The boy, Shemu’el, was ministering to Yahweh in the presence of Eli. Yahweh’s word was rare at that time; there was no vision spreading about. On a day when Eli was lying down in his place (his eyes had started to fail; he couldn’t see) but God’s lamp had not yet gone out, and Shemu’el was lying down in Yahweh’s palace where God’s chest was, Yahweh called to Shemu’el. He said, ‘I’m here’, and ran to Eli and said, ‘I’m here, because you called to me.’ He said, ‘I didn’t call. Go back, lie down.’ He went and lay down. Yahweh called yet again, ‘Shemu’el’, and Shemu’el got up and went to Eli and said, ‘I’m here, because you called to me.’ He said, ‘I didn’t call, son, go back, lie down.’ Now Shemu’el hadn’t yet acknowledged Yahweh; Yahweh’s word hadn’t yet revealed itself to him.
Yahweh again called Shemu’el, a third time, and he got up, went to Eli and said, ‘I’m here, because you called to me.’ Eli perceived that Yahweh was calling to the boy. Eli said to Shemu’el, ‘Go, lie down, and if he calls to you, you’re to say, “Speak, Yahweh, because your servant is listening.”’ So Shemu’el went and lay down in hi s place. Yahweh came and took his stand and called as at the other times, ‘Shemu’el, Shemu’el’. Shemu’el said, ‘Speak, because your servant is listening.’
Shemu’el grew up, and as Yahweh was with him, he didn’t allow any of his words to fall to the ground. All Yisra’el from Dan as far as Be ’er Sheba acknowledged that Shemu’el was trustworthy as a prophet belonging to Yahweh. Yahweh again appeared at Shiloh, in that Yahweh revealed himself to Shemu’el at Shiloh with Yahweh’s word, and Shemu’el’s word came to all Yisra’el.
Goldingay, John The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.
Thank you, dear Jesus,
for all you have given me,
for all you have taken away from me,
for all you have left me.
Thomas More (c.1478-1535)