O Chamado de Samuel
1O menino Samuel ministrava perante o Senhor, sob a direção de Eli; naqueles dias raramente o Senhor falava, e as visões não eram frequentes.
2Certa noite, Eli, cujos olhos estavam ficando tão fracos que já não conseguia mais enxergar, estava deitado em seu lugar de costume. 3A lâmpada de Deus ainda não havia se apagado, e Samuel estava deitado no santuário do Senhor, onde se encontrava a arca de Deus. 4Então o Senhor chamou Samuel.
Samuel respondeu: “Estou aqui”. 5E correu até Eli e disse: “Estou aqui; o senhor me chamou?”
Eli, porém, disse: “Não o chamei; volte e deite-se”. Então, ele foi e se deitou.
6De novo o Senhor chamou: “Samuel!” E Samuel se levantou e foi até Eli e disse: “Estou aqui; o senhor me chamou?”
Disse Eli: “Meu filho, não o chamei; volte e deite-se”.
7Ora, Samuel ainda não conhecia o Senhor. A palavra do Senhor ainda não lhe havia sido revelada.
8O Senhor chamou Samuel pela terceira vez. Ele se levantou, foi até Eli e disse: “Estou aqui; o senhor me chamou?”
Eli percebeu que o Senhor estava chamando o menino 9e lhe disse: “Vá e deite-se; se ele chamá-lo, diga: ‘Fala, Senhor, pois o teu servo está ouvindo’ ”. Então Samuel foi deitar-se.
10O Senhor voltou a chamá-lo como nas outras vezes: “Samuel, Samuel!”
Samuel disse: “Fala, pois o teu servo está ouvindo”.
11E o Senhor disse a Samuel: “Vou realizar em Israel algo que fará tinir os ouvidos de todos os que ficarem sabendo. 12Nessa ocasião executarei contra Eli tudo o que falei contra sua família, do começo ao fim. 13Pois eu lhe disse que julgaria sua família para sempre, por causa do pecado dos seus filhos, do qual ele tinha consciência; seus filhos se fizeram desprezíveis3.13 Uma antiga tradição dos escribas hebreus e a Septuaginta dizem filhos blasfemaram contra Deus., e ele não os puniu. 14Por isso jurei à família de Eli: ‘Jamais se fará propiciação pela culpa da família de Eli mediante sacrifício ou oferta’ ”.
15Samuel ficou deitado até de manhã e então abriu as portas da casa do Senhor. Ele teve medo de contar a visão a Eli, 16mas este o chamou e disse: “Samuel, meu filho”.
“Estou aqui”, respondeu Samuel.
17Eli perguntou: “O que o Senhor disse a você? Não esconda de mim. Deus o castigue, e o faça com muita severidade, se você esconder de mim qualquer coisa que ele falou”. 18Então, Samuel lhe contou tudo e nada escondeu. Então Eli disse: “Ele é o Senhor; que faça o que lhe parecer melhor”.
19Enquanto Samuel crescia, o Senhor estava com ele e fazia com que todas as suas palavras se cumprissem. 20Todo o Israel, desde Dã até Berseba, reconhecia que Samuel estava confirmado como profeta do Senhor. 21O Senhor continuou aparecendo em Siló, onde havia se revelado a Samuel por meio de sua palavra.
1And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. 2And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; 3And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; 4That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. 5And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. 6And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. 7Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.3.7 Now…: or, Thus did Samuel before he knew the LORD, and before the word of the LORD was revealed unto him 8And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. 9Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
11¶ And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. 12In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.3.12 when…: Heb. beginning and ending 13For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.3.13 For I…: or, And I will tell him3.13 vile: or, accursed3.13 restrained…: Heb. frowned not upon them 14And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
15¶ And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision. 16Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I. 17And he said, What is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.3.17 more also: Heb. so add3.17 thing: or, word 18And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.3.18 every…: Heb. all the things, or, words
19¶ And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. 20And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.3.20 established: or, faithful 21And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
