1 Samuel 3

God Calls Samuel

1 The boy Samuel served the Lord under Eli. In those days the Lord did not speak directly to people very often; there were very few visions.
2 Eli’s eyes were so weak he was almost blind. One night he was lying in bed.

3 Samuel was also in bed in the Lord’s house, where the Ark of the Agreement was. God’s lamp was still burning.
4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and Samuel answered, “I am here!”

5 He ran to Eli and said, “I am here. You called me.”
But Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back to bed.” So Samuel went back to bed.

6 The Lord called again, “Samuel!”
Samuel again went to Eli and said, “I am here. You called me.”
Again Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back to bed.”

7 Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the Lord had not spoken directly to him yet.

8 The Lord called Samuel for the third time. Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “I am here. You called me.”
Then Eli realized the Lord was calling the boy.

9 So he told Samuel, “Go to bed. If he calls you again, say, ‘Speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in bed.

10 The Lord came and stood there and called as he had before, “Samuel, Samuel!”
Samuel said, “Speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am listening.”
11 The Lord said to Samuel, “Watch, I am going to do something in Israel that will shock those who hear about it.12 At that time I will do to Eli and his family everything I promised, from beginning to end.13 I told Eli I would punish his family always, because he knew his sons were evil. They acted without honor, but he did not stop them.

14 So I swore to Eli’s family, ‘Your guilt will never be removed by sacrifice or offering.’ ”
15 Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision,

16 but Eli called to him, “Samuel, my son!”
Samuel answered, “I am here.”
17 Eli asked, “What did the Lord say to you? Don’t hide it from me. May God punish you terribly if you hide from me anything he said to you.”

18 So Samuel told Eli everything and did not hide anything from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord. Let him do what he thinks is best.”
19 The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up; he did not let any of Samuel’s messages fail to come true.20 Then all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, 21 And the Lord continued to show himself at Shiloh, and he showed himself to Samuel through his word.

1 Samuel 3

The Call of Samuel

1 Now the boy Samuel continued serving the Lord under Eli’s supervision.t Word from the Lord was rare in those days; revelatory visions were infrequent.
2 Eli’s eyes had begun to fail, so that he was unable to see well. At that time he was lying down in his place,3 and the lamp of God had not yet been extinguished. Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord as well; the ark of God was also there.4 The Lord called to Samuel, and he replied, “Here I am!”5 Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Elit said, “I didn’t call you. Go back and lie down.” So he went back and lay down.

6 The Lord again called, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Elit said, “I didn’t call you, my son. Go back and lie down.”
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord; the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.8 Then the Lord called Samuel a third time. So he got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me!” Eli then realized that it was the Lord who was calling the boy.

9 So Eli said to Samuel, “Go back and lie down. When he calls you, say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” So Samuel went back and lay down in his place.
10 Then the Lord came and stood nearby, calling as he had previously done, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel replied, “Speak, for your servant is listening!”11 The Lord said to Samuel, “Look! I am about to do something in Israel;t when anyone hears about it, both of his ears will tingle.12 On that day I will carry outt against Eli everything that I spoke about his house – from start to finish!13 Yous should tell him that I am about to judge his house forever because oft the sin that he knew about. For his sons were cursing God,s and he did not rebuke them.

14 Therefore I swore an oath to the house of Eli, ‘The sin of the house of Eli can never be forgiven by sacrifice or by grain offering.’”
15 So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the Lord’s house. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.16 However, Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!” He replied, “Here I am.”

17 Elit said, “What message did he speak to you? Don’t conceal it from me. God will judge you severelyt if you conceal from me anything that he said to you!”
18 So Samuel told him everything. He did not hold back anything from him. Elit said, “The Lord will do what he pleases.”t19 Samuel continued to grow, and the Lord was with him. None of his prophecies fell to the ground unfulfilled.t20 All Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba realized that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord.21 Then the Lord again appeared in Shiloh, for it was in Shiloh that the Lord had revealed himself to Samuels through the word of the Lord.t