1 Samuel 3

1 The child Samuel ministered to Yahweh before Eli. Yahweh’s word was rare in those days. There were not many visions, then.

The boy Samuel served before the Lord under Eli's supervision. At that time messages from the Lord were rare—visions were not common.

2 At that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),

One evening, Eli had gone to bed in his room. His eyes were now so weak that he couldn't see.

3 and God’s lamp hadn’t yet gone out, and Samuel had laid down in Yahweh’s temple where God’s ark was,

The lamp of God hadn't yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Lord's Temple where the Ark of God was.

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

Then the Lord called, “Samuel!” He answered, “I'm here.”

5 He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” He said, “I didn’t call. Lie down again.” He went and lay down.

He ran to Eli, and said, “I'm here—you called me.” “I didn't call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So Samuel went back to bed.

6 Yahweh called yet again, “Samuel!” Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” He answered, “I didn’t call, my son. Lie down again.”

Then the Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up, went to Eli and said, “I'm here—you called me.” “I didn't call you, my son,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.”

7 Now Samuel didn’t yet know Yahweh, neither was Yahweh’s word yet revealed to him.

(Samuel hadn't yet come to know the Lord and had not received any message from him.)

8 Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child.

The Lord called again for the third time, “Samuel!” He got up went to Eli and said, “I'm here—you called me.” Then Eli realized that it was the Lord calling the boy.

9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down. It shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Yahweh; for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Eli told Samuel, “Go back to bed, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, because your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to his bed.

10 Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak; for your servant hears.”

The Lord came and stood there, calling just as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak, because your servant is listening.”

11 Yahweh said to Samuel, “Behold, I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.

The Lord told Samuel: “Pay attention, because I'm going to do something in Israel that will surprise everyone who hears it.

12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end.

That's when I will carry out against Eli and his family everything I have said, from beginning to end.

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves, and he didn’t restrain them.

I told him that I will judge his family forever because of the sins he knows about, because his sons blasphemed God and he did not try and stop them.

14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be removed with sacrifice or offering forever.”

That's why I swore to Eli and his family, ‘The guilt of Eli and his descendants will never be removed by sacrifice or offering.’”

15 Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of Yahweh’s house. Samuel was afraid to show Eli the vision.

Samuel remained in bed until the morning. Then he got up and opened the doors of the Lord's Temple as usual. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.

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

But Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.” “I'm here,” Samuel answered.

17 He said, “What is the thing that he has spoken to you? Please don’t hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that he spoke to you.”

“What did he tell you?” Eli asked. “Don't hide it from me. May God punish you very severely if you hide anything he told you from me!”

18 Samuel told him every bit, and hid nothing from him. He said, “It is Yahweh. Let him do what seems good to him.”

So Samuel told him everything and didn't hide anything from him. “It's the Lord,” Eli replied. “May he do what he thinks is good.”

19 Samuel grew, and Yahweh was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.

Samuel continued to grow up. The Lord was with him and made sure all he said was trustworthy.

20 All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Yahweh.

Everyone in the whole of Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord.

21 Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh; for Yahweh revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by Yahweh’s word.

The Lord went on appearing at Shiloh, because there he revealed himself to Samuel and delivered his messages,