And the child Samuel ministered unto theLORDbefore Eli. And the word of theLORDwas precious in those days;there wasno open vision.
And it came to pass at that time, when Eliwaslaid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim,thathe could not see;
And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of theLORD, where the ark of Godwas, and Samuel was laid downto sleep;
That theLORDcalled Samuel: and he answered, HereamI.
And he ran unto Eli, and said, HereamI; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.
And theLORDcalled yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, HereamI; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.
Now Samuel did not yet know theLORD, neither was the word of theLORDyet revealed unto him.
And theLORDcalled Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, HereamI; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that theLORDhad called the child.
Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak,LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
And theLORDcame, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
And theLORDsaid to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
In that day I will perform against Eli allthingswhich I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
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.
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.
And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of theLORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.
Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, HereamI.
And he said, Whatisthe thing thattheLordhath said unto thee? I pray thee hideitnot from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hideanything from me of all the things that he said unto thee.
And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, ItistheLORD: let him do what seemeth him good.
And Samuel grew, and theLORDwas with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuelwasestablishedto bea prophet of theLORD.
And theLORDappeared again in Shiloh: for theLORDrevealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of theLORD.