GodsWord - I Samuel - 3

3:1  The boy Samuel was serving the LORD under Eli. In those days a prophecy from the LORD was rare; visions were infrequent.

3:2  One night Eli was lying down in his room. His eyesight had begun to fail so that he couldn't see well.

3:3  The lamp in God's temple hadn't gone out yet, and Samuel was asleep in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was kept.

3:4  Then the LORD called Samuel. "Here I am," Samuel responded.

3:5  He ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. You called me." "I didn't call you," Eli replied. "Go back to bed." So Samuel went back and lay down.

3:6  The LORD called Samuel again. Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, "Here I am. You called me." "I didn't call you, son," he responded. "Go back to bed."

3:7  Samuel had no experience with the LORD, because the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

3:8  The LORD called Samuel a third time. Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, "Here I am. You called me." Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy.

3:9  "Go, lie down," Eli told Samuel. "When he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD. I'm listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his room.

3:10  The LORD came and stood there. He called as he had called the other times: "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel replied, "Speak. I'm listening."

3:11  Then the LORD said to Samuel, "I am going to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears it ring.

3:12  On that day I am going to do to Eli and his family everything I said from beginning to end.

3:13  I told him that I would hand down a permanent judgment against his household because he knew about his sons' sin--that they were cursing God --but he didn't try to stop them.

3:14  That is why I have taken an oath concerning Eli's family line: No offering or sacrifice will ever be able to make peace for the sins that Eli's family committed."

3:15  Samuel remained in bed until morning. Then he opened the doors of the LORD's house. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.

3:16  Then Eli called Samuel. "Samuel, my son!" he said. "Here I am," he responded.

3:17  "What did the LORD tell you?" he asked. "Please don't hide anything from me. May God strike you dead if you hide anything he told you from me."

3:18  So Samuel told Eli everything. Eli replied, "He is the LORD. May he do what he thinks is right."

3:19  Samuel grew up. The LORD was with him and didn't let any of his words go unfulfilled.

3:20  All Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew Samuel was the LORD's appointed prophet.

3:21  The LORD continued to appear in Shiloh, since the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh through the word of the LORD. And Samuel spoke to all Israel.