1 Samuel 3:1-11 ▼

1 Now the young boy Samuel was ministering to Yahweh before Eli. And word from Yahweh was rare in those days; visions were infrequent.

2 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),

3 and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of Yahweh where the ark of God was,

4 that Yahweh called Samuel; and he said, “Here I am.”

5 Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; go back, lie down.” So he went and lay down.

6 Then Yahweh called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he answered, “I did not call, my son; go back, lie down.”

7 Now Samuel did not yet know Yahweh, nor had the word of Yahweh yet been revealed to him.

8 So Yahweh called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli discerned that Yahweh was calling the young boy.

9 And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Yahweh, for Your slave is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 Then Yahweh came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your slave is listening.”

11 And Yahweh said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.