1 Samuel 3

The Prophetic Call to Samuel

1Now 1the boyH5288 SamuelH8050 was attendingH8334 toH8334 the serviceH8334 of the LordH3068 beforeH6440 EliH5941. And 2wordH1697 from the LordH3068 was rareH3368 in thoseH1992 daysH3117; 3visionsH2377 wereH6555 infrequentH369H6555.

2But it happenedH1961 at that timeH3117 as EliH5941 was lyingH7901 downH7901 in his placeH4725 (now 4his eyesightH5869 had begunH2490 to beH3544 5poorH3544 and he couldH3201 not seeH7200 well), 3and 6the lampH5216 of GodH430 had not yetH2962 goneH3518 outH3518, and SamuelH8050 was lyingH7901 downH7901 in the templeH1964 of the LordH3068 whereH834H8033 the arkH727 of GodH430 was, 4that the LordH3068 calledH7121 SamuelH8050; and he saidH559, “7HereH2009 I am.” 5Then he ranH7323 to EliH5941 and saidH559, “HereH2009 I am, for you calledH7121 me.” But he saidH559, “I did not callH7121, goH7725 backH7725 and lieH7901 downH7901.” So he wentH1980 and layH7901 downH7901. 6And the LordH3068 calledH7121 yetH5750 againH3254, “SamuelH8050!” So SamuelH8050 gotH6965 upH6965 and wentH1980 to EliH5941 and saidH559, “HereH2009 I am, for you calledH7121 me.” But he saidH559, “I did not callH7121, my sonH1121, goH7725 backH7725 and lieH7901 downH7901.” 78Now SamuelH8050 did not yetH2962 knowH3045 the LordH3068, norH2962 had the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 yetH2962 been revealedH1540 to him. 8So the LordH3068 calledH7121 SamuelH8050 againH3254 for the thirdH7992 timeH7992. And he gotH6965 upH6965 and wentH1980 to EliH5941 and saidH559, “HereH2009 I am, for you calledH7121 me.” Then EliH5941 realizedH995 that the LordH3068 was callingH7121 the boyH5288. 9And EliH5941 saidH559 to SamuelH8050, “GoH1980 lieH7901 downH7901, and it shall be ifH518 He callsH7121 you, that you shall sayH559, ‘SpeakH1696, LordH3068, for Your servantH5650 is listeningH8085.’” So SamuelH8050 wentH1980 and layH7901 downH7901 in his placeH4725.

10Then the LordH3068 cameH935 and stoodH3320, and calledH7121 as at the otherH6471 timesH6471: “SamuelH8050! SamuelH8050!” And SamuelH8050 saidH559, “SpeakH1696, for Your servantH5650 is listeningH8085.” 11Then the LordH3068 saidH559 to SamuelH8050, “BeholdH2009, 9I am going to doH6213 a thingH1697 in IsraelH3478, and bothH8147 earsH241 of everyoneH3605 who hearsH8085 about it will ringH6750. 12On that dayH3117 10I will carryH6965 outH6965 againstH413 EliH5941 everythingH3605 that I have spokenH1696 inH413 regardH413 to his houseH1004, from beginningH2490 to endH3615. 13For 11I have toldH5046 him that I am going to judgeH8199 his houseH1004 foreverH5704H5769 for 12the wrongdoingH5771 that he knewH3045, becauseH3588 13his sonsH1121 were bringingH7043 aH7043 curseH7043 on themselvesH1992 and 14he did not rebukeH3543 them. 14ThereforeH3651 I have swornH7650 to the houseH1004 of EliH5941 that 15the wrongdoingH5771 of Eli’sH5941 houseH1004 shall neverH518H5704H5769 be atonedH3722 for by sacrificeH2077 or offeringH4503.”

15So SamuelH8050 layH7901 downH7901 untilH5704 morningH1242. Then he 16openedH6605 the doorsH1817 of the houseH1004 of the LordH3068. But SamuelH8050 wasH3372 afraidH3372 to tellH5046 17the visionH4759 to EliH5941. 16Then EliH5941 calledH7121 SamuelH8050 and saidH559, “SamuelH8050, my sonH1121.” And he saidH559, “HereH2009 I am.” 17He saidH559, “WhatH4100 is the wordH1697 that He spokeH1696 to you? PleaseH4994 do not hideH3582 it from me. 18May GodH430 doH6213 the sameH3541 to you, and moreH3254 soH3541, ifH518 you hideH3582 a single wordH1697 from me of allH3605 the wordsH1697 that He spokeH1696 to you!” 18So SamuelH8050 toldH5046 him 19everythingH3605 and hidH3582 nothingH3808 from him. And he saidH559, “20He is the LordH3068; let Him doH6213 21whatH2896 seems goodH2896 to Him.”

19Now 22SamuelH8050 grewH1431, and 23the LordH3068 was with him, and He 24let noneH3808H3605 of his wordsH1697 25failH5307H776. 20And allH3605 IsraelH3478 26from DanH1835 even to BeershebaH884 knewH3045 that SamuelH8050 was confirmedH539 as a prophetH5030 of the LordH3068. 21And 27the LordH3068 appearedH7200 againH3254 at ShilohH7887, 28becauseH3588 the LordH3068 revealedH1540 Himself to SamuelH8050 at ShilohH7887 by the wordH1697 of the LordH3068.