1 Samuel 3:1–4:1

Samuel’s Call

3The boy Samuel served the Lord in Eli’s presence. ^xIn those days the word of the Lord was rare and prophetic visions were not widespread. ^y

²One day Eli, whose eyesight was failing, ^zwas lying in his room. ³Before the lamp of God had gone out, ^aSamuel was lying down in the tabernacle of the Lord, where the ark of God was located.

⁴Then the Lord called Samuel, ^band he answered, “Here I am.” ⁵He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“I didn’t call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

⁶Once again the Lord called, “Samuel!”

Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“I didn’t call, my son,” he replied. “Go back and lie down.”

⁷Now Samuel had not yet experienced the Lord, because the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. ⁸Once again, for the third time, the Lord called Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the boy. ⁹He told Samuel, “Go and lie down. If He calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

¹⁰The Lord came, stood there, and called as before, “Samuel, Samuel!”

Samuel responded, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”

¹¹The Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do something in Israel that everyone who hears about it will shudder. ^c12On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I said about his family, from beginning to end. ^d13I told him that I am going to judge his family forever because of the iniquity he knows about: his sons are defiling the sanctuary, ^eand he has not stopped them. ^f14Therefore, I have sworn to Eli’s family: The iniquity of Eli’s family will never be wiped out by either sacrifice or offering.” ^g

¹⁵Samuel lay down until the morning; then he opened the doors of the Lord’s house. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, ¹⁶but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”

“Here I am,” answered Samuel.

¹⁷“What was the message He gave you?” Eli asked. “Don’t hide it from me. May God punish you and do so severely if you hide anything from me that He told you.” ^h18So Samuel told him everything and did not hide anything from him. Eli responded, “He is the Lord. He will do what He thinks is good.” ^ij

¹⁹Samuel grew, ^kand the Lord was with him, ^land He fulfilled everything Samuel prophesied. ^mn20All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a confirmed prophet of the Lord. ^o21The Lord continued to appear in Shiloh, because there He revealed Himself to Samuel by His word. ^p4¹And Samuel’s words came to all Israel.

The Ark Captured by the Philistines

Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle and ^qcamped at Ebenezer ^rwhile the Philistines camped at Aphek. ^s