1 At that time, God talked only to a few people. Only a few saw dreams from God. The boy Samuel helped Eli, and he did his work for God. 2 Eli was a very old man, and he couldn’t see very well. Every night he used to sleep in his usual place in God’s house.

One night the old man lay asleep. 3 Samuel was a big boy by this time, and he slept in God’s house too, near the place where they kept God’s special box. After the sun went down, they used to light a lamp there. One night, when it was still burning, 4 God called out to the boy, “Samuel.”

The boy answered, “Yes? What is it?” 5 And he got up and ran to Eli and said, “Yes? What is it? You called out to me.”

Eli answered, “No, I didn’t call you. Go back and lie down.” So Samuel went back and lay down.

6 Then God called out again, “Samuel.”

So the boy got up again and went to Eli and said, “Yes? What is it? You called out to me.”

The old man said, “No, boy, I didn’t call out to you. Go back and lie down.” 7 You see, Samuel didn’t know God yet. It was the first time God talked to him like that, and he didn’t know his voice.

8 After that, God called out again, “Samuel.”

So the boy got up, and he went to Eli again and said, “Yes? What is it? You called out to me.”

Then the old man knew that it was God that called out to him, 9 so he said, “Go back and lie down. If somebody calls out, say like this, ‘Yes, God, talk to me. I’m listening to you.’ ”

So Samuel went back and lay down. 10 God came and stood close to him, and he said the same thing again, “Samuel.”

Samuel said, “Yes, God, talk to me. I’m listening to you.”

11 Then God said to him, “I will do something different in this place. After the Israel mob hear it, they will be shocked. 12 I will finish up Eli’s family, as I said before. 13 I told Eli, ‘I’m angry with you and your family, and I will finish you all. You knew that your 2 sons did wrong things, without any shame, and with no respect for my word. Everybody hates them now. But you didn’t stop them at all. 14 Your family did wrong things lots of times, so I tell you and your family, that if you burn meat for me to try to make me happy, it will not work. I will still punish you mob.’ ” 15 Samuel heard it, and he went and lay down again.

Early the next morning he opened the door of God’s house as usual. He was frightened to tell Eli the story God told him. 16 But the old man called out to him, “Samuel, come here.”

Samuel answered, “Yes? What is it?”

17 The old man asked, “What did God say to you? Tell me straight. If you don’t tell me straight, God will be very angry with you.”

18 So Samuel told him the whole story, right to the end.

Eli said, “Truly he is the great God. He can do whatever he wants.”

19 After that, Samuel grew up to become a man. And God was with him, so the words he said were really true. 20 All the Israel mob knew him, everybody from every place, from the north to the south. They all knew that Samuel was God’s messenger. 21 Lots of times God came to him at that place called Shiloh. He showed himself to Samuel and told his message to him.