1 Samuel 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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1 Samuel 3

Samuel’s First Encounter with Yahweh

1Now the boy Samuel was serving Yahweh in the presence#Literally “in the face of” of Eli. The word of Yahweh was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. 2And then#Literally “And it happened” one day when Eli was lying in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow weak so that he was not able to see) 3and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, Samuel was lying in the temple#Although the Hebrew text reads “temple,” this is a reference to the tabernacle (see 1:3, 9) of Yahweh where the ark of God was. 4Then Yahweh called out to Samuel and he said, “Here I am!” 5And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, because you called me.” But he said, “I did not call you. Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. 6And Yahweh called Samuel again, so Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, because you called me.” And he said, “I did not call you, my son. Go back and lie down.” 7Now Samuel did not yet know Yahweh, and the word of Yahweh had not yet been revealed to him. 8Again Yahweh called Samuel a third time, so he got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, because you called me.” Then Eli realized that Yahweh was calling the boy. 9So Eli said to Samuel “Go lie down. If he calls#Literally “And it will happen that if he calls” to you, then you must say, ‘Speak Yahweh, because your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10Then Yahweh came and stood there and called out as before,#Literally “as an occurrence, in an occurrence” “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, because your servant is listening.” 11So Yahweh said to Samuel, “Look, I am doing something in Israel which will cause#Literally “about which” the two ears of everyone who hears it to tingle. 12On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken against his household, from beginning to end.#Literally “begin and finish” 13I will make him know that I am about to judge his household forever because of the iniquity that he knew, for his sons were bringing curses on themselves,#LXX reads “were cursing God” but he did not rebuke them. 14Therefore I swore to the house of Eli that the iniquity of the house of Eli would not be atoned for#Or “be expiated” by sacrifice or by offering forever.”

15So Samuel lay down until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of Yahweh, but Samuel was afraid of telling the vision to Eli. 16Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!” And he said, “Here I am.” 17And he said, “What is the message#Or “word” that he spoke to you? Please do not conceal it from me. May God punish you severely#Literally “do to you and so may he add” if you conceal anything from me of all the words that he told you.” 18So Samuel told him all the words and did not conceal anything from him. And he#That is, Eli said, “He is Yahweh, he will do what is#Literally “the” good in his sight.”#Literally “eyes”

19And Samuel grew up, and Yahweh was with him. He did not allow any of his prophecies to go unfulfilled.#Literally “He let none from all of his words fall to the ground.” 20All Israel from Dan to Beersheba realized that Samuel was faithful#Or “reliable” or “trustworthy” as a prophet to Yahweh. 21And Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh, for Yahweh revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh through the word of Yahweh.

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