1 Samuel 3
Modern English Version
God Calls Samuel
3 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days. There was no vision coming forth.
2 At that time, Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow weak that he could not see), 3 and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord where the ark of God was.
4 Then the Lord called to Samuel, and he answered, “Here I am.” 5 He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called to me.”
And he said, “I did not call. Return, lie down again.” And he went and lay down.
6 The Lord called Samuel again. So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.”
And he answered, “I did not call, my son. Return, lie down again.”
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord been revealed to him.
8 The Lord again called Samuel a third time. So he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.”
Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling to the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down. And it will be, if He calls you, that you will say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant listens.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 The Lord came and stood, and He called as at other times, “Samuel, Samuel.”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant listens.”
11 The Lord said to Samuel, “See, I am doing something in Israel which will make both ears ring of every one that hears it. 12 In that day I will bring about against Eli everything which I have spoken with regard to his house, from beginning to end. 13 For I told him that I will judge his house forever, for the guilt which he knew, because his sons are cursed, and he did not rebuke them. 14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for with sacrifice nor offering forever.”
15 Samuel lay until the morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Now Samuel feared to report the vision to Eli. 16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, “Samuel, my son.”
And he answered, “Here I am.”
17 He said, “What is the thing that the Lord has spoken to you? Do not hide it from me. Thus may God do so to you, and more also, if you hide from me a word out of all the things that He spoke to you.” 18 Samuel told him everything, and did not hide from him a thing. And he said, “It is the Lord; let Him do what is good in His eyes.”
19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and did not let any of his words fall to the ground. 20 All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was proven to be a prophet of the Lord. 21 And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh. For the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.
1 Samuel 3
21st Century King James Version
3 And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was lying down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim so that he could not see,
3 and ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was, and Samuel was lying down to sleep,
4 that the Lord called Samuel; and he answered, “Here am I.”
5 And he ran unto Eli and said, “Here am I, for thou called me.” And he said, “I called not; lie down again.” And he went and lay down.
6 And the Lord called yet again, “Samuel.” And Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here am I, for thou didst call me.” And he answered, “I called not, my son; lie down again.”
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him.
8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here am I, for thou didst call me.” And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child.
9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He call thee, that thou shalt say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 And the Lord came and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel, Samuel.” Then Samuel answered, “Speak, for Thy servant heareth.”
11 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of every one who heareth it shall tingle.
12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house. When I begin, I will also make an end;
13 for I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth, because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering, for ever.”
15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision.
16 Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he answered, “Here am I.”
17 And he said, “What is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me. God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any word from me of all the things that He said unto thee.”
18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seemeth to Him good.”
19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.
20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.
21 And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh, for the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.