 1 The child Samuel served the Lord before Eli. And the Word of the Lord was rare in those days. There was no open vision. 2 At that time, when Eli was lying down in his place, and his eyes began to become dim so that he could not see. 3 The lamp of God had not gone out. And Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 The Lord called Samuel. And he answered, Here am I. 5 He ran to Eli and said, Here am I. For you called me. And he said, I did not call. Go and lie down again. And he went to lie down. 6 The Lord called again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, Here am I, for you called me. And he answered, I did not call, my son. Go back, lie down. 7 Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the Word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 The Lord called Samuel again, the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, Here am I, for you called me. And Eli saw that the Lord had called the child. 9 Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down. If one calls you, say, Speak Lord for your servant hears. Then Samuel went to lie down in his place. 10 The Lord came and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak, for your servant hears. 11 The Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle. 12 In that day, I will confirm to Eli all that I have spoken as to his house, beginning and making an end. 13 I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity that he knows, because his sons made themselves vile and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever. 15 Samuel lay until morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. 16 Eli called Samuel and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I. 17 He said, What is the word that He has said to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide a thing from me of all the words that He said to you. 18 Samuel told him all the words, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him. 19 Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 All Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. 21 The Lord appeared again in Shiloh. For the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the Word of the Lord.
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