1 Samuel 3:1-21 - Samuel's First Encounter With Yahweh
1 And the child Samuel served LORD before Eli. And the word of LORD was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision.
2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim so that he could not see), 3 and the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down in the temple of LORD where the ark of God was,
4 that LORD called Samuel. And he said, Here I am. 5 And he ran to Eli, and said, Here I am, for thou called me. And he said, I did not call. Lay down again. And he went and lay down.
6 And LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here I am, for thou called me. And he answered, I did not call, my son. Lay down again.
7 Now Samuel did not yet know LORD, neither was the word of LORD yet revealed to him. 8 And LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here I am, for thou called me. And Eli perceived that LORD had called the child. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, Go, lay down, and it shall be, if he calls thee, that thou shall say, Speak, LORD, for thy servant hears. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 And LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel said, Speak, for thy servant hears.
11 And LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle. 12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end. 13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse upon themselves, and he did not restrain them. 14 And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering forever.
15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of LORD. And Samuel was afraid to show Eli the vision. 16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he said, Here I am.
17 And he said, What is the thing that [LORD] has spoken to thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me. God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide anything from me of all the things that he spoke to thee. 18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is LORD. Let him do what seems him good.
19 And Samuel grew, and LORD was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of LORD. 21 And LORD appeared again in Shiloh, for LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of LORD.