The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.
One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. Their lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel.
Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God,[a] and he failed to restrain them. Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”
Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16 but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”
Samuel answered, “Here I am.”
“What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.”
The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word's more, the Lord said to Samuel: "See, I am going to accomplish something in Israel that will make the ears of everybody who finds out about it shiver. Around then I will do against Eli all that I talked against his family—from start to finish. For I disclosed to him that I would judge his family always as a result of the transgression he thought about; his children cursed God, and he neglected to control them. In this manner I vowed to the place of Eli, 'The blame of Eli's home will never be gave penance for by forfeit or advertising.'"
Samuel set down until the point that morning and afterward opened the entryways of the place of the Lord. He was reluctant to disclose to Eli the vision, however Eli called him and stated, "Samuel, my child."
Samuel replied, "Here I am."
"What was it he said to you?" Eli inquired. "Try not to conceal it from me. May God manage you, be it extremely, in the event that you avoid me anything he let you know." So Samuel let him know everything, concealing nothing from him. At that point Eli stated, "He is the Lord; let him do what is great in his eyes."
The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel's words tumble to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba perceived that Samuel was authenticated as a prophet of the Lord. The Lord kept on showing up at Shiloh, and there he uncovered himself to Samuel through his assertion.