Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD under Eli. The word of
the LORD was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.

At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could
not see, was lying down in his room; the 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. Then
the LORD called, "Samuel! Samuel!" and he said, "Here I am!"
and ran to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he
said, "I did not call; lie down again." So he went and lay down. The
LORD called again, "Samuel!" Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said,
"Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call, my
son; lie down again." Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word
of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. The LORD called Samuel again, a
third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you
called me." Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy.
Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you
shall say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went
and lay down in his place.

Now the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, "Samuel!
Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is
listening." Then the LORD said to Samuel, "See, I am about to do
something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle.
On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his
house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am about to punish his
house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming
God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that
the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering
forever."

Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of
the LORD. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel
and said, "Samuel, my son." He said, "Here I am." Eli said,
"What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to
you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you."
So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, "It
is the LORD; let him do what seems good to him."