< 1 Samuel 3 >

1 Now, the boy Samuel, was ministering unto Yahweh, before Eli, —and, the word of Yahweh, had become rare in those days, there was no well-known vision.
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.
2 But it came to pass, at that time, when Eli was lying down in his place, his eyes, having begun to be dim, he could not see,
And it came to pass one day when Heli lay in his place, and his eyes were grown dim, that he could not see:
3 though, the lamp of God, was not yet to be put out, and, Samuel, was lying down in the temple of Yahweh, where was the ark of God,
Before the lamp of God went out, Samuel slept in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.
4 that Yahweh called unto Samuel, and he said—Behold me!
And the Lord called Samuel. And he answered: Here am I.
5 So he ran unto Eli and said—Behold me! for thou calledst me. And he said—I called not, return—Its down. So he went, and lie down.
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.
6 And again Yahweh called once there—Samuel! Then rose Samuel, and went unto Eli, and said—Behold me! for thou calledst me. And he said—I called not, my son, return—lie down.
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.
7 Now, Samuel, as yet knew not Yahweh, —nor, as yet, had been revealed unto him, the word of Yahweh.
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither had the word of the Lord been revealed to him.
8 And again Yahweh called—Samuel! a third time. Then he arose, and went unto Eli, and said—Behold me! for thou calledst me. Then did Eli perceive, that, Yahweh, was calling the boy.
And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose up and went to Heli.
9 So Eli said to Samuel—Go, lie down, and it shall be, if he call unto thee, that thou shalt say—Speak, Yahweh, for thy servant is listening. And Samuel went, and lay down in his place.
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.
10 Then came Yahweh, and stood, and called as time after time—Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for thy servant is listening.
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.
11 And Yahweh said unto Samuel, Lo! I am doing a thing, in Israel, —at which both ears of everyone that heareth it shall tingle.
And the Lord said to Samuel: Behold I do a thing in Israel: and whosoever shall hear it, both his ears shall tingle.
12 In that day, will I confirm against Eli, all that I have spoken against his house, —beginning and finishing.
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.
13 Therefore do I tell him, that I am about to judge his house unto times age-abiding, for the iniquity which he knoweth, in that his sons are cursing God, and he hath not rebuked them.
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.
14 And therefore have I sworn, respecting the house of Eli, —that the iniquity of the house of Eli shall receive no propitiatory-covering, by sacrifice or by present, unto times age-abiding.
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.
15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and rose early in the morning, and opened the doors of the house of Yahweh, —but, Samuel, feared to tell the appearing, unto Eli.
And Samuel slept till morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to tell the vision to Heli.
16 So Eli called Samuel, and said—Samuel! my son. And he said—Behold me!
Then Heli called Samuel, and said: Samuel, my son. And he answered: Here am I.
17 And he said—What is the word, which he spake unto thee? I pray thee, do not hide it from me. So, let God do to thee, and, so, let him add, if thou hide from me a word, out of anything which he hath spoken unto thee.
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.
18 So Samuel told him all the words, and hid nothing from him. And he said, Yahweh, he is; what is good in his own eyes, let him do.
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.
19 And Samuel grew, —and, Yahweh, proved to he with him, and let none of all his words fall to the ground.
And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and not one of his words fell to the ground.
20 So all Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, came to know, —that Samuel had become confirmed as a prophet unto Yahweh.
And all Israel from Dan to Bersabee, knew that Samuel was a faithful prophet of the Lord.
21 Thus did Yahweh again appear in Shiloh, —for Yahweh had revealed himself unto Samuel in Shiloh, in the word of Yahweh.
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.

< 1 Samuel 3 >