1 Samuel 3:1–10

The Lord Calls Samuel

3The boy Samuel ministered^q before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare;^r there were not many visions.^s

²One night Eli, whose eyes^t were becoming so weak that he could barely see,^u was lying down in his usual place. ³The lamp^v of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house^w of the Lord, where the ark^x of God was. ⁴Then the Lord called Samuel.

Samuel answered, “Here I am.^y” ⁵And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

⁶Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

⁷Now Samuel did not yet know^z the Lord: The word^a of the Lord had not yet been revealed^b to him.

⁸A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

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

¹⁰The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!^c”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”