3. The lamp in God’s temple hadn’t gone out yet, and Samuel was asleep in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was kept.
4. Then the Lord called Samuel. “Here I am,” Samuel responded.
5. He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called me.”“I didn’t call ⌊you⌋,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So Samuel went back and lay down.
6. The Lord called Samuel again. Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am. You called me.”“I didn’t call ⌊you⌋, son,” he responded. “Go back to bed.”
7. Samuel had no experience with the Lord, because the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
8. The Lord called Samuel a third time. Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am. You called me.”Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy.
9. “Go, lie down,” Eli told Samuel. “When he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord. I’m listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his room.