1 Samuel 3:1-8 ▼

1 Meanwhile the boy Samuel was serving the LORD before Eli. A word from the LORD was rare in those days, and visions were infrequent.

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

3 The lamp of God had not yet been extinguished, and Samuel was lying down in the tent of the LORD where the Ark of God was.

4 The LORD called out to Samuel, who answered, |Here I am.|

5 He ran to Eli and said, |Here I am! You called me.| |I didn't call you,| Eli said. |Go back and lie down.| So he went and lay down.

6 Then the LORD again called out, |Samuel!| So Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, |Here I am! You called me.| He said, |I didn't call you, my son. Go back and lie down.|

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

8 Then the LORD called out to Samuel again a third time, and he got up, went to Eli, and said, |Here I am! You called me.| Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the boy,