1 N ow the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. The word of the Lord was rare and precious in those days; there was no frequent or widely spread vision.

Now the boy Samuel was working for the Lord with Eli. There were few words from the Lord given in those days, and there were not many special dreams.

2 A t that time Eli, whose eyesight had dimmed so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place.

At that time Eli was lying down in his own place. His eyes had become weak and he could not see well.

3 T he lamp of God had not yet gone out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was lying down

The lamp of God had not gone out yet. And Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord where the special box of God was.

4 W hen the Lord called, Samuel! And he answered, Here I am.

Then the Lord called Samuel, and Samuel said, “Here I am.”

5 H e ran to Eli and said, Here I am, for you called me. Eli said, I did not call you; lie down again. So he went and lay down.

He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call you. Lie down again.” So Samuel went and lay down.

6 A nd the Lord called again, Samuel! And Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, Here am I; you did call me. Eli answered, I did not call, my son; lie down again.

The Lord called again, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son. Lie down again.”

7 N ow Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord was not yet revealed to him.

Now Samuel did not know the Lord yet. And the Word of the Lord had not been made known to him.

8 A nd the Lord called Samuel the third time. And he went to Eli and said, Here I am, for you did call me. Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy.

The Lord called Samuel again for the third time. He got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the boy.

9 S o Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down. And if He calls you, you shall say, Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down. If He calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 A nd the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, Samuel! Samuel! Then Samuel answered, Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.

Then the Lord came and stood and called as He did the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”

11 T he Lord told Samuel, Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of all who hear it shall tingle.

The Lord said to Samuel, “See, I am about to do a thing in Israel which will make both ears of everyone who hears it feel strange.

12 O n that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.

On that day I will do all I have said I will do against the family of Eli.

13 A nd I announce to him that I will judge and punish his house forever for the iniquity of which he knew, for his sons were bringing a curse upon themselves, and he did not restrain them.

I have told him that I will punish his family forever for the sin he knew about. Because his sons brought the sin upon themselves, and Eli did not stop them.

14 T herefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for or purged with sacrifice or offering forever.

So I swear to the family of Eli that the sin of his family will not be paid for with gifts given on the altar forever.”

15 S amuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the Lord’s house. And was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.

Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the special dream.

16 B ut Eli called Samuel and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here I am.

Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And Samuel said, “Here I am.”

17 E li said, What is it He told you? Pray do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that He said to you.

Eli said, “What did the Lord tell you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more, if you hide anything from me of all He said to you.”

18 A nd Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing. And Eli said, It is the Lord; let Him do what seems good to Him.

So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And Eli said, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what is good in His eyes.”

19 S amuel grew; the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.

Samuel grew. And the Lord was with him and made everything he said come true.

20 A nd all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.

All Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had become a man of God.

21 A nd the Lord continued to appear in Shiloh, for the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh through the word of the Lord.

The Lord came again to Shiloh. For the Lord made Himself known to Samuel at Shiloh, by the Word of the Lord.