1 Samuel 3

The  Lord Calls Samuel

1  a Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the  Lord in the presence of Eli. b And the word of the  Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

2 At that time Eli, c whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3  d The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down e in the temple of the  Lord, where the ark of God was.

4 Then the  Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.

6 And the  Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the  Lord, and the word of the  Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

8 And the  Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the  Lord was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak,  Lord, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 And the  Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” 11 Then the  Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel f at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli g all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13  h And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew i because his sons were blaspheming God, ▼
▼ Or  blaspheming for themselves
 k and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli l that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

15 Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the  Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. 16 But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” 17 And Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. m May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, n “It is the  Lord. Let him do what seems good to him.”

19  o And Samuel grew, and the  Lord was with him p and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel q from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the  Lord. 21 And the  Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the  Lord revealed himself to Samuel r at Shiloh s by the word of the  Lord.

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