lord,” Eli replied. “May he do what he thinks is good.”

19 And Samuel grew, and Jehovah was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground.

Samuel continued to grow up. The Lord was with him and made sure all he said was trustworthy.

20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Jehovah.

Everyone in the whole of Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord.

21 And Jehovah appeared again in Shiloh, for Jehovah revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of Jehovah.

The Lord went on appearing at Shiloh, because there he revealed himself to Samuel and delivered his messages,