1 Samuel 3

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

[While he was still a] boy, Samuel was working for Yahweh while Eli supervised him. At that time there were very few messages [that anyone received] from Yahweh, and very few people saw visions [that Yahweh gave them].

2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could not see),

By that time Eli’s eyes were very weak; he was almost blind. [One night] he was sleeping in his room,

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

and Samuel was sleeping in the sacred tent, where the chest that contained the Ten Commandments was kept. While the sacred lamp was still burning,

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

Yahweh called, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel replied, “I’m here!”

5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.

Then he [got up and] ran to Eli. He said to him, “I am here, because you called me!” But Eli replied, “No, I did not call you. Go back to your bed.” So Samuel went and lay down again.

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

Then Yahweh called again, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up again and went to Eli and said, “I am here, because you called me!” But Eli said, “No, my son, I did not call you. Go back and lie down.”

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

At that time Samuel did not yet know [that] Yahweh [could speak to him], because Yahweh had not previously revealed anything to him.

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

[After Samuel lay down again], Yahweh called him a third time. So again Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “I am here, because you called me!” Then Eli realized that it was Yahweh who was calling the boy.

9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Jehovah; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again. If someone calls you again, say ‘Speak to me, Yahweh, because I am listening!’” So Samuel went and lay down again.

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

Then Yahweh came and stood there and called as he had done the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak to me, because I am listening!”

11 And Jehovah said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.

Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen carefully. I am about to do something here in Israel that will shock/horrify [IDM] everyone who hears about it.

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

When that happens, I will punish Eli and his family. I will do to them everything that I said that I would do.

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons did bring a curse upon themselves, and he restrained them not.

His sons have shown great disrespect for me by the disgraceful things they have done, and Eli did not restrain them. So I told him that I would punish his family forever.

14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering for ever.

I solemnly promised to Eli’s family, ‘You will never be able to avoid the consequences for your sin, even if you give me sacrifices or offerings.’”

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

Samuel lay down again until morning. Then he got up and opened the doors of the Sacred Tent [as usual]. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision [that Yahweh had given him].

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

But Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son!” Samuel answered, “I am here!”

17 And he said, What is the thing that [Jehovah] hath spoken unto 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 spake unto thee.

Eli asked him, “What was it that Yahweh told you? Do not conceal it! I want God to punish you severely if you do not tell me everything that he said to you.”

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

So Samuel told him everything. He did not refuse to tell him anything. Then Eli said, “He is Yahweh. I am willing for him to do what he thinks is best.”

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

As Samuel grew up, Yahweh helped him, and caused everything to (come true/happen) that Samuel predicted.

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

So all the people of Israel, from the northern end of the country to the southern end, realized that Samuel was truly a prophet of Yahweh.

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

Yahweh continued to appear to Samuel in Shiloh and give messages to him.