1 O menino Samuel ministrava a Jeová diante de Eli. Naqueles dias a palavra de Jeová era preciosa; não havia visão manifesta.2 Estando Eli deitado no seu lugar (ora os seus olhos tinham começado a escurecer, ele não podia ver),3 e ainda não se havendo apagado a lâmpada de Deus, e estando Samuel também deitado, no templo de Jeová onde estava a arca de Deus,4 chamou Jeová a Samuel. Este respondeu: Eis-me aqui.5 Correndo a Eli, disse-lhe: Eis-me aqui, pois tu me chamaste. Ele respondeu: Eu não te chamei; torna a deitar-te. Ele foi e deitou-se.6 Jeová tornou a chamar outra vez a Samuel, que, levantando-se, foi a Eli e disse: Eis-me aqui, pois me chamaste. Eli respondeu-lhe: Não te chamei, meu filho; torna a deitar-te.7 Samuel ainda não conhecia a Jeová, cuja palavra ainda não lhe havia sido revelada.8 Tornou Jeová a chamar a Samuel pela terceira vez. Ele, levantando-se, foi a Eli e disse: Eis-me aqui, pois me chamaste. Então entendeu Eli que Jeová chamava ao menino.9 Por isso disse Eli a Samuel: Vai deitar-te; se alguém te chamar, responderás: Fala, Jeová, porque o teu servo ouve. Foi, pois, Samuel e deitou-se no seu lugar.10 Então veio Jeová, parou e chamou como das outras vezes: Samuel, Samuel. Respondeu ele: Fala, pois o teu servo ouve.11 Disse Jeová a Samuel: Eis que vou fazer uma coisa em Israel, a qual todo o que a ouvir, ficar-lhe-ão tinindo ambos os ouvidos.12 Naquele dia darei contra Eli pleno cumprimento de tudo o que tenho falado a respeito da sua casa.13 Eu já lhe disse que julgarei a sua casa para sempre, por causa da iniqüidade de que ele tinha ciência, pois trouxeram seus filhos uma maldição sobre si, e ele não os repreendeu.14 Por isso jurei à casa de Eli que a iniqüidade dela nunca jamais será expiada com sacrifícios nem com ofertas de cereais.15 Samuel ficou deitado até pela manhã, quando abriu as portas da casa de Jeová. Mas ele temia relatar a visão a Eli.16 Chamou Eli a Samuel, e disse: Samuel, meu filho. Este respondeu: Eis-me aqui.17 Eli perguntou-lhe: Que é o que Jeová te falou? peço-te que não mo encubras; assim te faça Deus e ainda mais, se me encobrires alguma coisa de tudo o que te falou.18 Samuel referiu-lhe tudo e nada lhe encobriu. Então disse Eli: Ele é Jeová, faça o que lhe parecer bem.19 Crescia Samuel, e Jeová era com ele; não deixou nenhuma das suas palavras cair no chão.20 Todo o Israel desde Dã até Berseba conheceu que Samuel foi confirmado como profeta de Jeová.21 Jeová tornou a aparecer em Silo, pois ali se revelou a Samuel pela sua palavra;

1 Now the child Samuel ministered to the Lord before Heli, and the word of the Lord was precious in those days, there was no manifest vision.2 And it came to pass one day when Heli lay in his place, and his eyes were grown dim, that he could not see:3 Before the lamp of God went out, Samuel slept in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.4 And the Lord called Samuel. And he answered: Here am I.5 And he ran to Heli and said: Here am I: for thou didst call me. He said: I did not call: go back and sleep. And he went and slept.6 And the Lord called Samuel again. And Samuel arose and went to Heli, and said: Here am I: for thou calledst me. He answered: I did not call thee, my son: return and sleep.7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither had the word of the Lord been revealed to him.8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose up and went to Heli.9 And said: Here am I: for thou didst call me. Then Heli understood that the Lord called the child, and he said to Samuel: Go, and sleep: and if he shall call thee any more, thou shalt say: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and slept in his place.10 And the Lord came and stood: and he called, as he had called the other times: Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel said: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.11 And the Lord said to Samuel: Behold I do a thing in Israel: and whosoever shall hear it, both his ears shall tingle.12 In that day I will raise up against Heli all the things I have spoken concerning his house: I will begin, and I will make an end.13 For I have foretold unto him, that I will judge his house for ever, for iniquity, because he knew that his sons did wickedly, and did not chastise them.14 Therefore have I sworn to the house of Hell, that the iniquity of his house shall not be expiated with victims nor offerings for ever.15 And Samuel slept till morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to tell the vision to Hell.16 Then Heli called Samuel, and said: Samuel, my son. And he answered: Here am I.17 And he asked him: What is the word that the Lord hath spoken to thee? I beseech thee hide it not from me. May God do so and so to thee, and add so and so, if thou hide from me one word of all that were said to thee.18 So Samuel told him all the words, and did not hide them from him. And he answered: It is the Lord: let him do what is good in his sight.19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and not one of his words fell to the ground.20 And all Israel from Dan to Bersabee, knew that Samuel was a faithful prophet of the Lord.21 And the Lord again appeared in Silo, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Silo, according to the word of the Lord. And the word of Samuel came to pass to all Israel.