1 Samuel 3

New King James Version

Samuel’s First Prophecy

3 Now^(A)the boy Samuel ministered to theLordbefore Eli. And^(B)the word of theLordwas rare in those days;there wasno widespread revelation.² And it came to pass at that time, while Eliwaslying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow^(C)so dim that he could not see,³ and before^(D)the lamp of God went out in the^[a]tabernacle of theLordwhere the ark of Godwas,and while Samuel was lying down,⁴ that theLordcalled Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!”⁵ So he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.”

And he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” And he went and lay down.

⁶ Then theLordcalled yet again, “Samuel!”

So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.”⁷ (Now Samuel^(E)did not yet know theLord, nor was the word of theLordyet revealed to him.)

⁸ And theLordcalled Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.”

Then Eli perceived that theLordhad called the boy.⁹ Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say,^(F)‘Speak,Lord, for Your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

¹⁰ Now theLordcame and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.”

¹¹ Then theLordsaid to Samuel: “Behold, I will do something in Israel^(G)at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.¹² In that day I will perform against Eli^(H)all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.^13 (I)For I have told him that I will^(J)judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because^(K)his sons made themselves vile, and he^(L)did not^[b]restrain them.¹⁴ And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house^(M)shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

¹⁵ So Samuel lay down until^[c]morning, and opened the doors of the house of theLord. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision.¹⁶ Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!”

He answered, “Here I am.”

¹⁷ And he said, “Whatisthe word thattheLordspoke to you? Please do not hideitfrom me.^(N)God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that He said to you.”¹⁸ Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said,^(O)“ItistheLord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.”

¹⁹ So Samuel^(P)grew, and^(Q)theLordwas with him^(R)and let none of his words^[d]fall to the ground.²⁰ And all Israel^(S)from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuelhad been^[e]established as a prophet of theLord.²¹ Then theLordappeared again in Shiloh. For theLordrevealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by^(T)the word of theLord.