1 Samuel 3

1 The child Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. The word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

The child Samuel served Yahweh under Eli. Yahweh's word was rare in those days; there was no frequent prophetic vision.

2 It happened at that time, when Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),

At that time, when Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see well, was lying down in his own bed.

3 and the lamp of God hadn't yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the LORD's temple, where the ark of God was;

The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down to sleep in the temple of Yahweh, where the ark of God was.

4 that the LORD called, "Samuel. Samuel." And he said, "Here I am."

Yahweh called to Samuel, who said, “Here I am.”

5 He ran to Eli, and said, "Here I am; for you called me." He said, "I did not call; lie down again." He went and lay down.

Samuel ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Eli said, “I did not call you; lie down again.” So Samuel went and lay down.

6 The LORD called yet again, "Samuel. Samuel." And he arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am; for you called me." He answered, "I did not call, my son; lie down again."

Yahweh called again, “Samuel.” Again Samuel rose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son; lie down again.”

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.

Now Samuel did not yet have any experience of Yahweh, nor had any message from Yahweh ever been revealed to him.

8 The LORD called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am; for you called me." Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.

Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. Again Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli realized that Yahweh had called the boy.

9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say, 'Speak, LORD; for your servant hears.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Then Eli said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again; if he calls you again, you must say, 'Speak, Yahweh, for your servant is listening.'” So Samuel went and lay down in his own place once more.

10 The LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, "Samuel. Samuel." Then Samuel said, "Speak; for your servant hears."

Yahweh came and stood; he called as at the other times, “Samuel, Samuel.” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

11 The LORD said to Samuel, "Look, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle.

Yahweh said to Samuel, “See, I am about to do something in Israel at which the ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.

12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end.

On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I have said about his house, from beginning to end.

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons were cursing God, and he did not restrain them.

I have told him that I am about to judge his house once for all for the sin that he knew about, because his sons brought a curse upon themselves and he did not stop them.

14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be removed with sacrifice nor offering forever."

Because of this I have sworn to the house of Eli that the sins of his house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.”

15 And Samuel lay there until the morning, and in the morning he got up and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision.

Samuel lay down until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of Yahweh. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.

16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, "Samuel, my son." He said, "Here I am."

Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” Samuel said, “Here I am.”

17 He said, "What is the thing that he has spoken to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that he spoke to you in your ears."

He said, “What was the word he spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and even more, if you hide anything from me of all the words that he spoke to you.”

18 And Samuel told him everything, and did not hide anything from him. And he said, "It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him."

Samuel told him everything; he hid nothing from him. Eli said, “It is Yahweh. Let him do what seems good to him.”

19 Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground.

Samuel grew up, and Yahweh was with him, and he let none of his prophetic words fall to the ground.

20 All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.

All Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was appointed to be a prophet of Yahweh.

21 The LORD appeared again in Shiloh; for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh, for he revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by his word.