1 Samuel 3
3
Samuel’s call
1Now the boy Samuel was serving the LORD under Eli. The LORD’s word was rare at that time, and visions weren’t widely known. 2One day Eli, whose eyes had grown so weak he was unable to see, was lying down in his room. 3God’s lamp hadn’t gone out yet, and Samuel was lying down in the LORD’s temple, where God’s chest#3.3 Traditionally ark was.
4The LORD called to Samuel. “I’m here,” he said.
5Samuel hurried to Eli and said, “I’m here. You called me?”
“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go lie down.” So he did.
6Again the LORD called Samuel, so Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “I’m here. You called me?”
“I didn’t call, my son,” Eli replied. “Go and lie down.”
(7Now Samuel didn’t yet know the LORD, and the LORD’s word hadn’t yet been revealed to him.)
8A third time the LORD called Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “I’m here. You called me?”
Then Eli realized that it was the LORD who was calling the boy. 9So Eli said to Samuel, “Go and lie down. If he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD. Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down where he’d been.
10Then the LORD came and stood there, calling just as before, “Samuel, Samuel!”
Samuel said, “Speak. Your servant is listening.”
11The LORD said to Samuel, “I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of all who hear it tingle! 12On that day, I will bring to pass against Eli everything I said about his household—every last bit of it!#3.12 Or the beginning and the end 13I told him that I would punish his family forever because of the wrongdoing he knew about—how his sons were cursing God,#3.13 LXX; MT to themselves, one of several intentional scribal corrections to avoid the phrase cursing God but he wouldn’t stop them. 14Because of that I swore about Eli’s household that his family’s wrongdoing will never be reconciled by sacrifice or by offering.”
15Samuel lay there until morning, then opened the doors of the LORD’s house. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. 16But Eli called Samuel, saying: “Samuel, my son!”
“I’m here,” Samuel said.
17“What did he say to you?” Eli asked. “Don’t hide anything from me. May God deal harshly with you and worse still if you hide from me a single word from everything he said to you.” 18So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him.
“He is the LORD, ” Eli said. “He will do as he pleases.”
19So Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him, not allowing any of his words to fail. 20All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was trustworthy as the LORD’s prophet. 21The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh because the LORD revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh through the LORD’s own word.
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
1 Kings 3
3
1Now the child Samuel ministered to the Lord before Heli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days: there was no manifest vision.
2And it came to pass one day when Heli lay in his place, and his eyes were grown dim, that he could not see:
3Before the lamp of God went out, Samuel slept in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.
4And the Lord called Samuel. And he answered: Here am I.
5And he ran to Heli and said: Here am I; for thou didst call me. He said: I did not call. Go back and sleep. And he went and slept.
6And the Lord called Samuel again. And Samuel arose and went to Heli, and said: Here am I; for thou calledst me. He answered: I did not call thee, my son. Return and sleep.
7Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord; neither had the word of the Lord been revealed to him.
8And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose up and went to Heli.
9And said: Here am I; for thou didst call me. Then Heli understood that the Lord called the child, and he said to Samuel: Go, and sleep. And if he shall call thee any more, thou shalt say: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and slept in his place.
10And the Lord came and stood. And he called, as he had called the other times: Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel said: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.
11And the Lord said to Samuel: Behold, I do a thing in Israel: and whosoever shall hear it, both his ears shall tingle.
12In that day I will raise up against Heli all the things I have spoken concerning his house: I will begin, and I will make an end.
13For I have foretold unto him, that I will judge his house for ever, for iniquity; because he knew that his sons did wickedly, and did not chastise them.
14Therefore have I sworn to the house of Heli, that the iniquity of his house shall not be expiated with victims nor offerings for ever.
15And Samuel slept till morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to tell the vision to Heli.
16Then Heli called Samuel, and said: Samuel, my son. And he answered: Here am I.
17And he asked him: What is the word that the Lord hath spoken to thee? I beseech thee hide it not from me. May God do so and so to thee, and add so and so, if thou hide from me one word of all that were said to thee.
18So Samuel told him all the words, and did not hide them from him. And he answered: It is the Lord. Let him do what is good in his sight.
19And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him: and not one of his words fell to the ground.
20And all Israel from Dan to Bersabee knew that Samuel was a faithful prophet of the Lord.
21And the Lord again appeared in Silo for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Silo, according to the word of the Lord. And the word of Samuel came to pass to all Israel.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.