1 Samuel 3:1-21 ERV

[1] The boy Samuel was Eli's helper and served the LORD with him. At that time the LORD did not speak directly to people very often. There were very few visions. [2] Eli's eyes were getting so weak that he was almost blind. One night he went to his room to go to bed. [3] The special lamp in the LORD's temple was still burning, so Samuel lay down in the temple near where the Holy Box was. [4] The LORD called Samuel, and Samuel answered, "Here I am." [5] Samuel thought Eli was calling him, so he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. You called me." But Eli said, "I didn't call you. Go back to bed." So Samuel went back to bed. [6] Again the LORD called, "Samuel!" Again Samuel ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. You called me." Eli said, "I didn't call you. Go back to bed." [7] Samuel did not yet know the LORD because the LORD had not spoken directly to him before. [8] The LORD called Samuel the third time. Again Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am. You called me." Finally, Eli understood that the LORD was calling the boy. [9] Eli told Samuel, "Go to bed. If he calls you again, say, 'Speak, LORD. I am your servant, and I am listening.'" So Samuel went back to bed. [10] The LORD came and stood there. He called as he did before, saying, "Samuel, Samuel!" Samuel said, "Speak. I am your servant, and I am listening." [11] The LORD said to Samuel, "I will soon do things in Israel that will shock anyone who hears about them. [12] I will do everything I said I would do against Eli and his family, everything from the beginning to the end. [13] I told Eli I would punish his family forever. I will do this because Eli knew his sons were saying and doing bad things against God. But he failed to control them. [14] That is why I swore an oath that sacrifices and offerings will never take away the sins of the people in Eli's family." [15] Samuel lay down in bed until the morning came. He got up early and opened the doors of the LORD's house. Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision. [16] But Eli said to Samuel, "Samuel, my son." Samuel answered, "Yes, sir." [17] Eli asked, "What did God say to you? Don't hide it from me. God will punish you if you hide anything from the message he spoke to you." [18] So Samuel told Eli everything. He did not hide anything from him. Eli said, "He is the LORD. Let him do whatever he thinks is right." [19] The LORD was with Samuel while he grew up. He did not let any of Samuel's messages prove false. [20] Then all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was a true prophet of the LORD. [21] And the LORD continued to appear to Samuel at Shiloh. There he told Samuel what he wanted.