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.

[While he was still a] boy, Samuel was working for Yahweh while Eli supervised him. At that time there were very few messages [that anyone received] from Yahweh, and very few people saw visions [that Yahweh gave them].

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,

By that time Eli’s eyes were very weak; he was almost blind. [One night] he was sleeping in his room,

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,

and Samuel was sleeping in the sacred tent, where the chest that contained the Ten Commandments was kept. While the sacred lamp was still burning,

4 that Yahweh called unto Samuel, and he said—Behold me!

Yahweh called, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel replied, “I’m here!”

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.

Then he [got up and] ran to Eli. He said to him, “I am here, because you called me!” But Eli replied, “No, I did not call you. Go back to your bed.” So Samuel went and lay down again.

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.

Then Yahweh called again, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up again and went to Eli and said, “I am here, because you called me!” But Eli said, “No, my son, I did not call you. Go back and lie down.”

7 Now, Samuel, as yet knew not Yahweh, —nor, as yet, had been revealed unto him, the word of Yahweh.

At that time Samuel did not yet know [that] Yahweh [could speak to him], because Yahweh had not previously revealed anything 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.

[After Samuel lay down again], Yahweh called him a third time. So again Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “I am here, because you called me!” Then Eli realized that it was Yahweh who was calling the boy.

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.

So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again. If someone calls you again, say ‘Speak to me, Yahweh, because I am listening!’” So Samuel went and lay down again.

10 Then came Yahweh, and stood, and called as time after time—Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for thy servant is listening.

Then Yahweh came and stood there and called as he had done the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak to me, because I am listening!”

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.

Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen carefully. I am about to do something here in Israel that will shock/horrify [IDM] everyone who hears about it.

12 In that day, will I confirm against Eli, all that I have spoken against his house, —beginning and finishing.

When that happens, I will punish Eli and his family. I will do to them everything that I said that I would do.

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.

His sons have shown great disrespect for me by the disgraceful things they have done, and Eli did not restrain them. So I told him that I would punish his family forever.

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.

I solemnly promised to Eli’s family, ‘You will never be able to avoid the consequences for your sin, even if you give me sacrifices or offerings.’”

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.

Samuel lay down again until morning. Then he got up and opened the doors of the Sacred Tent [as usual]. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision [that Yahweh had given him].

16 So Eli called Samuel, and said—Samuel! my son. And he said—Behold me!

But Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son!” Samuel answered, “I am here!”

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.

Eli asked him, “What was it that Yahweh told you? Do not conceal it! I want God to punish you severely if you do not tell me everything that he said to you.”

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 everything. He did not refuse to tell him anything. Then Eli said, “He is Yahweh. I am willing for him to do what he thinks is best.”

19 And Samuel grew, —and, Yahweh, proved to he with him, and let none of all his words fall to the ground.

As Samuel grew up, Yahweh helped him, and caused everything to (come true/happen) that Samuel predicted.

20 So all Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, came to know, —that Samuel had become confirmed as a prophet unto Yahweh.

So all the people of Israel, from the northern end of the country to the southern end, realized that Samuel was truly a prophet of Yahweh.

21 Thus did Yahweh again appear in Shiloh, —for Yahweh had revealed himself unto Samuel in Shiloh, in the word of Yahweh.

Yahweh continued to appear to Samuel in Shiloh and give messages to him.