1 Samuel 3:2
New International Version
One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place.

New Living Translation
One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed.

English Standard Version
At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place.

Berean Standard Bible
And at that time Eli, whose eyesight had grown so dim that he could not see, was lying in his room.

King James Bible
And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;

New King James Version
And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see,

New American Standard Bible
But it happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to be poor and he could not see well),

NASB 1995
It happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well),

NASB 1977
And it happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well),

Legacy Standard Bible
And it happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to fade, and he could not see well),

Amplified Bible
Yet it happened at that time, as Eli was lying down in his own place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well).

Christian Standard Bible
One day Eli, whose eyesight was failing, was lying in his usual place.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
One day Eli, whose eyesight was failing, was lying in his room.

American Standard Version
And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could not see),

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And it was in those days, and Eli lay down in his place, and his eyes began to be dim and he could not see

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it came to pass at that time that Heli was sleeping in his place; and his eyes began to fail, and could not see.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And it came to pass one day when Heli lay in his place, and his eyes were grown dim, that he could not see:

English Revised Version
And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, that he could not see,)

GOD'S WORD® Translation
One night Eli was lying down in his room. His eyesight had begun to fail so that he couldn't see well.

Good News Translation
One night Eli, who was now almost blind, was sleeping in his own room;

International Standard Version
At that time Eli, whose vision was growing dim, was lying down in his bedroom.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place--now his eyes had begun to wax dim, that he could not see--

Literal Standard Version
And it comes to pass, at that time, that Eli is lying down in his place, and his eyes have begun [to be] faded—he is not able to see.

Majority Standard Bible
And at that time Eli, whose eyesight had grown so dim that he could not see, was lying in his room.

New American Bible
One day Eli was asleep in his usual place. His eyes had lately grown so weak that he could not see.

NET Bible
Eli's eyes had begun to fail, so that he was unable to see well. At that time he was lying down in his place,

New Revised Standard Version
At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room;

New Heart English Bible
It happened at that time, when Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),

Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to grow dim, that he could not see;

World English Bible
At that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),

Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, at that time, that Eli is lying down in his place, and his eyes have begun to be dim -- he is not able to see.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The LORD Calls Samuel
1And the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. Now in those days the word of the LORD was rare and visions were scarce. 2And at that time Eli, whose eyesight had grown so dim that he could not see, was lying in his room. 3Before the lamp of God had gone out, Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was located.…

Cross References
Genesis 27:1
When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called his older son Esau and said to him, "My son." "Here I am," Esau replied.

Genesis 48:10
Now Israel's eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.

1 Samuel 4:15
Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his gaze was fixed because he could not see.

1 Kings 14:4
Jeroboam's wife did as instructed; she arose and went to Shiloh and arrived at Ahijah's house. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age.

Ecclesiastes 12:3
on the day the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men stoop, when those grinding cease because they are few and those watching through windows see dimly,


Treasury of Scripture

And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;

his eyes

1 Samuel 2:22
Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

1 Samuel 4:15
Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.

Genesis 27:1
And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.

Jump to Previous
Able Barely Begun Clouded Dim Eli Eyes Eyesight Laid Night Resting Time Usual Wax Weak
Jump to Next
Able Barely Begun Clouded Dim Eli Eyes Eyesight Laid Night Resting Time Usual Wax Weak
1 Samuel 3
1. How the word of the Lord was first revealed to Samuel
11. God tells Samuel the destruction of Eli's house
15. Samuel, though loath, tells Eli the vision
19. Samuel grows in credit














Verse 2. - Eli... could not see. I.e. clearly. His sight was fast failing him, and Samuel, still called a child, na'ar, but probably, as Josephus states ('Antiq.,' 5:10, 4), now fully twelve years old, was in constant attendance upon him because of his increasing infirmities. Both were sleeping in the temple; for literally the words are, And Samuel was sleeeping in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God was. Of course neither Eli nor Samuel were in the holy place; but, as in 1 Samuel 1:9, the word temple is used in its proper sense of the whole palace of Israel's spiritual King, in which were chambers provided for the use of the high priest and those in attendance upon him. In ver. 3 the lamp is mentioned as fixing the exact time. Though it is said that the seven-branched candelabrum was "to burn always" (Exodus 27:20), yet this apparently was to be by perpetually relighting it (ibid. 30:7, 8); and as Aaron was commanded to dress and light it every morning and evening, and supply it with oil, the night would be far advanced and morning near before it went out. In the stillness then of the late night Samuel, sunk in heavy sleep, hears a voice calling him, and springing up, naturally hurries to Eli, supposing that he needed his services. Eli had not heard the voice, and concluding that it was a mistake, bids Samuel return to his bed. Again the voice rings upon his ear, and again he hastens to Eli, only to be told to lie down again. In ver. 7 the reason is given why Samuel was thus thrice mistaken. Samuel did not yet know Jehovah, neither was the word of Jehovah yet revealed unto him. Doubtless he knew Jehovah in the way in which the sons of Eli did not know him (1 Samuel 2:12), i.e. in his conscience and spiritual life, but he did not know him as one who reveals his will unto men. Prophecy had long been a rare thing, and though Samuel had often heard God's voice in the recesses of his heart, speaking to him of right and wrong, he knew nothing of God as a living Person, giving commands for men to obey, and bestowing knowledge to guide them in doing his will.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And
וַֽיְהִי֙ (way·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

at that time
בַּיּ֣וֹם (bay·yō·wm)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

Eli,
וְעֵלִ֖י (wə·‘ê·lî)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5941: Eli -- a priest at Shiloh

whose eyesight
וְעֵינָיו֙ (wə·‘ê·nāw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - cdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

had grown so dim
כֵה֔וֹת (ḵê·hō·wṯ)
Adjective - feminine plural
Strong's 3544: Dim, dull, faint

that he could
יוּכַ֖ל (yū·ḵal)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3201: To be able, have power

not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

see,
לִרְאֽוֹת׃ (lir·’ō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7200: To see

was lying
שֹׁכֵ֣ב (šō·ḵêḇ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7901: To lie down

in his room.
בִּמְקֹמ֑וֹ‪‬ (bim·qō·mōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4725: A standing, a spot, a condition


Links
1 Samuel 3:2 NIV
1 Samuel 3:2 NLT
1 Samuel 3:2 ESV
1 Samuel 3:2 NASB
1 Samuel 3:2 KJV

1 Samuel 3:2 BibleApps.com
1 Samuel 3:2 Biblia Paralela
1 Samuel 3:2 Chinese Bible
1 Samuel 3:2 French Bible
1 Samuel 3:2 Catholic Bible

OT History: 1 Samuel 3:2 It happened at that time when Eli (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 3:1
Top of Page
Top of Page