Dual Panel1The boy Samuel was in the LORD's service under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rarely heard, and there was no outpouring of vision.
2One night Eli, whose eyes were dim and his sight failing, was lying down in his usual place,
3while Samuel slept in the temple of the LORD where the Ark of God was. Before the lamp of God had gone out,
4the LORD called him, and Samuel answered, “Here I am!”
5and ran to Eli saying, “You called me: here I am.” “No, I did not call you,” said Eli; “lie down again.” So he went and lay down.
6The LORD called Samuel again, and he got up and went to Eli. “Here I am!” he said. “Surely you called me.” “I did not call, my son,” he answered; “lie down again.”
7Samuel had not yet come to know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not been disclosed to him.
8When the LORD called him for the third time, he again went to Eli and said, “Here I am! You did call me.” Then Eli understood that it was the LORD calling the boy;
9he told Samuel to go and lie down and said, “If someone calls once more, say, ‘Speak, LORD; your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10Then the LORD came, and standing there called, “Samuel, Samuel!” as before. Samuel answered, “Speak, your servant is listening.”
11The LORD said, “Soon I shall do something in Israel which will ring in the ears of all who hear it.
12When that day comes I shall make good every word from beginning to end that I have spoken against Eli and his family.
13You are to tell him that my judgement on his house will stand for ever because he knew of his sons” blasphemies against God and did not restrain them.
14Therefore I have sworn to the family of Eli that their abuse of sacrifices and offerings will never be expiated.'
15Samuel lay down till morning, when he opened the doors of the house of the LORD; but he was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.
16Eli called Samuel: “Samuel, my son!” he said; and Samuel answered, “Here I am!”
17Eli asked, “What did the LORD say to you? Do not hide it from me. God's curse upon you if you conceal from me one word of all that he said to you.”
18Then Samuel told him everything, concealing nothing. Eli said, “The LORD must do what is good in his eyes.”
19As Samuel grew up, the LORD was with him, and none of his words went unfulfilled.
20From Dan to Beersheba, all Israel recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD.
21So the LORD continued to appear in Shiloh, because he had revealed himself there to Samuel.