1 A nd the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open 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 nd it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;

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

3 A nd ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;

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 T hat the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

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

5 A nd he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And 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 yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, 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, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto 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 again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child.

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 T herefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. 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; for thy servant heareth.

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 A nd the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth 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 I n that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.

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

13 F or I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.

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 A nd therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.

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 A nd Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.

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 T hen Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.

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

17 A nd he said, What is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.

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 every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good.

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 A nd Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did 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 even 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 appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by 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.