3:1 |
Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli, and the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no manifest vision. |
3:2 |
Then it happened that, on a certain day, Eli was lying in his place. And his eyes had dimmed, so that he was unable to see. |
3:3 |
And so, to prevent the lamp of God from going out, Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. |
3:4 |
And the Lord called Samuel. And responding, he said, “Here I am.” |
3:5 |
And he ran to Eli, and he said, “Here I am. For you called me.” And he said: “I did not call. Return and sleep.” And he went away, and he slept. |
3:6 |
And again, the Lord continued to call to Samuel. And rising up, Samuel went to Eli, and he said: “Here I am. For you called me.” And he responded: “I did not call you, my son. Return and sleep.” |
3:7 |
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not been revealed to him. |
3:8 |
And the Lord continued, and he called to Samuel still a third time. And rising up, he went to Eli. |
3:9 |
And he said: “Here I am. For you called me.” Then Eli understood that the Lord had called the boy. And he said to Samuel: “Go and sleep. And if he calls to you from now on, you will say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ ” Therefore, Samuel went away, and he slept in his place. |
3:10 |
And the Lord came, and stood, and he called, just as he had called the other times, “Samuel, Samuel.” And Samuel said, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” |
3:19 |
And Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, and not one of his words fell to the ground. |
3:20 |
And all of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, knew Samuel to be a faithful prophet of the Lord. |