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Samuel’s First Encounter with Yahweh

Now the boy Samuel was serving Yahweh in the presence[a] of Eli. The word of Yahweh was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. And then[b] one day when Eli was lying in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow weak so that he was not able to see) and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, Samuel was lying in the temple[c] of Yahweh where the ark of God was. Then Yahweh called out to Samuel and he said, “Here I am!”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 3:1 Literally “in the face of”
  2. 1 Samuel 3:2 Literally “And it happened”
  3. 1 Samuel 3:3 Although the Hebrew text reads “temple,” this is a reference to the tabernacle (see 1:3, 9)

The Lord Calls Samuel

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)

One night Eli, whose eyes(D) were becoming so weak that he could barely see,(E) was lying down in his usual place. 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. Then the Lord called Samuel.

Samuel answered, “Here I am.(I)

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