[3:1] In those days, when the boy Samuel was serving the Lord under the direction of Eli, there were very few messages from the Lord, and visions from him were quite rare.
[3:2] One night Eli, who was now almost blind, was sleeping in his own room;
[3:3] Samuel was sleeping in the sanctuary, where the sacred Covenant Box was. Before dawn, while the lamp was still burning,
[3:4] the Lord called Samuel. He answered, “Yes, sir!”
[3:5] and ran to Eli and said, “You called me, and here I am.” But Eli answered, “I didn't call you; go back to bed.” So Samuel went back to bed. But Eli answered, “My son, I didn't call you; go back to bed.”
[3:8] The Lord called Samuel a third time; he got up, went to Eli, and said, “You called me, and here I am.” Then Eli realized that it was the Lord who was calling the boy,
[3:9] so he said to him, “Go back to bed; and if he calls you again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.
[3:10] The Lord came and stood there, and called as he had before, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak; your servant is listening.”
[3:11] The Lord said to him, “Some day I am going to do something to the people of Israel that is so terrible that everyone who hears about it will be stunned.
[3:12] On that day I will carry out all my threats against Eli's family, from beginning to end.
[3:13] I have already told him that I am going to punish his family forever because his sons have spoken evil things against me. Eli knew they were doing this, but he did not stop them.
[3:14] So I solemnly declare to the family of Eli that no sacrifice or offering will ever be able to remove the consequences of this terrible sin.”
[3:15] Samuel stayed in bed until morning; then he got up and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.
[3:16] Eli called him, “Samuel, my boy!” “Yes, sir,” answered Samuel.
[3:17] “What did the Lord tell you?” Eli asked. “Don't keep anything from me. God will punish you severely if you don't tell me everything he said.”
[3:18] So Samuel told him everything; he did not keep anything back. Eli said, “He is the Lord; he will do whatever seems best to him.”
[3:19] As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and made come true everything that Samuel said.
[3:20] So all the people of Israel, from one end of the country to the other, knew that Samuel was indeed a prophet of the Lord.
[3:21] The Lord continued to reveal himself at Shiloh, where he had appeared to Samuel and had spoken to him. And when Samuel spoke, all Israel listened.