3:1 The child Samuel ministered to Yahweh before Eli. The word of Yahweh was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision.

3:2 It happened at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),

3:3 and the lamp of God hadn`t yet gone out, and Samuel had laid down [to sleep], in the temple of Yahweh, where the ark of God was;

3:4 that Yahweh called Samuel; and he said, Here am I.

3:5 He ran to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. He said, I didn`t call; lie down again. He went and lay down.

3:6 Yahweh called yet again, Samuel. Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. He answered, I didn`t call, my son; lie down again.

3:7 Now Samuel didn`t yet know Yahweh, neither was the word of Yahweh yet revealed to him.

3:8 Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child.

3:9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call you, that you shall say, Speak, Yahweh; for your servant hears. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

3:10 Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel said, Speak; for your servant hears.

3:11 Yahweh said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle.

3:12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end.

3:13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons did bring a curse on themselves, and he didn`t restrain them.

3:14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli`s house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering forever.

3:15 Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of Yahweh. Samuel feared to show Eli the vision.

3:16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. He said, Here am I.

3:17 He said, "What is the thing that [Yahweh] has spoken to you? Please don`t 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."

3:18 Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. He said, It is Yahweh: let him do what seems him good.

3:19 Samuel grew, and Yahweh was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

3:20 All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Yahweh.