1Samuel 3

1 Meanwhile the boy Samuel was serving the LORD before Eli. A word from the LORD was rare in those days, and visions were infrequent.ISV — 1Samuel 3:1

2 At that time Eli, whose vision was growing dim, ^{a3:2 Lit. dim so that he was unable to see} was lying down in his bedroom. ^{b3:2 Lit. place}ISV — 1Samuel 3:2

3 The lamp of God had not yet been extinguished, and Samuel was lying down in the tent ^{c3:3 Or temple} of the LORD where the Ark of God was.ISV — 1Samuel 3:3

4 The LORD called out to Samuel, who answered, “Here I am.”ISV — 1Samuel 3:4

5 He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am! You called me.” “I didn’t call you,” Eli ^{d3:5 Lit. He} said. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.ISV — 1Samuel 3:5

6 Then the LORD again called out, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am! You called me.” He said, “I didn’t call you, my son. Go back and lie down.”ISV — 1Samuel 3:6

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD and had not yet had the word of the LORD revealed to him.ISV — 1Samuel 3:7

8 Then the LORD called out to Samuel again a third time, and he got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am! You called me.” Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the boy,ISV — 1Samuel 3:8

9 so Eli told Samuel, “Go lie down, and then if he calls you, answer, ‘Speak, LORD, because your servant is listening.’” Then Samuel ^{e3:9 Lit. he} went and lay down.ISV — 1Samuel 3:9

10 Later, the LORD came and stood there, calling out, “Samuel! Samuel!” as he had before. Samuel said, “Speak, because your servant is listening.”ISV — 1Samuel 3:10

11 “Look,” the LORD told Samuel. “I’m about to do something ^{f3:11 Lit. do a work} in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears it tingle.ISV — 1Samuel 3:11

12 I’ll fulfill every promise that I’ve spoken concerning Eli’s family, from beginning to end.ISV — 1Samuel 3:12

13 I’ve told him that I’m about to judge his family forever because of the iniquity that he knew about. His sons committed blasphemy ^{g3:13 LXX cursed God; MT cursed themselves} and he did not rebuke them.ISV — 1Samuel 3:13

14 Therefore I’ve sworn concerning Eli’s family that the iniquity of his family is not to be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”ISV — 1Samuel 3:14

15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the LORD, but he ^{h3:15 Lit. Samuel} was afraid to report the vision to Eli.ISV — 1Samuel 3:15

16 Then Eli called Samuel: “Samuel, my son.” He said, “Here I am.”ISV — 1Samuel 3:16

17 Eli ^{i3:17 Lit. He} said, “What did the LORD ^{j3:17 Lit. he} say to you? Please don’t conceal anything ^{k3:17 The Heb. lacks anything} from me. May God do this to you and even more ^{l3:17 i.e. May God punish you} if you conceal from me one word of all that he spoke to you.”ISV — 1Samuel 3:17

18 So Samuel told him everything—he did not conceal anything ^{m3:18 The Heb. lacks anything} from him. Eli ^{n3:18 Lit. He} said, “He is the LORD. May he do what seems good to him.”ISV — 1Samuel 3:18

19 As Samuel grew, the LORD was with him and did not let any of Samuel’s ^{o3:19 Lit. his} predictions fail. ^{p3:19 Lit. words fall to the ground}ISV — 1Samuel 3:19

20 All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as the LORD’s prophet.ISV — 1Samuel 3:20

21 The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, because he ^{q3:21 Lit. the LORD} revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by means of messages from ^{r3:21 Lit. by the word of} the LORD.ISV — 1Samuel 3:21