The Lord Calls Samuel

3 The boy Samuel ministered^(A) before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare;^(B) there were not many visions.^(C)

² One night Eli, whose eyes^(D) were becoming so weak that he could barely see,^(E) was lying down in his usual place. ³ The lamp^(F) of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house^(G) of the Lord, where the ark^(H) of God was. ⁴ Then the Lord called Samuel.

Samuel answered, “Here I am.^(I)” ⁵ And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

⁶ Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

⁷ Now Samuel did not yet know^(J) the Lord: The word^(K) of the Lord had not yet been revealed^(L) to him.

⁸ A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. ⁹ So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

¹⁰ The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!^(M)”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

¹¹ And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle.^{(N) 12} At that time I will carry out against Eli everything^(O) I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. ¹³ For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God,^[a] and he failed to restrain^(P) them. ¹⁴ Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned^(Q) for by sacrifice or offering.’”

¹⁵ Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, ¹⁶ but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”

Samuel answered, “Here I am.”

¹⁷ “What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide^(R) it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely,^(S) if you hide from me anything he told you.” ¹⁸ So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.”^(T)

¹⁹ The Lord was with^(U) Samuel as he grew^(V) up, and he let none^(W) of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. ²⁰ And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba^(X) recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord.^{(Y) 21} The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed^(Z) himself to Samuel through his word.

7 ¹ So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark^(A) of the Lord. They brought it to Abinadab’s^(B) house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord. ² The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim^(C) a long time—twenty years in all.

Samuel Subdues the Philistines at Mizpah

Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord.^{(D) 3} So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning^(E) to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid^(F) yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths^(G) and commit^(H) yourselves to the Lord and serve him only,^(I) and he will deliver^(J) you out of the hand of the Philistines.” ⁴ So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.

⁵ Then Samuel^(K) said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah,^(L) and I will intercede^(M) with the Lord for you.” ⁶ When they had assembled at Mizpah,^(N) they drew water and poured^(O) it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader^[a](P) of Israel at Mizpah.

⁷ When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid^(Q) because of the Philistines. ⁸ They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying^(R) out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” ⁹ Then Samuel^(S) took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.^(T)

¹⁰ While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered^(U) with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic^(V) that they were routed before the Israelites. ¹¹ The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.

¹² Then Samuel took a stone^(W) and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,^[b](X) saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

¹³ So the Philistines were subdued^(Y) and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. ¹⁴ The towns from Ekron^(Z) to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.^(AA)

¹⁵ Samuel^(AB) continued as Israel’s leader^(AC) all^(AD) the days of his life. ¹⁶ From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel^(AE) to Gilgal^(AF) to Mizpah, judging^(AG) Israel in all those places. ¹⁷ But he always went back to Ramah,^(AH) where his home was, and there he also held court^(AI) for Israel. And he built an altar^(AJ) there to the Lord.

Israel Asks for a King

8 When Samuel grew old, he appointed^(AK) his sons as Israel’s leaders.^{[c] 2} The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah,^(AL) and they served at Beersheba.^{(AM) 3} But his sons^(AN) did not follow his ways. They turned aside^(AO) after dishonest gain and accepted bribes^(AP) and perverted^(AQ) justice.

⁴ So all the elders^(AR) of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.^{(AS) 5} They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king^(AT) to lead^[d](AU) us, such as all the other nations^(AV) have.”

⁶ But when they said, “Give us a king^(AW) to lead us,” this displeased^(AX) Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. ⁷ And the Lord told him: “Listen^(AY) to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected,^(AZ) but they have rejected me as their king.^{(BA) 8} As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking^(BB) me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. ⁹ Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know^(BC) what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”

¹⁰ Samuel told^(BD) all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. ¹¹ He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take^(BE) your sons and make them serve^(BF) with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.^{(BG) 12} Some he will assign to be commanders^(BH) of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. ¹³ He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. ¹⁴ He will take the best of your^(BI) fields and vineyards^(BJ) and olive groves and give them to his attendants.^{(BK) 15} He will take a tenth^(BL) of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. ¹⁶ Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle^[e] and donkeys he will take for his own use. ¹⁷ He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. ¹⁸ When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer^(BM) you in that day.^(BN)”

¹⁹ But the people refused^(BO) to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want^(BP) a king^(BQ) over us. ²⁰ Then we will be like all the other nations,^(BR) with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”

²¹ When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated^(BS) it before the Lord. ²² The Lord answered, “Listen^(BT) to them and give them a king.”

Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.”

¹⁵ Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel: ¹⁶ “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint^(A) him ruler^(B) over my people Israel; he will deliver^(C) them from the hand of the Philistines.^(D) I have looked on my people, for their cry^(E) has reached me.”

¹⁷ When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, “This^(F) is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”

¹⁸ Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”

¹⁹ “I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will send you on your way and will tell you all that is in your heart. ²⁰ As for the donkeys^(G) you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire^(H) of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?”

²¹ Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe^(I) of Israel, and is not my clan the least^(J) of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin?^(K) Why do you say such a thing to me?”

²² Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and seated them at the head of those who were invited—about thirty in number. ²³ Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside.”

²⁴ So the cook took up the thigh^(L) with what was on it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, “Here is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion from the time I said, ‘I have invited guests.’” And Saul dined with Samuel that day.

²⁵ After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof^(M) of his house. ²⁶ They rose about daybreak, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way.” When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together. ²⁷ As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us”—and the servant did so—“but you stay here for a while, so that I may give you a message from God.”

10 Then Samuel took a flask^(N) of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the Lord anointed^(O) you ruler over his inheritance?^{[a](P) 2} When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb,^(Q) at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys^(R) you set out to look for have been found. And now your father has stopped thinking about them and is worried^(S) about you. He is asking, “What shall I do about my son?”’

³ “Then you will go on from there until you reach the great tree of Tabor. Three men going up to worship God at Bethel^(T) will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and another a skin of wine. ⁴ They will greet you and offer you two loaves of bread,^(U) which you will accept from them.

⁵ “After that you will go to Gibeah^(V) of God, where there is a Philistine outpost.^(W) As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets^(X) coming down from the high place^(Y) with lyres, timbrels,^(Z) pipes^(AA) and harps^(AB) being played before them, and they will be prophesying.^{(AC) 6} The Spirit^(AD) of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed^(AE) into a different person. ⁷ Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever^(AF) your hand^(AG) finds to do, for God is with^(AH) you.

⁸ “Go down ahead of me to Gilgal.^(AI) I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven^(AJ) days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do.”

Saul Made King

⁹ As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed^(AK) Saul’s heart, and all these signs^(AL) were fulfilled^(AM) that day.