2. One day Eli, whose eyesight was failing, was lying in his room.
3. Before the lamp of God had gone out, Samuel was lying down in the tabernacle of the Lord, where the ark of God was located.
4. Then the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, “Here I am.”
5. He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”“I didn’t call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
6. Once again the Lord called, “Samuel! ”Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.”“I didn’t call, my son,” he replied. “Go back and lie down.”
7. Now Samuel had not yet experienced the Lord, because the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
8. Once again, for the third time, the Lord called Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.”Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the boy.