1 Samuel 3:1-8 ▼

1 And the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. Now in those days the word of the LORD was rare, and visions were scarce.

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

3 Before the lamp of God had gone out, Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was located.

4 Then the LORD called to Samuel, and he answered, “Here I am.”

5 He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you have called me.” “I did not call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

6 Once again the LORD called, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you have called me.” “My son, I did not call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.”

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, because the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

8 Once again, for the third time, the LORD called to Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you have called me.” Then Eli realized that it was the LORD who was calling the boy.