[1] The child Samuel ministered to Yahweh before Eli. The word of Yahweh
was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision. [2] It happened
at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun
to grow dim, so that he could not see), [3] and the lamp of God hadn`t yet
gone out, and Samuel had laid down [to sleep], in the temple of Yahweh,
where the ark of God was; [4] that Yahweh called Samuel; and he said, Here
am I. [5] He ran to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. He said, I
didn`t call; lie down again. He went and lay down. [6] Yahweh called yet
again, Samuel. Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you
called me. He answered, I didn`t call, my son; lie down again. [7] Now
Samuel didn`t yet know Yahweh, neither was the word of Yahweh yet revealed
to him. [8] Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to
Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. Eli perceived that Yahweh had
called the child. [9] Therefore Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down: and it
shall be, if he call you, that you shall say, Speak, Yahweh; for your
servant hears. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. [10] Yahweh came,
and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel said,
Speak; for your servant hears. [11] Yahweh said to Samuel, Behold, I will
do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall
tingle. [12] In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken
concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end. [13] For I have
told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he
knew, because his sons did bring a curse on themselves, and he didn`t
restrain them. [14] Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the
iniquity of Eli`s house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering
forever. [15] Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the
house of Yahweh. Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. [16] Then Eli called
Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. He said, Here am I. [17] He said, "What
is the thing that [Yahweh] has spoken to you? Please don`t hide it from me.
God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the
things that he spoke to you." [18] Samuel told him every whit, and hid
nothing from him. He said, It is Yahweh: let him do what seems him good.
[19] Samuel grew, and Yahweh was with him, and did let none of his words
fall to the ground. [20] All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that
Samuel was established to be a prophet of Yahweh. [21] Yahweh appeared
again in Shiloh; for Yahweh revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the
word of Yahweh.
