1 Samuel 3

And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

1The boy Samuel served the LORD, helping Eli the priest. In those days the LORD hardly ever spoke to people. Visions from God were rare.

NoteThe KJV says God's word was "precious." Here that means rare, not valuable.

2And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;

2One night Eli was lying down in his own room. His eyes had grown so weak that he could hardly see.

3And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;

3The lamp in God's house was still burning. Samuel was lying down inside, near the ark of God, the special chest kept in God's house.

4That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

4Then the LORD called out to Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am."

5And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.

5Samuel ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. You called me." Eli said, "I did not call you. Go lie down again." So Samuel went and lay down.

6And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.

6The LORD called again, "Samuel!" Samuel got up and went to Eli. He said, "Here I am. You called me." Eli answered, "My son, I did not call. Go lie down again."

7Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.

7Samuel did not yet know the LORD. God had not yet spoken to him before this night.

8And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.

8The LORD called Samuel a third time. Samuel got up and went to Eli. He said, "Here I am. You called me." Then Eli understood. It was the LORD calling the boy.

9Therefore 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.

9So Eli said, "Go and lie down. If he calls you again, say this: 'Speak, LORD. I am your servant, and I am listening.'" Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

10Then the LORD came and stood there. He called as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" Samuel answered, "Speak. I am your servant, and I am listening."

11And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.

11The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen. I am going to do something in Israel. Everyone who hears about it will be shocked.

12In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.

12On that day I will do to Eli everything I said I would do to his family. I will start it, and I will finish it.

13For 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.

13I told him I would judge his family forever. He knew what was wrong. His sons did very wicked things, and he did not stop them.

14And 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.

14So I have made a promise about Eli's family. No sacrifice or gift brought to me will ever take away this wrong."

15And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.

15Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the LORD's house. He was afraid to tell Eli what he had seen and heard.

16Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.

16But Eli called him and said, "Samuel, my son." Samuel answered, "Here I am."

17And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.

17Eli said, "What did the LORD say to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God punish you if you hide even one word he said."

Note"God do so to thee, and more also" was a strong way to say, "May God punish me if I am not telling the truth." Eli is telling Samuel to hold nothing back.

18And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.

18So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing. Eli said, "He is the LORD. Let him do what he thinks is right."

19And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

19Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him. God made every word Samuel spoke come true.

Note"Did let none of his words fall to the ground" is an old way of saying that nothing Samuel said failed. It all came true.

20And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.

20All Israel, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, knew about Samuel. They knew he was truly a prophet of the LORD, someone who spoke God's words.

21And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

21The LORD kept showing himself at Shiloh, the town where God's house was. There he spoke his words to Samuel.