| New King James Version | New Living Translation |
| 1Now the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. | 1Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the LORD by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the LORD were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. |
| 2And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see, | 2One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. |
| 3and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the LORD where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, | 3The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. |
| 4that the LORD called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!” | 4Suddenly the LORD called out, “Samuel!” “Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” |
| 5So he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” And he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” And he went and lay down. | 5He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did. |
| 6Then the LORD called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” | 6Then the LORD called out again, “Samuel!” Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.” |
| 7(Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.) | 7Samuel did not yet know the LORD because he had never had a message from the LORD before. |
| 8And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the boy. | 8So the LORD called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” Then Eli realized it was the LORD who was calling the boy. |
| 9Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. | 9So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, LORD, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed. |
| 10Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” | 10And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” |
| 11Then the LORD said to Samuel: “Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. | 11Then the LORD said to Samuel, “I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. |
| 12In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. | 12I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. |
| 13For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. | 13I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them. |
| 14And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.” | 14So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings.” Samuel Speaks for the LORD |
| 15So Samuel lay down until morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision. | 15Samuel stayed in bed until morning, then got up and opened the doors of the Tabernacle as usual. He was afraid to tell Eli what the LORD had said to him. |
| 16Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!” He answered, “Here I am.” | 16But Eli called out to him, “Samuel, my son.” “Here I am,” Samuel replied. |
| 17And he said, “What is the word that the LORD spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that He said to you.” | 17“What did the LORD say to you? Tell me everything. And may God strike you and even kill you if you hide anything from me!” |
| 18Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the LORD. Let Him do what seems good to Him.” | 18So Samuel told Eli everything; he didn’t hold anything back. “It is the LORD’s will,” Eli replied. “Let him do what he thinks best.” |
| 19So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. | 19As Samuel grew up, the LORD was with him, and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable. |
| 20And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the LORD. | 20And all Israel, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the LORD. |
| 21Then the LORD appeared again in Shiloh. For the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD. | 21The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh and gave messages to Samuel there at the Tabernacle. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
|
