1 Samuel

3 Now the boy Samuel was ministering unto Yahweh before Eli,—and the word of Yahweh had become rare in those days, there was no well-known vision.

2 But it came to pass at that time, when Eli was lying down in his place, his eyes having begun to be dim, he could not see,

3 though the lamp of God was not yet to be put out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of Yahweh, where was the ark of God,

4 that Yahweh called unto Samuel, and he said—Behold me!

5 So he ran unto Eli and said—Behold me! for thou calledst me. And he said—I called not, return—lie down. So he went and lay down.

6 And again Yahweh called once more—Samuel! Then rose Samuel and went unto Eli, and said—Behold me! for thou calledst me. And he said—I called not, my son, return—lie down.

7 Now Samuel as yet knew not Yahweh,—nor as yet had been revealed unto him the word of Yahweh.

8 And again Yahweh called—Samuel! a third time. Then he arose and went unto Eli, and said—Behold me! for thou calledst me. Then did Eli perceive, that Yahweh was calling the boy.

9 So Eli said to Samuel—Go, lie down, and it shall be, if he call unto thee, that thou shalt say—Speak, Yahweh, for thy servant is listening. And Samuel went, and lay down in his place.

10 Then came Yahweh and stood, and called as time after time—Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel said—Speak, for thy servant is listening.

11 And Yahweh said unto Samuel, Lo! I am doing a thing in Israel,—at which both ears of everyone that heareth it shall tingle.

12 In that day will I confirm against Eli, all that I have spoken against his house,—beginning and finishing.

13 Therefore do I tell him, that I am about to judge his house unto times age-abiding,—for the iniquity which he knoweth, in that his sons are cursing God, and he hath not rebuked them.

14 And therefore have I sworn respecting the house of Eli,—that the iniquity of the house of Eli shall receive no propitiatory-covering by sacrifice or by present unto times age-abiding.

15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and rose early in the morning and opened the doors of the house of Yahweh,—but Samuel feared to tell the appearing unto Eli.

16 So Eli called Samuel, and said—Samuel! my son. And he said—Behold me!

17 And he said—What is the word which he spake unto thee? I pray thee, do not hide it from me. So let God do to thee, and so let him add, if thou hide from me a word, out of anything which he hath spoken unto thee.

18 So Samuel told him all the words, and hid nothing from him. And he said, Yahweh he is; what is good in his own eyes let him do.

19 And Samuel grew,—and Yahweh proved to be with him, and let none of all his words fall to the ground.

20 So all Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, came to know,—that Samuel had become confirmed as a prophet unto Yahweh.

21 Thus did Yahweh again appear in Shiloh,—for Yahweh had revealed himself unto Samuel in Shiloh in the word of Yahweh.