1 Samuel 3
Expanded Bible
God Calls Samuel
3 The boy Samuel ·served [ministered before] the Lord under Eli. In those days ·the Lord did not speak directly to people very often [L the word from the Lord was rare]; there were very few visions.
2 Eli’s eyes were so ·weak [dim] he ·was almost blind [L could not see]. One night he was lying in ·bed [his usual place]. 3 Samuel was ·also in bed [L lying down] in the Lord’s ·house [sanctuary; temple], where the Ark of God [C another name for the Ark of the Covenant; 4:3] was. God’s lamp [C probably the Menorah] ·was still burning [had not yet gone out].
4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, “I am here!” 5 He ran to Eli and said, “I am here. You called me.”
But Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back ·to bed [and lie down].” So Samuel went back ·to bed [and lay down].
6 The Lord called again, “Samuel!”
Samuel again went to Eli and said, “I am here. You called me.”
Again Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back ·to bed [and lie down].”
7 Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and ·the Lord had not spoken directly to him yet [L the word of the Lord had not been revealed to him before].
8 The Lord called Samuel for the third time. Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “I am here. You called me.”
Then Eli ·realized [understood; perceived; discerned that] the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So he told Samuel, “Go ·to bed [lie down]. If he calls you again, say, ‘Speak, Lord. ·I am your servant and I am […for your servant is] listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in ·bed [his place].
10 The Lord came and stood there and called as he had before, “Samuel, Samuel!”
Samuel said, “·Speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am [L Speak, for your servant is] listening.”
11 The Lord said to Samuel, “Watch, I am going to do something in Israel that will ·shock [L make the ears ring/tingle of] those who hear about it. 12 ·At that time [L In that day] I will ·do to [carry out against] Eli and his ·family [L house] everything I ·promised [threatened; spoke], from beginning to end. 13 I told Eli I would ·punish [judge] his ·family always [L house forever], because ·he knew his sons were evil [of the sin/iniquity he knew of]. They ·cursed God[a] [blasphemed], but he did not ·stop [correct; discipline; rebuke] them. 14 So I swore to Eli’s ·family [L house], ‘Your ·guilt [sins; iniquity] will never be ·removed [forgiven; atoned for; expiated] by sacrifice or offering.’”
15 Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the ·house [temple] of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision, 16 but Eli called to him, “Samuel, my son!”
Samuel answered, “I am here.”
17 Eli asked, “·What did the Lord say [What word/message did he speak/give] to you? Don’t hide it from me. May God ·punish you terribly [L do so to you, and more also,] if you hide from me anything he said to you.” 18 So Samuel told Eli everything and did not hide anything from him. Then Eli said, “He [or It] is the Lord. Let him do what he thinks ·is best [good].”
19 The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up; he did not let any of Samuel’s ·messages [words] ·fail to come true [L fall to the ground]. 20 Then all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba [C from the extreme north to the extreme south], knew Samuel was ·a true [confirmed/attested as a] prophet of the Lord [Deut. 13:1–5; 18:14–22]. 21 And the Lord continued to ·show himself [appear; manifest himself] at Shiloh [1:3], and he ·showed [revealed] himself to Samuel through his word.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 3:13 cursed God Some Greek copies read “cursed God.” The Hebrew text has “brought a curse on themselves.”
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