3:1 Now the boy Samuel continued serving the LORD under Eli’s supervision.¹ Word from the LORD was rare in those days; revelatory visions were infrequent.

3:2 Eli’s eyes had begun to fail, so that he was unable to see well. At that time he was lying down in his place, 3:3 and the lamp of God had not yet been extinguished. Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD as well; the ark of God was also there. 3:4 The LORD called to Samuel, and he replied, “Here I am!” 3:5 Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I didn’t call you. Go back and lie down.” So he went back and lay down. 3:6 The LORD again called, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I didn’t call you, my son. Go back and lie down.”

3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD; the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. 3:8 Then the LORD called Samuel a third time. So he got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me!” It was then that Eli realized that it was the LORD who had been calling the boy. 3:9 So Eli said to Samuel, “Go back and lie down. When he calls you say, “Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.” So Samuel went back and lay down in his place.

3:10 Then the LORD came and stood by, calling as he had previously done, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, for your servant is listening!” 3:11 The LORD said to Samuel, “Look! I am about to do something in Israel such that when anyone hears about it, both of his ears will tingle. 3:12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli everything that I spoke about his house—from start to finish! 3:13 You² should say to him that I am about to judge his house forever because of³ the iniquity that he was aware of. For his sons were cursing God,⁴ and he did not rebuke them. 3:14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The iniquity of the house of Eli can never be forgiven by sacrifice or by grain offering.’”

3:15 So Samuel lay down until the morning. Then he opened the doors of the LORD’s house. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision. 3:16 However, Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!” And he replied, “Here I am.” 3:17 He said, “What is the message that he spoke to you? Don’t conceal it from me. May God do all this to me and more if you conceal from me anything that he said to you!”

3:18 So Samuel told him everything. He did not hold back anything from him. He said, “The LORD will do what he pleases.¹ 3:19 Samuel continued to grow, and the LORD was with him. None of his words fell to the ground unfulfilled. 3:20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba realized that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the LORD. 3:21 Then the LORD again appeared in Shiloh, for it was in Shiloh that the LORD had revealed himself to Samuel² through the word of the LORD.³ 4:1 And Samuel’s word⁴ came to all Israel.