1 Samuel 3
3
The Lord Calls Out to Samuel
1The boy Samuel served the Lord under the direction of Eli. In those days the Lord didn’t give many messages to his people. He didn’t give them many visions.
2One night Eli was lying down in his usual place. His eyes were becoming so weak he couldn’t see very well. 3Samuel was lying down in the Lord’s house. That’s where the ark of God was kept. The lamp of God was still burning. 4The Lord called out to Samuel.
Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5He ran over to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called out to me.”
But Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
6Again the Lord called out, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli. He said, “Here I am. You called out to me.”
“My son,” Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back and lie down.”
7Samuel didn’t know the Lord yet. That’s because the Lord still hadn’t given him a message.
8The Lord called out for the third time. He said, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli. He said, “Here I am. You called out to me.”
Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down. If someone calls out to you again, say, ‘Speak, Lord. I’m listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10The Lord came and stood there. He called out, just as he had done the other times. He said, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel replied, “Speak. I’m listening.”
11The Lord said to Samuel, “Pay attention! I am about to do something terrible in Israel. It will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 12At that time I will do everything to Eli and his family that I said I would. I will finish what I have started. 13I told Eli I would punish his family forever. He knew his sons were sinning. He knew they were saying bad things about me. In spite of that, he did not stop them. 14So I made a promise to the family of Eli. I said, ‘The sins of Eli’s family will never be paid for by bringing sacrifices or offerings.’ ”
15Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the Lord’s house. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision he had received. 16But Eli called out to him. He said, “Samuel, my son.”
Samuel answered, “Here I am.”
17“What did the Lord say to you?” Eli asked. “Don’t hide from me anything he told you. If you do, may God punish you greatly.” 18So Samuel told him everything. He didn’t hide anything from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord. Let him do what he thinks is best.”
19As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him. He made everything Samuel said come true. 20So all the Israelites recognized that Samuel really was a prophet of the Lord. Everyone from Dan all the way to Beersheba knew it. 21The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh. There he made himself known to Samuel through the messages he gave him.
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1 Samuel 3: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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1 Samuel 3
3
Samuel’s Call
1The boy Samuel served the Lord in Eli’s presence. # 1Sm 2:11,18 In those days the word of the Lord was rare and prophetic visions were not widespread. # Ps 74:9; Ezk 7:26; Am 8:11-12
2One day Eli, whose eyesight was failing, # 1Sm 4:15 was lying in his room. 3Before the lamp of God had gone out, # Ex 27:20-21 Samuel was lying down in the tabernacle of the Lord, where the ark of God was located.
4Then the Lord called Samuel, # DSS, LXX read called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he answered, “Here I am.” 5He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
“I didn’t call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
6Once again the Lord called, “Samuel! ”
Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
“I didn’t call, my son,” he replied. “Go back and lie down.”
7Now Samuel had not yet experienced the Lord, because the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8Once again, for the third time, the Lord called Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the boy. 9He told Samuel, “Go and lie down. If He calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10The Lord came, stood there, and called as before, “Samuel, Samuel! ”
Samuel responded, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”
11The Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do something in Israel that everyone who hears about it will shudder. # 2Kg 21:12; Jr 19:3 12On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I said about his family, from beginning to end. # 1Sm 2:27-36 13I told him that I am going to judge his family forever because of the iniquity he knows about: his sons are defiling the sanctuary, # Ancient Jewish tradition, LXX, Old Lat read are cursing God and he has not stopped them. # Dt 17:12; 21:18 14Therefore, I have sworn to Eli’s family: The iniquity of Eli’s family will never be wiped out by either sacrifice or offering.” # Lv 15:31; Is 22:14
15Samuel lay down until the morning; then he opened the doors of the Lord’s house. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”
“Here I am,” answered Samuel.
17“What was the message He gave you? ” Eli asked. “Don’t hide it from me. May God punish you and do so severely if you hide anything from me that He told you.” # 2Sm 3:35 18So Samuel told him everything and did not hide anything from him. Eli responded, “He is the Lord. He will do what He thinks is good.” # Lit what is good in His eyes # Ex 34:5-7; Lv 10:3; Jb 2:10; Is 39:8
19Samuel grew, # 1Sm 2:21 and the Lord was with him, # Gn 21:22; 28:15 and He fulfilled everything Samuel prophesied. # Lit He let no words fall to the ground # 1Sm 9:6 20All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a confirmed prophet of the Lord. # 1Sm 2:35 21The Lord continued to appear in Shiloh, because there He revealed Himself to Samuel by His word. # 1Sm 3:10
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