1The child Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. The word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

2It 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), 3and the lamp of God hadn't yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple, where the ark of God was, 4that the LORD called, "Samuel. Samuel." And he said, "Here I am." 5He ran to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." He said, "I did not call; lie down again." He went and lay down. 6The LORD called yet again, "Samuel. Samuel." And he got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am; for you called me." He answered, "I did not call, my son; lie down again." 7Now Samuel did not yet know God, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him. 8Then the LORD called Samuel again the third time, and he got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli realized that the LORD had called the child. 9So he said, "Go, lie down, and if he calls you, reply, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10And the LORD came and stood, and called as at other times. Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." 11The LORD said to Samuel, "Look, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle. 12In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end. 13For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons were cursing God, and he did not restrain them. 14Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be removed with sacrifice nor offering forever."

15And Samuel lay there until the morning, and in the morning he got up and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision. 16Then Eli said to Samuel, "Samuel, my son." And he replied, "Here I am." 17He said, "What is the thing that he has spoken to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do thus to you if you hide anything from me of all the words that he spoke to you in your ears." 18And Samuel told him everything, and did not hide anything from him. And he said, "It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him."

19So Samuel continued to grow, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fail. 20Thus all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD. 21And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel.