< 1 Samuel 3 >
1 And the youth Samuel is serving Jehovah before Eli, and the word of Jehovah hath been precious in those days — there is no vision broken forth.
The child Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. The word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.
2 And it cometh to pass, at that time, that Eli is lying down in his place, and his eyes have begun to be dim — he is not able to see.
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 the lamp of God is not yet extinguished, and Samuel is lying down in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God [is],
and the lamp of God hadn't yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the LORD's temple, where the ark of God was;
4 and Jehovah calleth unto Samuel, and he saith, 'Here [am] I.'
that the LORD called, "Samuel. Samuel." And he said, "Here I am."
5 And he runneth unto Eli, and saith, 'Here [am] I, for thou hast called for me;' and he saith, 'I called not; turn back, lie down;' and he goeth and lieth down.
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 And Jehovah addeth to call again Samuel, and Samuel riseth and goeth unto Eli, and saith, 'Here [am] I, for thou hast called for me;' and he saith, 'I have not called, my son, turn back, lie down.'
The LORD 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 And Samuel hath not yet known Jehovah, and the word of Jehovah is not yet revealed unto him.
Now Samuel did not yet know God, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.
8 And Jehovah addeth to call Samuel the third time, and he riseth and goeth unto Eli, and saith, 'Here [am] I, for thou hast called for me;' and Eli understandeth that Jehovah is calling to the youth.
Then the LORD 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 the LORD had called the child.
9 And Eli saith to Samuel, 'Go, lie down, and it hath been, if He doth call unto thee, that thou hast said, Speak, Jehovah, for Thy servant is hearing;' and Samuel goeth and lieth down in his place.
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 And Jehovah cometh, and stationeth Himself, and calleth as time by time, 'Samuel, Samuel;' and Samuel saith, 'Speak, for Thy servant is hearing.'
And the LORD came and stood, and called as at other times. Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
11 And Jehovah saith unto Samuel, 'Lo, I am doing a thing in Israel, at which the two ears of every one hearing it do tingle.
The LORD said to Samuel, "Look, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle.
12 In that day I establish unto Eli all that I have spoken unto his house, beginning and completing;
In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end.
13 and I have declared to him that I am judging his house — to the age, for the iniquity which he hath known, for his sons are making themselves vile, and he hath not restrained them,
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 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 — unto the age.'
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 And Samuel lieth till the morning, and openeth the doors of the house of Jehovah, and Samuel is afraid of declaring the vision unto Eli.
And Samuel lay there until the morning, and in the morning he got up and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision.
16 And Eli calleth Samuel, and saith, 'Samuel, my son;' and he saith, 'Here [am] I.'
Then Eli said to Samuel, "Samuel, my son." And he replied, "Here I am."
17 And he saith, 'What [is] the word which He hath spoken unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me; so doth God do to thee, and so doth He add, if thou hidest from me a word of all the words that He hath spoken unto thee.'
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 And Samuel declareth to him the whole of the words, and hath not hid from him; and he saith, 'It [is] Jehovah; that which is good in His eyes He doth.'
And Samuel told him everything, and did not hide anything from him. And he said, "It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him."
19 And Samuel groweth up, and Jehovah hath been with him, and hath not let fall any of his words to the earth;
So Samuel continued to grow, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fail.
20 and all Israel know, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba, that Samuel is established for a prophet to Jehovah.
Thus all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD.
21 And Jehovah addeth to appear in Shiloh, for Jehovah hath been revealed unto Samuel, in Shiloh, by the word of Jehovah.
And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel.