1 Samuel 3

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Now, the boy Samuel was serving Yahweh in the presence of Eli; in those days it was rare for Yahwehto speak; visions were uncommon.	1 During the time young Samuel was minister to the LORD under Eli, a revelation of the LORD was uncommon and vision infrequent.
2 One day, it happened that Eli was lying down in his room. His eyes were beginning to grow dim; hecould no longer see.	2 One day Eli was asleep in his usual place. His eyes had lately grown so weak that he could not see.
3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying in Yahweh's sanctuary, where the ark ofGod was,	3 The lamp of God was not yet extinguished, and Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was.
4 when Yahweh cal ed, 'Samuel! Samuel!' He answered, 'Here I am,'	4 The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, "Here I am."
5 and, running to Eli, he said, 'Here I am, as you cal ed me.' Eli said, 'I did not call. Go back and lie down.'So he went and lay down.	5 He ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. You called me." "I did not call you," Eli said. "Go back to sleep." So he went back to sleep.
6 And again Yahweh cal ed, 'Samuel! Samuel!' He got up and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am, as youcal ed me.' He replied, 'I did not cal , my son; go back and lie down.'	6 Again the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli. "Here I am," he said. "You called me." But he answered, "I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep."
7 As yet, Samuel had no knowledge of Yahweh and the word of Yahweh had not yet been revealed tohim.	7 At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD, because the LORD had not revealed anything to him as yet.
8 Again Yahweh called, the third time. He got up and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am, as you cal ed me.'Eli then understood that Yahweh was cal ing the child,	8 The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time. Getting up and going to Eli, he said, "Here I am. You called me." Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth.
9 and he said to Samuel, 'Go and lie down, and if someone calls say, "Speak, Yahweh; for your servant islistening." ' So Samuel went and lay down in his place.	9 So he said to Samuel, "Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" When Samuel went to sleep in his place,
10 Yahweh then came and stood by, cal ing as he had done before, 'Samuel! Samuel!' Samuelanswered, 'Speak, Yahweh; for your servant is listening.'	10 the LORD came and revealed his presence, calling out as before, "Samuel, Samuel!" Samuel answered, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
11 Yahweh then said to Samuel, 'I am going to do something in Israel which wil make the ears of all whohear of it ring.	11 The LORD said to Samuel: "I am about to do something in Israel that will cause the ears of everyone who hears it to ring.
12 I shal carry out that day against Eli everything that I have said about his family, from beginning to end.	12 On that day I will carry out in full against Eli everything I threatened against his family.
13 You are to tel him that I condemn his family for ever, since he is aware that his sons have beencursing God and yet has not corrected them.	13 I announce to him that I am condemning his family once and for all, because of this crime: though he knew his sons were blaspheming God, he did not reprove them.
14 Therefore -- I swear it to the family of Eli -- no sacrifice or offering shal ever expiate the guilt of Eli'sfamily.'	14 Therefore, I swear to the family of Eli that no sacrifice or offering will ever expiate its crime."
15 Samuel lay where he was until morning and then opened the doors of Yahweh's temple. Samuel wasafraid to tel Eli about the vision,	15 Samuel then slept until morning, when he got up early and opened the doors of the temple of the LORD. He feared to tell Eli the vision,
16 but Eli cal ed Samuel and said, 'Samuel, my son.' 'Here I am,' he replied.	16 but Eli called to him, "Samuel, my son!" He replied, "Here I am."
17 Eli asked, 'What message did he give you? Please do not hide it from me. May God bring unnameableil s on you and worse ones, too, if you hide from me anything of what he said to you.'	17 Then Eli asked, "What did he say to you? Hide nothing from me! May God do thus and so to you if you hide a single thing he told you."
18 Samuel then told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Eli said, 'He is Yahweh; let him do what hethinks good.'	18 So Samuel told him everything, and held nothing back. Eli answered, "He is the LORD. He will do what he judges best."
19 Samuel grew up. Yahweh was with him and did not let a single word fal to the ground of all that hehad told him.	19 Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect.
20 Al Israel knew, from Dan to Beersheba, that Samuel was attested as a prophet of Yahweh.	20 Thus all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba came to know that Samuel was an accredited prophet of the LORD.
21 Yahweh continued to manifest himself at Shiloh, revealing himself to Samuel there,	21 The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh; he manifested himself to Samuel at Shiloh through his word,