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.

[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].

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.

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

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 Samuel was sleeping in the sacred tent, where the chest that contained the Ten Commandments was kept. While the sacred lamp was still burning,

4 and Jehovah calleth unto Samuel, and he saith, 'Here [am] I.'

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

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.

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.

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.'

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.”

7 And Samuel hath not yet known Jehovah, and the word of Jehovah is not yet revealed unto him.

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

[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.

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 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.

10 And Jehovah cometh, and stationeth Himself, and calleth as time by time, 'Samuel, Samuel;' and Samuel saith, 'Speak, for Thy servant is hearing.'

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!”

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.

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.

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

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

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,

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.

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.'

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.’”

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.

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].

16 And Eli calleth Samuel, and saith, 'Samuel, my son;' and he saith, 'Here [am] I.'

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

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.'

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.”

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.'

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.”

19 And Samuel groweth up, and Jehovah hath been with him, and hath not let fall any of his words to the earth;

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

20 and all Israel know, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba, that Samuel is established for a prophet to Jehovah.

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.

21 And Jehovah addeth to appear in Shiloh, for Jehovah hath been revealed unto Samuel, in Shiloh, by the word of Jehovah.

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