1 Samuel 3

1 Now the young Samuel was the servant of the Lord before Eli. In those days the Lord kept his word secret from men; there was no open 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 at that time, when Eli was resting in his place, (now his eyes were becoming clouded so that he was not able to 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 light of God was still burning, while Samuel was sleeping in the Temple of the Lord 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 The voice of the Lord said Samuel's name; and he said, Here am I.

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

5 And running to Eli he said, Here am I, for you said my name. And Eli said, I did not say your name; go to your rest again. So he went back to his bed.

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 again the Lord said, Samuel. And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, Here am I; for you certainly said my name. But he said in answer, I said nothing, my son; go to your rest 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 at that time Samuel had no knowledge of the Lord, and the revelation of the word of the Lord had not come to him.

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

8 And for the third time the Lord said Samuel's name. And he got up and went to Eli and said, Here am I; for you certainly said my name. Then it was clear to Eli that the voice which had said the child's name was the Lord's.

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 So Eli said to Samuel, Go back: and if the voice comes again, let your answer be, Say on, Lord; for the ears of your servant are open. So Samuel went back to his bed.

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 Then the Lord came and said as before, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel made answer, Say on, Lord; for the ears of your servant are open.

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

11 And the Lord said to Samuel, See, I will do a thing in Israel at which the ears of everyone hearing of it will be burning.

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 do to Eli everything which I have said about his family, from first to last.

That's when I will carry out against Eli and his family everything I have said, from beginning to end.

13 And you are to say to him that I will send punishment on his family for ever, for the sin which he had knowledge of; because his sons have been cursing God and he had no control over 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 So I have made an oath to the family of Eli that no offering of meat or of meal which they may make will ever take away the sin of his family.

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 kept where he was, not moving till the time came for opening the doors of the house of God in the morning. And fear kept him from giving Eli an account of his 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 said, Samuel, my son. And Samuel answering said, Here am I.

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

17 And he said, What did the Lord say to you? Do not keep it from me: may God's punishment be on you if you keep from me anything he said to you.

“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 Then Samuel gave him an account of everything, keeping nothing back. And he said, It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.

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 became older, and the Lord was with him and let not one of his words be without effect.

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

20 And it was clear to all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba that Samuel had been made a prophet of the Lord.

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

21 And the Lord was seen again in Shiloh; for the Lord gave to Samuel in Shiloh the revelation of his word.

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