I Samuel 3

¹Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli, and the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no manifest vision.

²Then it happened that, on a certain day, Eli was lying in his place. And his eyes had dimmed, so that he was unable to see.

³And so, to prevent the lamp of God from going out, Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.

⁴And the Lord called Samuel. And responding, he said, “Here I am.”

⁵And he ran to Eli, and he said, “Here I am. For you called me.” And he said: “I did not call. Return and sleep.” And he went away, and he slept.

⁶And again, the Lord continued to call to Samuel. And rising up, Samuel went to Eli, and he said: “Here I am. For you called me.” And he responded: “I did not call you, my son. Return and sleep.”

⁷Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not been revealed to him.

⁸And the Lord continued, and he called to Samuel still a third time. And rising up, he went to Eli.

⁹And he said: “Here I am. For you called me.” Then Eli understood that the Lord had called the boy. And he said to Samuel: “Go and sleep. And if he calls to you from now on, you will say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ ” Therefore, Samuel went away, and he slept in his place.

¹⁰And the Lord came, and stood, and he called, just as he had called the other times, “Samuel, Samuel.” And Samuel said, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

¹¹And the Lord said to Samuel: “Behold, I am accomplishing a word in Israel. Whoever will hear about it, both his ears will ring.

¹²In that day, I will raise up against Eli all the things that I have spoken over his house. I will begin, and I will finish.

¹³For I have foretold to him that I will judge his house unto eternity, because of iniquity. For he had known that his sons acted shamefully, and he did not chastise them.

¹⁴For this reason, I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of his house will not be expiated, with victims or with gifts, even forever.”

¹⁵Then Samuel slept until morning, and he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.

¹⁶Then Eli called Samuel, and he said, “Samuel, my son?” And responding, he said, “I am here.”

¹⁷And he questioned him: “What is the word that the Lord has spoken to you? I beg you that you may not conceal it from me. May God do these things to you, and may he add these other things, if you hide from me one word out of all the things that were told to you.”

¹⁸And so, Samuel revealed to him all the words, and he did not hide them from him. And he responded: “He is the Lord. May he do what is good in his own eyes.”

¹⁹And Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, and not one of his words fell to the ground.

²⁰And all of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, knew Samuel to be a faithful prophet of the Lord.

²¹And the Lord continued to appear in Shiloh. For the Lord had revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh, according to the word of the Lord. And the word about Samuel went forth to all of Israel.

I Samuel 3

¹Now the child Samuel ministered to the Lord before Heli, and the word of the Lord was precious in those days, there was no manifest vision.

²And it came to pass one day when Heli lay in his place, and his eyes were grown dim, that he could not see:

³Before the lamp of God went out, Samuel slept in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.

⁴And the Lord called Samuel. And he answered: Here am I.

⁵And he ran to Heli, and said: Here am I: for thou didst call me. He said: I did not call: go back and sleep. And he went and slept.

⁶And the Lord called Samuel again. And Samuel arose and went to Heli, and said: Here am I: for thou calledst me. He answered: I did not call thee, my son: return and sleep.

⁷Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither had the word of the Lord been revealed to him.

⁸And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose up and went to Heli,

⁹And said: Here am I: for thou didst call me. Then Heli understood that the Lord called the child, and he said to Samuel: Go, and sleep: and if he shall call thee any more, thou shalt say: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went, and slept in his place.

¹⁰And the Lord came, and stood, and he called, as he had called the other times, Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel said: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.

¹¹And the Lord said to Samuel: Behold I do a thing in Israel: and whosoever shall hear it, both his ears shall tingle.

¹²In that day I will raise up against Heli all the things I have spoken concerning his house: I will begin, and I will make an end.

¹³For I have foretold unto him, that I will judge his house for ever, for iniquity, because he knew that his sons did wickedly, and did not chastise them.

¹⁴Therefore have I sworn to the house of Heli, that the iniquity of his house shall not be expiated with victims nor offerings for ever.

¹⁵And Samuel slept till morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to tell the vision to Heli.

¹⁶Then Heli called Samuel, and said: Samuel, my son. And he answered: Here am I.

¹⁷And he asked him: What is the word that the Lord hath spoken to thee? I beseech thee hide it not from me. May God do so and so to thee, and add so and so, if thou hide from me one word of all that were said to thee.

¹⁸So Samuel told him all the words, and did not hide them from him. And he answered: It is the Lord: let him do what is good in his sight.

¹⁹And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and not one of his words fell to the ground.

²⁰And all Israel, from Dan to Bersabee, knew that Samuel was a faithful prophet of the Lord.

²¹And the Lord again appeared in Silo, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Silo, according to the word of the Lord. And the word of Samuel came to pass to all Israel.