1 Samuel 3:4-14

4Then the Lord called out to Samuel. Samuel answered, ‘Here I am.’

5Samuel ran to Eli and he said, ‘You called my name. Here I am.’ But Eli said, ‘I did not call your name. Go back and lie down again.’ So Samuel went and he lay down again.

6Again the Lord called out, ‘Samuel’. So Samuel went to Eli and he said, ‘You called my name. Here I am.’ Eli answered, ‘My son, I did not call your name. Go back and lie down again.’

7Samuel did not know the Lord yet. The Lord had not spoken to him before.

8Then the Lord called Samuel's name for the third time. Samuel got up again. He went to Eli and he said, ‘You called my name. Here I am.’ Then Eli realized that it was the Lord who was calling the boy's name.

9So Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go back and lie down again. If he calls your name again, you must say, “Speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am listening.” ’ So Samuel went back and he lay down in his place.

10The Lord came and he stood near to Samuel. He called Samuel's name again, as he had done before. He said, ‘Samuel, Samuel’. Samuel said, ‘Speak. I am your servant and I am listening.’

11Then the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Listen to me. I am ready to do something great among the Israelite people. When people hear about it, they will shake with fear.

12When that day arrives, I will punish Eli and his family in all the ways that I have said. I will start at the beginning and I will continue to the end.

13I have warned Eli that I would punish his family for all time. He knew that his sons were doing very bad things. They were insulting me, God, and Eli did not stop them.

14So I made a strong promise and I said, “I will never forgive the sins of Eli's family. No sacrifices or offerings will ever take away those sins.” ’