1 Samuel 3

1 The child Samuel ministered to Jehovah before Eli. The word of Jehovah was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

And the lad Samuel was ministering unto the Lord before 'Eli. And the word of the Lord was scarce in those days: prophecy was not extended.

2 It happened at that time, when Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),

And it came to pass one day, when 'Eli was lying down in his place, and his eyes had begun to grow dim, he could not see;

3 and the lamp of God hadn't yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in Jehovah's temple, where the ark of God was;

And the lamp of God had not yet gone out, while Samuel was lying down in [the hall of] the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was;

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

That the Lord called Samuel: and he said, Here am I.

5 He ran to Eli, and said, "Here I am; for you called me." He said, "I did not call; lie down again." He went and lay down.

And he ran unto 'Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he said, I did not call: lie down again. And he went and lay down.

6 Jehovah called yet again, "Samuel. Samuel." And he got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am; for you called me." He answered, "I did not call, my son; lie down again."

And the Lord continued to call again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to 'Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I did not call, my son: lie down again.

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

And Samuel knew not yet the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord been as yet revealed unto him.

8 Then Jehovah called Samuel again the third time, and he got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli realized that Jehovah had called the child.

And the Lord continued to call, Samuel, the third time; and he arose and went to 'Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And 'Eli then perceived that the Lord was calling the lad.

9 So he said, "Go, lie down, and if he calls you, reply, 'Speak, for your servant is listening.'" Then Samuel went and lay down in his place.

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

10 And Jehovah came and stood, and called as at other times. Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

And the Lord came, and placed himself, and called as at previous times, Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel said, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

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

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

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

On that day will I fulfill on 'Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house: I will begin and finish.

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons were cursing God, and he did not restrain them.

And I tell him that I will judge his house for ever; for the iniquity that he knew that his sons were drawing a curse on themselves, and he restrained them not.

14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be removed with sacrifice nor offering forever."

And therefore have I sworn unto the house of 'Eli, that the iniquity of 'Eli's house shall not be atoned for with sacrifice or meat-offering for ever.

15 And Samuel lay there until the morning, and in the morning he got up and opened the doors of the house of Jehovah. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision.

And Samuel lay until the morning, when he opened the doors of the house of the Lord; and Samuel feared to tell the vision unto 'Eli.

16 Then Eli said to Samuel, "Samuel, my son." And he replied, "Here I am."

But 'Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he said, Here am I.

17 He said, "What is the thing that he has spoken to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do thus to you if you hide anything from me of all the words that he spoke to you in your ears."

And he said, What is the word which he hath spoken unto thee? do not, I pray thee, conceal it from me: may God do to thee thus, and continue to do so, if thou conceal any thing from me of all the word that he hath spoken unto thee.

18 And Samuel told him everything, and did not hide anything from him. And he said, "It is Jehovah. Let him do what seems good to him."

And Samuel told him all the words, and concealed nothing from him. And he said, He is the Lord: let him do what seemeth good in his eyes.

19 So Samuel continued to grow, and Jehovah was with him and let none of his words fail.

And Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, and he did not let fall any one of all his words to the ground.

20 Thus all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of Jehovah.

And thus knew all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba' that Samuel was accredited as a prophet of the Lord.

21 And Jehovah appeared again in Shiloh, for Jehovah revealed himself to Samuel.

And the Lord continued to appear in Shiloh; for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.