1 Samuel 3

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

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.

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 at that time, when Eli was resting in his place, (now his eyes were becoming clouded so that he was not able to see, )

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

And the light of God was still burning, while Samuel was sleeping in the Temple of the Lord where the ark of God was,

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

The voice of the Lord said Samuel's name; 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 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.

6 The LORD 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 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.

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

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.

8 Then the LORD 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 the LORD had called the child.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

11 The LORD 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, See, I will do a thing in Israel at which the ears of everyone hearing of it will be burning.

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

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

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 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.

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."

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.

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

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.

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

Then Eli said, Samuel, my son. And Samuel answering 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 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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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