< 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].
The child Samuel ministered to Jehovah before Eli. The word of Jehovah was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.
2 By that time Eli’s eyes were very weak; he was almost blind. [One night] he was sleeping in his room,
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),
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 hadn't yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in Jehovah's temple, where the ark of God was;
4 Yahweh called, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel replied, “I’m here!”
that Jehovah called, "Samuel. Samuel." And he said, "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.
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.
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.”
Jehovah 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."
7 At that time Samuel did not yet know [that] Yahweh [could speak to him], because Yahweh had not previously revealed anything to him.
Now Samuel did not yet know God, neither was the word of Jehovah 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.
Then Jehovah 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 Jehovah had called the child.
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.
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.
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 Jehovah came and stood, and called as at other times. Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
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.
Jehovah said to Samuel, "Look, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall 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 will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end.
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.
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.
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.’”
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."
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 lay there until the morning, and in the morning he got up and opened the doors of the house of Jehovah. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision.
16 But Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son!” Samuel answered, “I am here!”
Then Eli said to Samuel, "Samuel, my son." And he replied, "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.”
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."
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 told him everything, and did not hide anything from him. And he said, "It is Jehovah. Let him do what seems good to him."
19 As Samuel grew up, Yahweh helped him, and caused everything to (come true/happen) that Samuel predicted.
So Samuel continued to grow, and Jehovah was with him and let none of his words fail.
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.
Thus all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of Jehovah.
21 Yahweh continued to appear to Samuel in Shiloh and give messages to him.
And Jehovah appeared again in Shiloh, for Jehovah revealed himself to Samuel.