Samuel

¹The child Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. The LORD’s word was rare in those days. There were not many visions, then. ²At that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see), ³and God’s lamp hadn’t yet gone out, and Samuel had laid down in the LORD’s temple where God’s ark was, ⁴The LORD called Samuel. He said, “Here I am.” ⁵He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” He said, “I didn’t call. Lie down again.” He went and lay down. ⁶The LORD called yet again, “Samuel!” Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” He answered, “I didn’t call, my son. Lie down again.” ⁷Now Samuel didn’t yet know the LORD, neither was the LORD’s word yet revealed to him. ⁸The LORD called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. ⁹Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down. It shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD; for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. ¹⁰The LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak; for your servant hears.”

¹⁵Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. ¹⁶He went from year to year in a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places. ¹⁷His return was to Ramah, for his house was there, and he judged Israel there; and he built an altar to the LORD there.

¹The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided a king for myself among his sons.” ²Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” The LORD said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ ³Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint to me him whom I name to you.” ⁴Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?” ⁵He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. ⁶When they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.” ⁷But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” ⁸Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “The LORD has not chosen this one, either.” ⁹Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, “The LORD has not chosen this one, either.” ¹⁰Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” ¹¹Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your children here?” He said, “There remains yet the youngest. Behold, he is keeping the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.” ¹²He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with a handsome face and good appearance. The LORD said, “Arise! Anoint him, for this is he.” ¹³Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the middle of his brothers. Then the LORD’s Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.