I Samuel Chapter 3

I Samuel 3 — English translation

Translation: THE JPS TANAKH: Gender-Sensitive Edition. Verse numbers match the Hebrew text below.

1. 1Young Samuel was in the service of G OD under Eli. In those days the word of G OD was rare; prophecy was not widespread.
2. 2One day, Eli was asleep in his usual place; his eyes had begun to fail and he could barely see.
3. 3The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the temple of G OD where the Ark of God was.
4. 4G OD called out to Samuel, and he answered, “I’m coming.”
5. 5He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But he replied, “I didn’t call you; go back to sleep.” So he went back and lay down.
6. 6Again G OD called, “Samuel!” Samuel rose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But he replied, “I didn’t call, my son; go back to sleep.”—
7. 7Now Samuel had not yet experienced G OD ; the word of G OD had not yet been revealed to him.—
8. 8G OD called Samuel again, a third time, and he rose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli understood that G OD was calling the boy.
9. 9And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down. If you are called again, say, ‘Speak, G OD , for Your servant is listening.’” And Samuel went to his place and lay down.
10. 10G OD started communicating, calling as before: “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”
11. 11G OD said to Samuel: “I am going to do in Israel such a thing that both ears of anyone who hears about it will tingle.
12. 12In that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I spoke concerning his house, from beginning to end.
13. 13And I declare to him that I sentence his house to endless punishment for the iniquity he knew about—how his sons committed sacrilege at will—and he did not rebuke them.
14. 14Assuredly, I swear concerning the house of Eli that the iniquity of the house of Eli will never be expiated by sacrifice or offering.”
15. 15Samuel lay there until morning; and then he opened the doors of the House of G OD . Samuel was afraid to report the vision to Eli,
16. 16but Eli summoned Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son”; and he answered, “Here.”
17. 17And [Eli] asked, “What did [God] say to you? Keep nothing from me. Thus and more may God do to you if you keep from me a single word of all that was said to you!”
18. 18Samuel then told him everything, withholding nothing from him. And [Eli] said, “G OD will always do what is right.”
19. 19Samuel grew up and G OD was with him—not leaving any of his predictions unfulfilled.
20. 20All Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, knew that Samuel was trustworthy as a prophet of G OD .
21. 21And G OD continued to appear at Shiloh—G OD being revealed to Samuel at Shiloh with the word of G OD ;

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