1. Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli. And word from the Lord was rare in those days, visions were infrequent.
2. It happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well),
3. and 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,
4. that the Lord called Samuel; and he said, "Here I am."
5. Then he 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.
6. The Lord called yet again, "Samuel!" So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he answered, "I did not call, my son, lie down again."
7. Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord yet been revealed to him.
8. So the Lord called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli discerned that the Lord was calling the boy.