| 3:1 | The boy Samuel was serving the LORD under Eli. In those days a prophecy from the LORD was rare; visions were infrequent. |
| 3:2 | One night Eli was lying down in his room. His eyesight had begun to fail so that he couldn't see well. |
| 3:3 | The lamp in God's temple hadn't gone out yet, and Samuel was asleep in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was kept. |
| 3:4 | Then the LORD called Samuel. "Here I am," Samuel responded. |
| 3:5 | He ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. You called me." "I didn't call you," Eli replied. "Go back to bed." So Samuel went back and lay down. |
| 3:6 | The LORD called Samuel again. Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, "Here I am. You called me." "I didn't call you, son," he responded. "Go back to bed." |
| 3:7 | Samuel had no experience with the LORD, because the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. |
| 3:8 | The LORD called Samuel a third time. Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, "Here I am. You called me." Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. |
| 3:9 | "Go, lie down," Eli told Samuel. "When he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD. I'm listening.'"So Samuel went and lay down in his room. |
| 3:10 | The LORD came and stood there. He called as he had called the other times: "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel replied, "Speak. I'm listening." |
| 3:11 | Then the LORD said to Samuel, "I am going to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears it ring. |
| 3:12 | On that day I am going to do to Eli and his family everything I said from beginning to end. |
| 3:13 | I told him that I would hand down a permanent judgment against his household because he knew about his sons' sinthat they were cursing God but he didn't try to stop them. |
| 3:14 | That is why I have taken an oath concerning Eli's family line: No offering or sacrifice will ever be able to make peace for the sins that Eli's family committed." |
| 3:15 | Samuel remained in bed until morning. Then he opened the doors of the LORD'S house. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision. |
| 3:16 | Then Eli called Samuel. "Samuel, my son!" he said. "Here I am," he responded. |
| 3:17 | "What did the LORD tell you?" he asked. "Please don't hide anything from me. May God strike you dead if you hide anything he told you from me." |
| 3:18 | So Samuel told Eli everything. Eli replied, "He is the LORD. May he do what he thinks is right." |
| 3:19 | Samuel grew up. The LORD was with him and didn't let any of his words go unfulfilled. |
| 3:20 | All Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew Samuel was the LORD'S appointed prophet. |
| 3:21 | The LORD continued to appear in Shiloh, since the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh through the word of the LORD. And Samuel spoke to all Israel. |
1 Samuel 3 - God's Word Translation
