1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli.
And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no
open vision.
2 And
it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes
began to wax dim, that he could not see;
3 And
ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;
4 That
the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.
5 And
he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said,
I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.
6 And
the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said,
Here am I; for
thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.
7 Now
Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed
unto him.
8 And
the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and
said, Here am I; for
thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.
9 Therefore
Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou
shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in
his place.
10 And
the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then
Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
11 And
the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the
ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
12 In
that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his
house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
13 For
I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he
knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
14 And
therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house
shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
15 And
Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD.
And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.
16 Then
Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.
17 And
he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath
said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and
more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that
he said unto thee.
18 And
Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the
LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.
19 And
Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to
the ground.
20 And
all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a
prophet of the LORD.
21 And
the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in
Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
