Study Desk

The Lord Calls Samuel

The boy Samuel ministered^(a) before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare;^(b) there were not many visions.^(c)

One night Eli, whose eyes^(d) were becoming so weak that he could barely see,^(e) was lying down in his usual place.

The lamp^(f) of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house^(g) of the Lord , where the ark^(h) of God was.

Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am.⁽ⁱ⁾"

And 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.

Again 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."

Now Samuel did not yet know^(j) the Lord : The word^(k) of the Lord had not yet been revealed^(l) to him.

A 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.

So 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.

The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!^(m)" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

And the Lord said to Samuel: "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle.⁽ⁿ⁾

At that time I will carry out against Eli everything^(o) I spoke against his family—from beginning to end.

For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God,^[a] and he failed to restrain^(p) them.

Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli's house will never be atoned^(q) for by sacrifice or offering.'"

Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord . He was afraid to tell Eli the vision,

but Eli called him and said, "Samuel, my son." Samuel answered, "Here I am."

"What was it he said to you?" Eli asked. "Do not hide^(r) it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely,^(s) if you hide from me anything he told you."

So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, "He is the Lord ; let him do what is good in his eyes."^(t)

The Lord was with^(u) Samuel as he grew^(v) up, and he let none^(w) of Samuel's words fall to the ground.

And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba^(x) recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord .^(y)

The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed^(z) himself to Samuel through his word.