1 Samuel 3

1 Now the child Samuel ministered to the Lord before Heli, and the word of the Lord was precious in those days, there was no manifest 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 one day when Heli lay in his place, and his eyes were grown dim, 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 Before the lamp of God went out, Samuel slept 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 And the Lord called Samuel. And he answered: Here am I.

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

5 And he ran to Heli and said: Here am I: for thou didst call me. He said: I did not call: go back and sleep. And he went and slept.

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 the Lord called Samuel again. And Samuel arose and went to Heli, and said: Here am I: for thou calledst me. He answered: I did not call thee, my son: return and sleep.

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 the Lord, neither had the word of the Lord been revealed to him.

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

8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose up and went to Heli.

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 And said: Here am I: for thou didst call me. Then Heli understood that the Lord called the child, and he said to Samuel: Go, and sleep: and if he shall call thee any more, thou shalt say: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and slept 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 the Lord came and stood: and he called, as he had called the other times: Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel said: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.

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: Behold I do a thing in Israel: and whosoever shall hear it, both his ears 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 raise up against Heli all the things I have spoken concerning his house: I will begin, and I will make an 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 foretold unto him, that I will judge his house for ever, for iniquity, because he knew that his sons did wickedly, and did not chastise 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 Therefore have I sworn to the house of Heli, that the iniquity of his house shall not be expiated with victims nor offerings for ever.

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 slept till morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to tell the vision to Heli.

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 Heli called Samuel, and said: Samuel, my son. And he answered: Here am I.

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

17 And he asked him: What is the word that the Lord hath spoken to thee? I beseech thee hide it not from me. May God do so and so to thee, and add so and so, if thou hide from me one word of all that were said 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 So Samuel told him all the words, and did not hide them from him. And he answered: It is the Lord: let him do what is good in his sight.

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 the Lord was with him, and not one of his words fell 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 to Bersabee, knew that Samuel was a faithful 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 again appeared in Silo, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Silo, according to the word of the Lord. And the word of Samuel came to pass to all Israel.

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