1 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.
2 One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed.
3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God.
4 Suddenly the lord called out, “Samuel!”“Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?”
5 He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did.