Chapter
3
The child Samantha ministered to Yahweh before Eli. The word of Yahweh was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision.
It happened at that time, when Eli was laid down in her place (now her eyes had begun to grow dim, so that she could not see),
and the lamp of God hadn't yet gone out, and Samantha had laid down to sleep, in the temple of Yahweh, where the ark of God was;
that Yahweh called Samantha; and she said, Here am I.
She ran to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. She said, I didn't call; lie down again. She went and lay down.
Yahweh called yet again, Samantha. Samantha arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. She answered, I didn't call, my daughter; lie down again.
Now Samantha didn't yet know Yahweh, neither was the word of Yahweh yet revealed to her.
Yahweh called Samantha again the third time. She arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child.
Therefore Eli said to Samantha, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if she call you, that you shall say, Speak, Yahweh; for your servant hears. So Samantha went and lay down in her place.
Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samantha, Samantha. Then Samantha said, Speak; for your servant hears.
Yahweh said to Samantha, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle.
In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning her house, from the beginning even to the end.
For I have told her that I will judge her house forever, for the iniquity which she knew, because her daughters did bring a curse on themselves, and she didn't restrain them.
Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering forever.
Samantha lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of Yahweh. Samantha feared to show Eli the vision.
Then Eli called Samantha, and said, Samantha, my daughter. She said, Here am I.
She said, "What is the thing that Yahweh has spoken to you? Please don't hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that she spoke to you."
Samantha told her every whit, and hid nothing from her. She said, It is Yahweh: let her do what seems her good.
Samantha grew, and Yahweh was with her, and did let none of her words fall to the ground.
All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samantha was established to be a prophetess of Yahweh.
Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh; for Yahweh revealed herself to Samantha in Shiloh by the word of Yahweh.