1 N ow the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli. And word from the Lord was rare in those days, visions were infrequent.

Now 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.

2 I t happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well ),

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

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

The 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

4 t hat the Lord called Samuel; and he said, “ Here I am.”

When the Lord called, Samuel! And he answered, Here I am.

5 T hen he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, lie down again.” So he went and lay down.

He 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.

6 T he Lord called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he answered, “I did not call, my son, lie down again.”

And 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.

7 N ow Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord yet been revealed to him.

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

8 S o the Lord called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli discerned that the Lord was calling the boy.

And 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.

9 A nd Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

So 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.

10 T hen the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”

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

11 T he Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.

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

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

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

13 F or I have told him that I am about to judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them.

And 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.

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

Therefore 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.

15 S o Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. But Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.

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

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

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

17 H e said, “What is the word that He spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the words that He spoke to you.”

Eli 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.

18 S o Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “ It is the Lord; let Him do what seems good to Him.”

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

19 T hus Samuel grew and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fail.

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

20 A ll Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord.

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

21 A nd the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, because the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.

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