1 Samuel 3

1 The child Samuel served Yahweh under Eli. Yahweh's word was rare in those days; there was no frequent prophetic 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 At that time, when Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see well, was lying down in his own bed.

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 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down to sleep in the temple of Yahweh, where the ark of God was.

Before the lamp of God went out, Samuel slept in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.

4 Yahweh called to Samuel, who said, “Here I am.”

And the Lord called Samuel. And he answered: Here am I.

5 Samuel ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Eli said, “I did not call you; lie down again.” So Samuel went and lay 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 Yahweh called again, “Samuel.” Again Samuel rose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son; lie down again.”

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 did not yet have any experience of Yahweh, nor had any message from Yahweh ever been revealed to him.

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither had the word of the Lord been revealed to him.

8 Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. Again Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli realized that Yahweh had called the boy.

And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose up and went to Heli.

9 Then Eli said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again; if he calls you again, you must say, 'Speak, Yahweh, for your servant is listening.'” So Samuel went and lay down in his own place once more.

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 Yahweh came and stood; he called as at the other times, “Samuel, Samuel.” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your 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 Yahweh said to Samuel, “See, I am about to do something in Israel at which the ears of everyone who hears it will 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 On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I have said about his house, from beginning to end.

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 I have told him that I am about to judge his house once for all for the sin that he knew about, because his sons brought a curse upon themselves and he did not stop 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 Because of this I have sworn to the house of Eli that the sins of his house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.”

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 Samuel lay down until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of Yahweh. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.

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 Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” Samuel said, “Here I am.”

Then Heli called Samuel, and said: Samuel, my son. And he answered: Here am I.

17 He said, “What was the word he spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and even more, if you hide anything from me of all the words that he spoke to you.”

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 Samuel told him everything; he hid nothing from him. Eli said, “It is Yahweh. Let him do what seems good to him.”

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 Samuel grew up, and Yahweh was with him, and he let none of his prophetic 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 All Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was appointed to be a prophet of Yahweh.

And all Israel from Dan to Bersabee, knew that Samuel was a faithful prophet of the Lord.

21 Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh, for he revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by his word.

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.