1 Samuel 3
New Life Version
Samuel’s Call
3 Now the boy Samuel was working for the Lord with Eli. There were few words from the Lord given in those days, and there were not many special dreams. 2 At that time Eli was lying down in his own place. His eyes had become weak and he could not see well. 3 The lamp of God had not gone out yet. And Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord where the special box of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and Samuel said, “Here I am.” 5 He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call you. Lie down again.” So Samuel went and lay down. 6 The Lord called again, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son. Lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not know the Lord yet. And the Word of the Lord had not been made known to him. 8 The Lord called Samuel again for the third time. He got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down. If He calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 Then the Lord came and stood and called as He did the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.” 11 The Lord said to Samuel, “See, I am about to do a thing in Israel which will make both ears of everyone who hears it feel strange. 12 On that day I will do all I have said I will do against the family of Eli. 13 I have told him that I will punish his family forever for the sin he knew about. Because his sons brought the sin upon themselves, and Eli did not stop them. 14 So I swear to the family of Eli that the sin of his family will not be paid for with gifts given on the altar forever.”
15 Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the special dream. 16 Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And Samuel said, “Here I am.” 17 Eli said, “What did the Lord tell you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more, if you hide anything from me of all He said to you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And Eli said, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what is good in His eyes.”
19 Samuel grew. And the Lord was with him and made everything he said come true. 20 All Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had become a man of God. 21 The Lord came again to Shiloh. For the Lord made Himself known to Samuel at Shiloh, by the Word of the Lord.
1 Samuel 3
Darby Translation
3 And the boy Samuel ministered to Jehovah before Eli. And the word of Jehovah was rare in those days; a vision was not frequent.
2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli lay in his place (now his eyes began to grow dim, he could not see),
3 and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel lay in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God was,
4 that Jehovah called to Samuel. And he said, Here am I.
5 And he ran to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I did not call: lie down again. And he went and lay down.
6 And Jehovah called again, Samuel! And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I did not call, my son: lie down again.
7 Now Samuel did not yet know Jehovah, neither had the word of Jehovah yet been revealed to him.
8 And Jehovah called again the third time, Samuel! And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And Eli perceived that Jehovah was calling the boy.
9 And Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down; and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Jehovah, for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 And Jehovah came, and stood, and called as at the other times, Samuel, Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for thy servant heareth.
11 And Jehovah said to Samuel, Behold, I do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house; I will begin and make an end.
13 For I have declared to him that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he hath known: 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 expiated with sacrifice or oblation for ever.
15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of Jehovah. And Samuel feared to declare the vision to Eli.
16 And Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he said, Here am I.
17 And he said, What is the word that he has spoken to thee? I pray thee, keep it not back from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou keep back anything from me of all the word that he spoke to thee.
18 And Samuel told him all the words, and kept nothing back from him. And he said, It is Jehovah: let him do what is good in his sight.
19 And Samuel grew, and Jehovah was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground.
20 And all Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, knew that Samuel was established a prophet of Jehovah.
21 And Jehovah appeared again at Shiloh; for Jehovah revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of Jehovah.
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