The Lord Appears to Samuel
1 In those days, when the boy Samuel was serving the Lord under the direction of Eli, there were very few messages from the Lord, and visions from him were quite rare. 2 One night Eli, who was now almost blind, was sleeping in his own room; 3 Samuel was sleeping in the sanctuary, where the sacred Covenant Box was. Before dawn, while the lamp was still burning, 4 the Lord called Samuel. He answered, “Yes, sir!” 5 and ran to Eli and said, “You called me, and here I am.”
But Eli answered, “I didn't call you; go back to bed.” So Samuel went back to bed.
6-7 The Lord called Samuel again. The boy did not know that it was the Lord, because the Lord had never spoken to him before. So he got up, went to Eli, and said, “You called me, and here I am.”
But Eli answered, “My son, I didn't call you; go back to bed.”
8 The Lord called Samuel a third time; he got up, went to Eli, and said, “You called me, and here I am.”
Then Eli realized that it was the Lord who was calling the boy, 9 so he said to him, “Go back to bed; and if he calls you again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.
10 The Lord came and stood there, and called as he had before, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Samuel answered, “Speak; your servant is listening.”
11 The Lord said to him, “Some day I am going to do something to the people of Israel that is so terrible that everyone who hears about it will be stunned. 12 On that day I will carry out all my threats against Eli's family, from beginning to end. 13 I have already told him that I am going to punish his family forever because his sons have spoken evil things against me. Eli knew they were doing this, but he did not stop them. 14 So I solemnly declare to the family of Eli that no sacrifice or offering will ever be able to remove the consequences of this terrible sin.”
15 Samuel stayed in bed until morning; then he got up and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision. 16 Eli called him, “Samuel, my boy!”
“Yes, sir,” answered Samuel.
17 “What did the Lord tell you?” Eli asked. “Don't keep anything from me. God will punish you severely if you don't tell me everything he said.” 18 So Samuel told him everything; he did not keep anything back. Eli said, “He is the Lord; he will do whatever seems best to him.”
19 As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and made come true everything that Samuel said. 20 So all the people of Israel, from one end of the country to the other, knew that Samuel was indeed a prophet of the Lord. 21 The Lord continued to reveal himself at Shiloh, where he had appeared to Samuel and had spoken to him. And when Samuel spoke, all Israel listened.
V. 1-21: cf. Jé 1:4-9. (1 S 2:27-36; 4:1, etc.) Mt 11:25.
1 Le jeune Samuel était au service de l’Éternel devant Éli. La parole de l’Éternel était rare en ce temps-là, les visions n’étaient pas fréquentes. 2 En ce même temps, Éli, qui commençait à avoir les yeux troubles et ne pouvait plus voir, était couché à sa place, 3 la lampe de Dieu n’était pas encore éteinte, et Samuel était couché dans le temple de l’Éternel, où était l’arche de Dieu. 4 Alors l’Éternel appela Samuel. Il répondit: Me voici! 5 Et il courut vers Éli, et dit: Me voici, car tu m’as appelé. Éli répondit: Je n’ai point appelé; retourne te coucher. Et il alla se coucher. 6 L’Éternel appela de nouveau Samuel. Et Samuel se leva, alla vers Éli, et dit: Me voici, car tu m’as appelé. Éli répondit: Je n’ai point appelé, mon fils, retourne te coucher. 7 Samuel ne connaissait pas encore l’Éternel, et la parole de l’Éternel ne lui avait pas encore été révélée. 8 L’Éternel appela de nouveau Samuel, pour la troisième fois. Et Samuel se leva, alla vers Éli, et dit: Me voici, car tu m’as appelé. Éli comprit que c’était l’Éternel qui appelait l’enfant, 9 et il dit à Samuel: Va, couche-toi; et si l’on t’appelle, tu diras: Parle, Éternel, car ton serviteur écoute. Et Samuel alla se coucher à sa place. 10 L’Éternel vint et se présenta, et il appela comme les autres fois: Samuel, Samuel! Et Samuel répondit: Parle, car ton serviteur écoute. 11 Alors l’Éternel dit à Samuel: Voici, je vais faire en Israël une chose qui étourdira les oreilles de quiconque l’entendra. 12 En ce jour j’accomplirai sur Éli tout ce que j’ai prononcé contre sa maison; je commencerai et j’achèverai. 13 Je lui ai déclaré que je veux punir sa maison à perpétuité, à cause du crime dont il a connaissance, et par lequel ses fils se sont rendus méprisables, sans qu’il les ait réprimés. 14 C’est pourquoi je jure à la maison d’Éli que jamais le crime de la maison d’Éli ne sera expié, ni par des sacrifices ni par des offrandes. 15 Samuel resta couché jusqu’au matin, puis il ouvrit les portes de la maison de l’Éternel. Samuel craignait de raconter la vision à Éli. 16 Mais Éli appela Samuel, et dit: Samuel, mon fils! Il répondit: Me voici! 17 Et Éli dit: Quelle est la parole que t’a adressée l’Éternel? Ne me cache rien. Que Dieu te traite dans toute sa rigueur, si tu me caches quelque chose de tout ce qu’il t’a dit! 18 Samuel lui raconta tout, sans lui rien cacher. Et Éli dit: C’est l’Éternel, qu’il fasse ce qui lui semblera bon! 19 Samuel grandissait. L’Éternel était avec lui, et il ne laissa tomber à terre aucune de ses paroles. 20 Tout Israël, depuis Dan jusqu’à Beer-Schéba, reconnut que Samuel était établi prophète de l’Éternel. 21 L’Éternel continuait à apparaître dans Silo; car l’Éternel se révélait à Samuel, dans Silo, par la parole de l’Éternel.
