1 Samuel 3 - Simple English

1The boy Samuel served the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there was no open vision.

2At that time Eli was lying down in his own place. His eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see.

3The lamp of God had not yet gone out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was lying down to sleep.

4Then the LORD called Samuel. He answered, "Here I am."

5He ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But Eli said, "I did not call you. Lie down again." So he went and lay down.

6The LORD called again, "Samuel." Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." He answered, "I did not call, my son. Lie down again."

7Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been shown to him.

8The LORD called Samuel again, a third time. He got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the boy.

9So Eli said to Samuel, "Go and lie down. If he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10The LORD came and stood there, and called as at the other times, "Samuel, Samuel." Then Samuel answered, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

11The LORD said to Samuel, "Look, I am going to do something in Israel that will make both ears of everyone who hears it tingle."

12On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I have spoken about his house, from beginning to end.

13For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever because of the sin he knows about. His sons made themselves vile, and he did not stop them.

14"So I have sworn to the house of Eli that the sin of Eli's house will never be washed away by sacrifice or offering."

15Samuel lay down until the morning. Then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.

16Then Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son." He answered, "Here I am."

17Eli said, "What did the LORD say to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do the same to you, and more, if you hide from me anything of all that he said to you."

18So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And Eli said, "It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him."

19Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground.

20All Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the LORD.

21The LORD appeared again in Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.