1 Samuel 3

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

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1Meanwhile little Samuel was helping the Lord by assisting Eli. Messages from the Lord were very rare in those days,

2but one night after Eli had gone to bed (he was almost blind

3with age by now), and Samuel was sleeping in the Temple near the Ark,

4the Lord called out, “Samuel! Samuel!“ “Yes?“ Samuel replied. “What is it?“

5He jumped up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. What do you want?“ he asked. “I didn't call you,“ Eli said. “Go on back to bed.“ So he did.

6Then the Lord called again, “Samuel!“ And again Samuel jumped up and ran to Eli. “Yes?“ he asked. “What do you need?“ “No, I didn't call you, my son,“ Eli said. “Go on back to bed.“

7(Samuel had never had a message from Jehovah before.)

8So now the Lord called the third time, and once more Samuel jumped up and ran to Eli. “Yes?“ he asked. “What do you need?“ Then Eli realized it was the Lord who had spoken to the child.

9So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if he calls again, say, 'Yes, Lord, I'm listening.' “ So Samuel went back to bed.

10And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!“ And Samuel replied, “Yes, I'm listening.“

11Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am going to do a shocking thing in Israel.

12I am going to do all of the dreadful things I warned Eli about.

13I have continually threatened him and his entire family with punishment because his sons are blaspheming God, and he doesn't stop them.

14So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and of his sons shall never be forgiven by sacrifices and offerings.“

15Samuel stayed in bed until morning, then opened the doors of the Temple as usual, for he was afraid to tell Eli what the Lord had said to him.

16But Eli called him. “My son,“ he said, “what did the Lord say to you?

17Tell me everything. And may God punish you if you hide anything from me!“

18So Samuel told him what the Lord had said. “It is the Lord's will,“ Eli replied; “let him do what he thinks best.“

19As Samuel grew, the Lord was with him and people listened carefully to his advice.

20And all Israel from one end of the land to the other knew that Samuel was going to be a prophet of the Lord.

21Then the Lord began to give messages to him there at the Tabernacle in Shiloh, and he passed them on to the people of Israel.

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