< 1 Samuel 3 >

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.
Le jeune Samuel servait donc le Seigneur sous les yeux d’Héli. A cette époque, la parole de l’Eternel était rare, la vision prophétique peu répandue.
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;
Or, en ce temps-là, Héli, dont les yeux commençaient à s’obscurcir et qui y voyait à peine, était couché à sa place habituelle;
3 And before 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;
Samuel aussi dormait, et la lampe sacrée brûlait encore dans le temple de l’Eternel, où était l’arche divine,
4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.
lorsque l’Eternel appela Samuel, qui répondit: "Me voici!"
5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.
Et il accourut près d’Héli en disant: "Tu m’as appelé, me voici." Héli répondit: "Je n’ai point appelé; va te recoucher." Ce que fit Samuel.
6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you did call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.
L’Eternel appela de nouveau: "Samuel!" Celui-ci se leva, alla trouver Héli en disant: "Tu m’as appelé, me voici", et Héli répondit: "Je n’ai point appelé, mon enfant; recouche-toi."
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.
Samuel ne connaissait pas encore l’Eternel, la parole divine ne s’étant pas encore révélée à lui.
8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you did call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.
Une troisième fois, Dieu appela: "Samuel!" Il se leva et s’en fut auprès d’Héli en disant: "Tu m’as appelé, me voici." Alors Héli comprit que c’était Dieu qui appelait le jeune homme,
9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call you, that you shall say, Speak, LORD; for your servant hears. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
et il dit à Samuel: "Va te recoucher, et si l’on t’appelle, tu diras: Parle, Seigneur, ton serviteur écoute." Samuel le quitta et regagna sa couche.
10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for your servant hears.
Le Seigneur vint, s’arrêta là et appela comme il avait fait chaque fois: "Samuel!…. Samuel!…" Et Samuel dit: "Parle, ton serviteur écoute."
11 And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that hears it shall tingle.
Alors le Seigneur dit à Samuel: "Je vais accomplir une chose en Israël, à faire tinter les oreilles de quiconque l’entendra.
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.
Ce jour-là, j’exécuterai à l’égard d’Héli toutes mes menaces concernant sa famille; j’en poursuivrai l’exécution jusqu’au bout.
13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knows; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
Je lui ai annoncé que je condamne à jamais sa famille, parce qu’il a eu le tort, connaissant la conduite indigne de ses fils, de ne pas la réprimer.
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.
Je le déclare donc avec serment à la maison d’Héli: rien ne saurait désormais expier son crime, ni sacrifice, ni oblation!"
15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision.
Samuel resta couché jusqu’au matin, et ouvrit alors les portes de la maison de Dieu; mais il n’osait rapporter cette vision à Héli.
16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.
Celui-ci appela Samuel en disant: "Samuel, mon fils!" Et il répondit: "Me voici!"
17 And he said, What is the thing that the LORD has said unto you? I pray you hide it not from me: God do so to you, and more also, if you hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto you.
Héli reprit: "Quelle parole t’a-t-il adressée? De grâce, ne me cache rien. Que Dieu t’en fasse autant et plus, si tu me caches quoi que ce soit de ce qu’il t’a dit!"
18 And Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seems him good.
Alors Samuel lui redit toutes les paroles, sans lui rien dissimuler; et Héli répondit: "Il est l’Eternel; qu’il fasse selon sa volonté!"
19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
Ainsi grandissait Samuel, et l’Eternel était avec lui, et il ne laissait tomber à terre aucune de ses prophéties.
20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.
Et tout Israël, depuis Dan jusqu’à Bersabée, reconnut l’autorité de Samuel, comme prophète du Seigneur.
21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
Et l’Eternel se manifesta souvent encore à Silo, car c’est à Silo qu’il se manifestait à Samuel par la parole divine.

< 1 Samuel 3 >