1. Now the boy Samuel continued serving the Lord under Eli’s supervision. Word from the Lord was rare in those days; revelatory visions were infrequent.
2. Eli’s eyes had begun to fail, so that he was unable to see well. At that time he was lying down in his place,
3. and the lamp of God had not yet been extinguished. Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord as well; the ark of God was also there.
4. The Lord called to Samuel, and he replied, “Here I am!”
5. Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back and lie down.” So he went back and lay down.