1 Samuel 3:1-11

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days. There was no vision coming forth. At that time, Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow weak that he could not see), and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called to Samuel, and he answered, “Here I am.” He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called to me.” And he said, “I did not call. Return, lie down again.” And he went and lay down. The LORD called Samuel again. So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” And he answered, “I did not call, my son. Return, lie down again.” Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor had the word of the LORD been revealed to him. The LORD again called Samuel a third time. So he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling to the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down. And it will be, if He calls you, that you will say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant listens.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The LORD came and stood, and He called as at other times, “Samuel, Samuel.” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant listens.” The LORD said to Samuel, “See, I am doing something in Israel which will make both ears ring of every one that hears it.