1 Samuel 3:1-8 ▼

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.