1 Samuel 3:1-14

World English Bible

3 The child Samuel ministered to Yahweh before Eli. Yahweh’s word was rare in those days. There were not many visions, then. ² At that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see), ³ and God’s lamp hadn’t yet gone out, and Samuel had laid down in Yahweh’s temple where God’s ark was, ⁴ Yahweh called Samuel. He said, “Here I am.”

⁵ He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; for you called me.”

He said, “I didn’t call. Lie down again.”

He went and lay down. ⁶ Yahweh called yet again, “Samuel!”

Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; for you called me.”

He answered, “I didn’t call, my son. Lie down again.” ⁷ Now Samuel didn’t yet know Yahweh, neither was Yahweh’s word yet revealed to him. ⁸ Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; for you called me.”

Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child. ⁹ Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down. It shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Yahweh; for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. ¹⁰ Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak; for your servant hears.”

¹¹ Yahweh said to Samuel, “Behold, I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. ¹² In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end. ¹³ For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves, and he didn’t restrain them. ¹⁴ Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be removed with sacrifice or offering forever.”