| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Now the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. | 1Now the boy Samuel continued serving the LORD under Eli's supervision. Word from the LORD was rare in those days; revelatory visions were infrequent. |
| 2And 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, | 2Eli's eyes had begun to fail, so that he was unable to see well. At that time he was lying down in his place, |
| 3and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the LORD where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, | 3and the lamp of God had not yet been extinguished. Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD as well; the ark of God was also there. |
| 4that the LORD called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!” | 4The LORD called to Samuel, and he replied, "Here I am!" |
| 5So he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” And he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” And he went and lay down. | 5Then he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But Eli said, "I didn't call you. Go back and lie down." So he went back and lay down. |
| 6Then the LORD called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” | 6The LORD again called, "Samuel!" So Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But Eli said, "I didn't call you, my son. Go back and lie down." |
| 7(Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.) | 7Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD; the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. |
| 8And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the boy. | 8Then the LORD called Samuel a third time. So he got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me!" Eli then realized that it was the LORD who was calling the boy. |
| 9Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. | 9So Eli said to Samuel, "Go back and lie down. When he calls you, say, "Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening." So Samuel went back and lay down in his place. |
| 10Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” | 10Then the LORD came and stood nearby, calling as he had previously done, "Samuel! Samuel!" Samuel replied, "Speak, for your servant is listening!" |
| 11Then the LORD said to Samuel: “Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. | 11The LORD said to Samuel, "Look! I am about to do something in Israel; when anyone hears about it, both of his ears will tingle. |
| 12In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. | 12On that day I will carry out against Eli everything that I spoke about his house--from start to finish! |
| 13For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. | 13You should tell him that I am about to judge his house forever because of the sin that he knew about. For his sons were cursing God, and he did not rebuke them. |
| 14And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.” | 14Therefore I swore an oath to the house of Eli, 'The sin of the house of Eli can never be forgiven by sacrifice or by grain offering.'" |
| 15So Samuel lay down until morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision. | 15So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the LORD's house. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision. |
| 16Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!” He answered, “Here I am.” | 16However, Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son!" He replied, "Here I am." |
| 17And he said, “What is the word that the LORD spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that He said to you.” | 17Eli said, "What message did he speak to you? Don't conceal it from me. God will judge you severely if you conceal from me anything that he said to you!" |
| 18Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the LORD. Let Him do what seems good to Him.” | 18So Samuel told him everything. He did not hold back anything from him. Eli said, "The LORD will do what he pleases." |
| 19So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. | 19Samuel continued to grow, and the LORD was with him. None of his prophecies fell to the ground unfulfilled. |
| 20And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the LORD. | 20All Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba realized that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the LORD. |
| 21Then the LORD appeared again in Shiloh. For the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD. | 21Then the LORD again appeared in Shiloh, for it was in Shiloh that the LORD had revealed himself to Samuel through the word of the LORD. |
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