1 Samuel 3:4-10

Expanded Bible

⁴ Then the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, “I am here!” ⁵ He ran to Eli and said, “I am here. You called me.”

But Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back ·to bed [and lie down].” So Samuel went back ·to bed [and lay down].

⁶ The Lord called again, “Samuel!”

Samuel again went to Eli and said, “I am here. You called me.”

Again Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back ·to bed [and lie down].”

⁷ Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and ·the Lord had not spoken directly to him yet [^Lthe word of the Lord had not been revealed to him before].

⁸ The Lord called Samuel for the third time. Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “I am here. You called me.”

Then Eli ·realized [understood; perceived; discerned that] the Lord was calling the boy. ⁹ So he told Samuel, “Go ·to bed [lie down]. If he calls you again, say, ‘Speak, Lord. ·I am your servant and I am […for your servant is] listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in ·bed [his place].

¹⁰ The Lord came and stood there and called as he had before, “Samuel, Samuel!”

Samuel said, “·Speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am [^LSpeak, for your servant is] listening.”