Chapter 3
1 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 ."
15 Samuel lay until the morning , and opened the doors of Yahweh ’s house . Samuel was afraid to show Eli the vision .
16 Then Eli called Samuel and said , " Samuel , my son !" He said , " Here I am ."
17 He said , " What is the thing that he has spoken to you ? Please don’t hide it from me . God do so to you , and more also , if you hide anything from me of all the things that he spoke to you ."
18 Samuel told him every bit, and hid nothing from him . He said , " It is Yahweh . Let him do what seems good to him ."
19 Samuel grew , and Yahweh was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.
20 All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Yahweh .
21 Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh ; for Yahweh revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by Yahweh ’s word .