1 Samuel 3

1 And the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. Now in those days the word of the LORD was rare and visions were scarce.

Le jeune Samuel servait donc le Seigneur sous les yeux d’Héli. A cette époque, la parole de l’Eternel était rare, la vision prophétique peu répandue.

2 And at that time Eli, whose eyesight had grown so dim that he could not see, was lying in his room.

Or, en ce temps-là, Héli, dont les yeux commençaient à s’obscurcir et qui y voyait à peine, était couché à sa place habituelle;

3 Before the lamp of God had gone out, Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was located.

Samuel aussi dormait, et la lampe sacrée brûlait encore dans le temple de l’Eternel, où était l’arche divine,

4 Then the LORD called to Samuel, and he answered, “Here I am.”

lorsque l’Eternel appela Samuel, qui répondit: "Me voici!"

5 He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you have called me.” “I did not call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

Et il accourut près d’Héli en disant: "Tu m’as appelé, me voici." Héli répondit: "Je n’ai point appelé; va te recoucher." Ce que fit Samuel.

6 Once again the LORD called, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you have called me.” “My son, I did not call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.”

L’Eternel appela de nouveau: "Samuel!" Celui-ci se leva, alla trouver Héli en disant: "Tu m’as appelé, me voici", et Héli répondit: "Je n’ai point appelé, mon enfant; recouche-toi."

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, because the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

Samuel ne connaissait pas encore l’Eternel, la parole divine ne s’étant pas encore révélée à lui.

8 Once again, for the third time, the LORD called to Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you have called me.” Then Eli realized that it was the LORD who was calling the boy.

Une troisième fois, Dieu appela: "Samuel!" Il se leva et s’en fut auprès d’Héli en disant: "Tu m’as appelé, me voici." Alors Héli comprit que c’était Dieu qui appelait le jeune homme,

9 “Go and lie down,” he said to Samuel, “and if He calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

et il dit à Samuel: "Va te recoucher, et si l’on t’appelle, tu diras: Parle, Seigneur, ton serviteur écoute." Samuel le quitta et regagna sa couche.

10 Then the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”

Le Seigneur vint, s’arrêta là et appela comme il avait fait chaque fois: "Samuel!…. Samuel!…" Et Samuel dit: "Parle, ton serviteur écoute."

11 Then the LORD said to Samuel, “I am about to do something in Israel at which the ears of all who hear it will tingle.

Alors le Seigneur dit à Samuel: "Je vais accomplir une chose en Israël, à faire tinter les oreilles de quiconque l’entendra.

12 On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I have spoken about his family, from beginning to end.

Ce jour-là, j’exécuterai à l’égard d’Héli toutes mes menaces concernant sa famille; j’en poursuivrai l’exécution jusqu’au bout.

13 I told him that I would judge his house forever for the iniquity of which he knows, because his sons blasphemed God and he did not restrain them.

Je lui ai annoncé que je condamne à jamais sa famille, parce qu’il a eu le tort, connaissant la conduite indigne de ses fils, de ne pas la réprimer.

14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, ‘The iniquity of Eli’s house shall never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”

Je le déclare donc avec serment à la maison d’Héli: rien ne saurait désormais expier son crime, ni sacrifice, ni oblation!"

15 Samuel lay down until the morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision,

Samuel resta couché jusqu’au matin, et ouvrit alors les portes de la maison de Dieu; mais il n’osait rapporter cette vision à Héli.

16 but Eli called to him and said, “Samuel, my son.” “Here I am,” answered Samuel.

Celui-ci appela Samuel en disant: "Samuel, mon fils!" Et il répondit: "Me voici!"

17 “What was the message He gave you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God punish you, and ever so severely, if you hide from me anything He said to you.”

Héli reprit: "Quelle parole t’a-t-il adressée? De grâce, ne me cache rien. Que Dieu t’en fasse autant et plus, si tu me caches quoi que ce soit de ce qu’il t’a dit!"

18 So Samuel told him everything and did not hide a thing from him. “He is the LORD,” replied Eli. “Let Him do what is good in His eyes.”

Alors Samuel lui redit toutes les paroles, sans lui rien dissimuler; et Héli répondit: "Il est l’Eternel; qu’il fasse selon sa volonté!"

19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and He let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground.

Ainsi grandissait Samuel, et l’Eternel était avec lui, et il ne laissait tomber à terre aucune de ses prophéties.

20 So all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the LORD.

Et tout Israël, depuis Dan jusqu’à Bersabée, reconnut l’autorité de Samuel, comme prophète du Seigneur.

21 And the LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, because there He revealed Himself to Samuel by His word.

Et l’Eternel se manifesta souvent encore à Silo, car c’est à Silo qu’il se manifestait à Samuel par la parole divine.