1The child Samuel served Yahweh under Eli's guidance. In those days, Yahweh's word was rare, and visions were not common.
2One night, when Eli was in bed (his eyesight had grown so poor that he could barely see),
3and God's lamp had not yet gone out, Samuel was lying down in Yahweh's temple, where God's Ark was kept.
4Yahweh called out, "Samuel!" And Samuel answered, "Here I am."
5He ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." But Eli said, "I didn't call. Go back and lie down." So Samuel went and lay down.
6Yahweh called again, "Samuel!" Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." Eli answered, "I didn't call, my son. Go back and lie down."
7Now Samuel did not yet know Yahweh personally, because Yahweh's word had not yet been revealed to him.
8Yahweh called Samuel a third time. He got up, went to Eli, and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli realized that Yahweh was calling the boy.
9So Eli told Samuel, "Go, lie down. If he calls you, you must say, 'Speak, Yahweh, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10Yahweh came and stood there, and called as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
11Yahweh said to Samuel, "Listen, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle.
12On that day, I will carry out everything I have said about Eli's family, from beginning to end.
13For I have told him that I will punish his family forever because of the wickedness he knew about. His sons cursed God, and he did not stop them.
14Therefore, I have sworn concerning Eli's family that their wickedness will never be forgiven by sacrifice or offering, forever."
15Samuel lay there until morning, then opened the doors of Yahweh's house. Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.
16Then Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son!" He replied, "Here I am."
17He said, "What did he tell you? Please don't hide it from me. May God punish you and worse if you hide anything from me that he told you."
18Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing. He said, "It is Yahweh. Let him do what he thinks is best."
19Samuel grew up, and Yahweh was with him, making sure that everything Samuel said came true.
20Everyone in Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was truly established as Yahweh's prophet.
21Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh, because Yahweh revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh through Yahweh's message.