1The youth Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli, and the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no vision breaking through.2On that day Eli lay down in his place, and his eyes had begun to grow faint so that he could not see.3The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was.4The LORD called Samuel, and he said, "Here I am."5He ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Eli said, "I did not call; return and lie down." So he went and lay down.6The LORD called Samuel again. Samuel rose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Eli said, "I did not call you, my son; return and lie down."7Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.8The LORD called Samuel again a third time. He rose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth.9Eli said to Samuel, "Go and lie down. If he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.10The LORD came and stood and called as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" Samuel answered, "Speak, for your servant hears."11The LORD said to Samuel, "Behold, I am doing a word in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle."12On that day I will fulfill against Eli everything I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.13I will tell him that I am judging his house forever on account of the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were bringing a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them.14Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of the house of Eli will not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.15Samuel lay down until morning, then opened the doors of the house of the LORD. Samuel feared to report the vision to Eli.16Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son." He answered, "Here I am."17He said, "What is the word that he spoke to you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also if you hide from me any word of all that he spoke to you."18Samuel told him every word and hid nothing from him. Eli said, "It is the LORD; let him do what is good in his sight."19Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him; none of his words fell to the ground.20All Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet to the LORD.21The LORD continued to appear in Shiloh, because the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
Chapter 4
1The word of Samuel came to all Israel. Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle and encamped beside the stone Ebenezer, while the Philistines encamped at Aphek.