Chapter 3

And the child Samuel ministered¹⁸ unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; [there was] no open¹² vision.

And it came to pass at that time, when Eli [was] laid down⁶ in his place, and his eyes began⁵² to wax dim, [that] he could⁴ not see;²

And ere the lamp of God went out⁴ in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God [was], and Samuel was laid down⁶ [to sleep];

That the LORD called⁴ Samuel: and he answered,⁴ Here [am] I.

And he ran⁴ unto Eli, and said,⁴ Here [am] I; for thou calledst¹ me. And he said,⁴ I called¹ not; lie down³ again.³ And he went⁴ and lay down.⁴

And the LORD called² yet again,⁵⁵ Samuel. And Samuel arose⁴ and went⁴ to Eli, and said,⁴ Here [am] I; for thou didst call¹ me. And he answered,⁴ I called¹ not, my son; lie down³ again.³

Now Samuel did not yet know¹ the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed¹¹ unto him.

And the LORD called² Samuel again⁵⁵ the third time. And he arose⁴ and went⁴ to Eli, and said,⁴ Here [am] I; for thou didst call¹ me. And Eli perceived⁴ that the LORD had called⁶ the child.

Therefore Eli said⁴ unto Samuel, Go,³ lie down:³ and it shall be, if he call⁴ thee, that thou shalt say,¹ Speak,¹⁶ LORD; for thy servant heareth.⁶ So Samuel went⁴ and lay down⁴ in his place.

And the LORD came,⁴ and stood,¹⁰¹ and called⁴ as at other times, ⁶⁴⁷¹ Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered,⁴ Speak;¹⁶ for thy servant heareth.⁶

And the LORD said⁴ to Samuel, Behold, I will do⁶ a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth⁶ it shall tingle.⁴

In that day I will perform⁵⁵ against Eli all [things] which I have spoken¹⁴ concerning his house: when I begin,⁵³ I will also make an end.¹⁵

For I have told⁵² him that I will judge⁶ his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth;¹ because his sons made themselves vile,¹⁸ and he restrained¹⁴ them not.

And therefore I have sworn⁸ unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged¹⁰¹ with sacrifice nor offering for ever.

And Samuel lay⁴ until the morning, and opened⁴ the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared¹ to shew⁵³ Eli the vision.

Then Eli called⁴ Samuel, and said,⁴ Samuel, my son. And he answered,⁴ Here [am] I.

And he said,⁴ What [is] the thing that [the LORD] hath said¹⁴ unto thee? I pray thee hide¹⁷ [it] not from me: God do⁴ so to thee, and more⁵⁵ also, if thou hide¹⁷ [any] thing from me of all the things that he said¹⁴ unto thee.

And Samuel told⁵⁵ him every whit, and hid¹⁴ nothing from him. And he said,⁴ It [is] the LORD: let him do⁴ what seemeth him good.

And Samuel grew,⁴ and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall⁵² to the ground.

And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew⁴ that Samuel [was] established¹² [to be] a prophet of the LORD.

And the LORD appeared⁹ again⁵⁵ in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed⁸ himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.