1 Samuel 3

1 [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].

And the youth Samuel is serving YHWH before Eli, and the word of YHWH has been precious in those days—there is no vision breaking forth.

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

And it comes to pass, at that time, that Eli is lying down in his place, and his eyes have begun [to be] faded—he is not able to see.

3 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,

And the lamp of God is not yet extinguished, and Samuel is lying down in the temple of YHWH, where the Ark of God [is],

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

and YHWH calls to Samuel, and he says, “Here I [am].”

5 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.

And he runs to Eli and says, “Here I [am], for you have called for me”; and he says, “I did not call; turn back, lie down”; and he goes and lies down.

6 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.”

And YHWH adds to call Samuel again, and Samuel rises and goes to Eli, and says, “Here I [am], for you have called for me”; and he says, “I have not called, my son, turn back, lie down.”

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

And Samuel has not yet known YHWH, and the word of YHWH is not yet revealed to him.

8 [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.

And YHWH adds to call Samuel the third time, and he rises and goes to Eli, and says, “Here I [am], for you have called for me”; and Eli understands that YHWH is calling to the youth.

9 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.

And Eli says to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and it has been, if He calls to you, that you have said, Speak, YHWH, for Your servant is hearing”; and Samuel goes and lies down in his place.

10 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!”

And YHWH comes, and stations Himself, and calls as time by time, “Samuel, Samuel”; and Samuel says, “Speak, for Your servant is hearing.”

11 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.

And YHWH says to Samuel, “Behold, I am doing a thing in Israel, at which the two ears of everyone hearing it tingle.

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

In that day I establish to Eli all that I have spoken to his house, beginning and completing;

13 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.

and I have declared to him that I am judging his house for all time, for the iniquity which he has known, for his sons are making themselves vile, and he has not restrained them,

14 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.’”

and therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli: the iniquity of the house of Eli is not atoned for, by sacrifice, and by offering—for all time.”

15 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].

And Samuel lies until the morning, and opens the doors of the house of YHWH, and Samuel is afraid of declaring the vision to Eli.

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

And Eli calls Samuel and says, “Samuel, my son”; and he says, “Here I [am].”

17 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.”

And he says, “What [is] the word which He has spoken to you? Please do not hide it from me; so God does to you, and so does He add, if you hide from me a word of all the words that He has spoken to you.”

18 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.”

And Samuel declares to him the whole of the words, and has not hid from him; and he says, “It [is] YHWH; that which is good in His eyes He does.”

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

And Samuel grows up, and YHWH has been with him, and has not let any of his words fall to the earth;

20 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.

and all Israel knows, from Dan even to Beer-Sheba, that Samuel is established for a prophet to YHWH.

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

And YHWH adds to appear in Shiloh, for YHWH has been revealed to Samuel, in Shiloh, by the word of YHWH.