The youth Shmuel was serving Adonoy before Eili. The word of Adonoy was rare in those days; prophetic vision was not widespread.

It happened one day that Eili was lying in his place, and his eyes had begun to become dim, he was unable to see.

The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Shmuel was lying in the Temple of Adonoy where the Ark of God was located.

Adonoy called to Shmuel, and he said, "Here I am."

He ran to Eili and said, "Here I am, for you have called me." But he replied, "I did not call; go back and lie down," so he went and lay down.

Adonoy continued to call again, "Shmuel." Then Shmuel rose, went to Eili and said, "Here I am, for you have called me." But he replied, "I did not call, my son; go back and lie down."

Shmuel had not yet [learned to] know [prophecy] from Adonoy, and it had not yet been revealed to him—the word of Adonoy.

Adonoy continued to call, "Shmuel" yet a third time, and he rose and went to Eili and said, "Here I am, for you have called me." Now Eili understood that Adonoy was calling the lad.

Eili said to Shmuel, "Go and lie down; and if He calls you, you should say, 'Speak, Adonoy, for Your servant is listening.'" Shmuel went and lay down in his place.

Adonoy came, stood, and called as the other times, "Shmuel, Shmuel," and Shmuel said, "Speak, for Your servant is listening."

Adonoy said to Shmuel, "Behold, I am going to do something in Yisroel that when anyone hears about it, both of his ears will ring.

On that day, I will set up against Eili all that I have spoken concerning his family, [I will] begin to destroy.

I have told him that I am executing judgment against his family forever, for the sin of knowing that his sons were blaspheming themselves, yet he did not censure them.

Therefore I have sworn concerning the house of Eili, that the sin of of Eili's house shall not be atoned with sacrifice or meal-offering forever."

Shmuel lay until the morning, when he opened the doors of the House of Adonoy; and Shmuel was afraid of relating the vision to Eili.

Eili called Shmuel and said, "Shmuel, my son," and he said, "Here I am."

He said, "What is the word that He spoke to you? Please do not withhold it from me. Such shall God do to you and such shall He do more, if you withhold from me anything from all that He spoke to you."

Shmuel told him everything and did not withhold [anything] from him. Then [Eili] said, "He is Adonoy; He will do what is proper in His eyes."

Shmuel grew up, and Adonoy was with him; He did not cast any of his words to the ground.

All of Yisroel, from Don to Beer Sheva knew, that Shmuel was as faithful as a prophet to Adonoy.

Adonoy continued to appear in Shiloh, for Adonoy revealed Himself to Shmuel in Shiloh, with the word of Adonoy.