1 And the child Samuel ministered unto
_the_LORD_Jehovah before Eli. And the word of
_the_LORD_Jehovah was precious in those days;
there was no open vision.
2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli
was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim,
that he could not see;
3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of
_the_LORD_Jehovah, where the ark of God
was, and Samuel was laid down
to sleep;
4 That
_the_LORD_Jehovah called Samuel: and he answered, Here
am I.
5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here
am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.
6 And
_the_LORD_Jehovah called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here
am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.
7 Now Samuel did not yet know
_the_LORD_Jehovah, neither was the word of
_the_LORD_Jehovah yet revealed unto him.
8 And
_the_LORD_Jehovah called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here
am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that
_the_LORD_Jehovah had called the child.
9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak,
_LORD_Jehovah; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 And
_the_LORD_Jehovah came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak;
for thy servant heareth.
11 And
_the_LORD_Jehovah said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
12 In that day I will perform against Eli all
things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of
_the_LORD_Jehovah. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.
16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here
am I.
17 And he said, What
is the thing that
the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide
it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide
any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.
18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It
is _the_LORD_Jehovah: let him do what seemeth him good.
