1 Samuel 3

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

One evening, Eli had gone to bed in his room. His eyes were now so weak that he couldn't see.

3 and the lamp of God hadn't yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in YHWH's temple, 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 that YHWH called, "Samuel. Samuel." And he said, "Here I am."

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

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.

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 YHWHG 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."

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 God, neither was the word of YHWH yet revealed to him.

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

8 Then YHWH 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 YHWH had called the child.

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 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.

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

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

11 YHWH said to Samuel, "Look, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it 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 perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the 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 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.

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

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 lay there until the morning, and in the morning he got up and opened the doors of the house of YHWH. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the 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 to Samuel, "Samuel, my son." And he replied, "Here I am."

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

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."

“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 And Samuel told him everything, and did not hide anything from him. And he said, "It is YHWH. 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 So Samuel continued to grow, and YHWH was with him and let none of his words fail.

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

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

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

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

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