1 Samuel 3

¹ The boy Samuel was serving the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was scarce; visions were not widespread.

² One day Eli, whose eyes had started to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his place.

³ The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying in the LORD's temple, where the ark of God was.

⁴ The LORD called to Samuel, and he answered, "Here I am."

⁵ He ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." But Eli said, "I did not call. Go back and lie down." So he went and lay down.

⁶ Once more the LORD called, "Samuel!" Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, "Here I am; you called me." He said, "I did not call, my son. Go back and lie down."

⁷ Samuel did not yet know the LORD; the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

⁸ The LORD called Samuel a third time. He got up, went to Eli, and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli realized that it was the LORD calling the boy.

⁹ Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down. If he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD; your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

¹⁰ The LORD came and stood, and called as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" Samuel said, "Speak; your servant is listening."

¹¹ The LORD said to Samuel, "I am going to do something in Israel that will make both ears of all who hear of it ring.

¹² On that day I will bring about against Eli everything I have spoken about his house, from start to finish.

¹³ I have told him that I am judging his house for ever because of the iniquity he knew about: his sons were bringing a curse on themselves, and he did not rebuke them.

¹⁴ That is why I have sworn to Eli's house that the iniquity of Eli's house will never be atoned for, by sacrifice or by offering."

¹⁵ Samuel lay there till morning, and then he opened the doors of the LORD's house. Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.

¹⁶ But Eli called Samuel: "Samuel, my son." He answered, "Here I am."

¹⁷ Eli said, "What was it he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and more besides, if you hide from me one word of all he told you."

¹⁸ So Samuel told him all of it, keeping nothing from him. Eli said, "He is the LORD; let him do what seems good to him."

¹⁹ Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him; he let none of his words fall to the ground.

²⁰ All Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the LORD.

²¹ The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh through the word of the LORD.