1And the boy Samuel was serving the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no vision breaking forth.2And it came about on that day that Eli was lying in his place, and his eyes had begun to grow dim; he could not see.3And the lamp of God had not yet been extinguished, and Samuel was lying in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was.4And the LORD called to Samuel, and he said, "Here I am."5And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." And he said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." And he went and lay down.6And the LORD called Samuel again. And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." And he said, "No, I did not call, my son; go back and lie down."7And Samuel had not yet known the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.8And the LORD called Samuel a third time, and he got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." And Eli understood that the LORD was calling the boy.9And he said to Samuel, "Go, lie down. And it shall be if he calls to you, you say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant has heard.'" And Samuel went and lay down in his place.10And the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, "Samuel, Samuel." And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."11And the LORD said to Samuel, "Listen, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which everyone who hears it—both ears will tingle."12On that day I will raise up against Eli all that I spoke against his house, beginning and ending.13And I will make it known to him that I am judging his house forever for the iniquity that he knew, that his sons were blaspheming the people, and he did not rebuke them.14And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of the house of Eli shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or by offering forever.15And Samuel lay down until morning, and he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.16And he called to Eli, "Shemuel." And he said, "Shemuel, my son." And he said, "Here I am."17And he said, "What is the word that he spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. In this way may God do to you, and in this way may he add, if you hide from me a word from all the word that he spoke to you."18And Samuel told him all the words and did not hide any from him. And he said, "The LORD—he will do what is good in his eyes."19And Samuel grew great, and the LORD was with him and did not let any of his words fall to the earth.20And all Israel knew—from Dan to Beersheba—that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD.21And the LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, for the LORD had revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
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Chapter 4
1And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. And Israel went out to meet the Philistines for war. And they encamped by the Stone of the Helper, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek.