1 Samuel 3:1-11

Samuel served the LORD by helping Eli the priest, who was by that time almost blind. In those days, the LORD hardly ever spoke directly to people, and he did not appear to them in dreams very often. But one night, Eli was asleep in his room, and Samuel was sleeping on a mat near the sacred chest in the LORD's house. They had not been asleep very long when the LORD called out Samuel's name. “Here I am!” Samuel answered. Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. What do you want?” “I didn't call you,” Eli answered. “Go back to bed.” Samuel went back. Again the LORD called out Samuel's name. Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am,” he said. “What do you want?” Eli told him, “Son, I didn't call you. Go back to sleep.” The LORD had not spoken to Samuel before, and Samuel did not recognize the voice. When the LORD called out his name for the third time, Samuel went to Eli again and said, “Here I am. What do you want?” Eli finally realized that it was the LORD who was speaking to Samuel. So he said, “Go back and lie down! If someone speaks to you again, answer, ‘I'm listening, LORD. What do you want me to do?’ ” Once again Samuel went back and lay down. The LORD then stood beside Samuel and called out as he had done before, “Samuel! Samuel!” “I'm listening,” Samuel answered. “What do you want me to do?” The LORD said: Samuel, I am going to do something in Israel that will shock everyone who hears about it!