TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
I - Chapter 3
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1Young Shmuel was in the service of Hashem under Eli. In those days the word of Hashem was rare; prophecy was not widespread.
אוְהַנַּעַר שְׁמוּאֵל מְשָׁרֵת אֶת־יְהֹוָה לִפְנֵי עֵלִי וּדְבַר־יְהֹוָה הָיָה יָקָר בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם אֵין חָזוֹן נִפְרָץ׃
2One day, Eli was asleep in his usual place; his eyes had begun to fail and he could barely see.
בוַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וְעֵלִי שֹׁכֵב בִּמְקֹמוֹ ועינו [וְעֵינָיו] הֵחֵלּוּ כֵהוֹת לֹא יוּכַל לִרְאוֹת׃
3The lamp of Hashem had not yet gone out, and Shmuel was sleeping in the temple of Hashem where the Aron of Hashem was.
גוְנֵר אֱלֹהִים טֶרֶם יִכְבֶּה וּשְׁמוּאֵל שֹׁכֵב בְּהֵיכַל יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר־שָׁם אֲרוֹן אֱלֹהִים׃
4Hashem called out to Shmuel, and he answered, “I'm coming.”
דוַיִּקְרָא יְהֹוָה אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי׃
5He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But he replied, “I didn't call you; go back to sleep.” So he went back and lay down.
הוַיָּרָץ אֶל־עֵלִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנְנִי כִּי־קָרָאתָ לִּי וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא־קָרָאתִי שׁוּב שְׁכָב וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיִּשְׁכָּב׃
6Again Hashem called, “Shmuel!” Shmuel rose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But he replied, “I didn't call, my son; go back to sleep.”—
ווַיֹּסֶף יְהֹוָה קְרֹא עוֹד שְׁמוּאֵל וַיָּקָם שְׁמוּאֵל וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל־עֵלִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנְנִי כִּי קָרָאתָ לִי וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא־קָרָאתִי בְנִי שׁוּב שְׁכָב׃
7Now Shmuel had not yet experienced Hashem; the word of Hashem had not yet been revealed to him.—
זוּשְׁמוּאֵל טֶרֶם יָדַע אֶת־יְהֹוָה וְטֶרֶם יִגָּלֶה אֵלָיו דְּבַר־יְהֹוָה׃
8Hashem called Shmuel again, a third time, and he rose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli understood that Hashem was calling the boy.
חוַיֹּסֶף יְהֹוָה קְרֹא־שְׁמוּאֵל בַּשְּׁלִשִׁית וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל־עֵלִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנְנִי כִּי קָרָאתָ לִי וַיָּבֶן עֵלִי כִּי יְהֹוָה קֹרֵא לַנָּעַר׃
9And Eli said to Shmuel, “Go lie down. If you are called again, say, ‘Speak, Hashem, for Your servant is listening.'” And Shmuel went to his place and lay down.
טוַיֹּאמֶר עֵלִי לִשְׁמוּאֵל לֵךְ שְׁכָב וְהָיָה אִם־יִקְרָא אֵלֶיךָ וְאָמַרְתָּ דַּבֵּר יְהֹוָה כִּי שֹׁמֵעַ עַבְדֶּךָ וַיֵּלֶךְ שְׁמוּאֵל וַיִּשְׁכַּב בִּמְקוֹמוֹ׃
10Hashem came, and stood there, and He called as before: “Shmuel! Shmuel!” And Shmuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”
יוַיָּבֹא יְהֹוָה וַיִּתְיַצַּב וַיִּקְרָא כְפַעַם־בְּפַעַם שְׁמוּאֵל שְׁמוּאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל דַּבֵּר כִּי שֹׁמֵעַ עַבְדֶּךָ׃
11Hashem said to Shmuel: “I am going to do in Yisrael such a thing that both ears of anyone who hears about it will tingle.
יאוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵל הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי עֹשֶׂה דָבָר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר כָּל־שֹׁמְעוֹ תְּצִלֶּינָה שְׁתֵּי אָזְנָיו׃
12In that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I spoke concerning his house, from beginning to end.
יבבַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אָקִים אֶל־עֵלִי אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֶל־בֵּיתוֹ הָחֵל וְכַלֵּה׃
13And I declare to him that I sentence his house to endless punishment for the iniquity he knew about—how his sons committed sacrilege at will—and he did not rebuke them.
v'-hi-GAD-tee LO kee sho-FAYT a-NEE et bay-TO ad o-LAM ba-a-VON a-sher ya-DA kee m'-ka-l'-LEEM la-HEM ba-NAV v'-LO khi-HAH BAM
יגוְהִגַּדְתִּי לוֹ כִּי־שֹׁפֵט אֲנִי אֶת־בֵּיתוֹ עַד־עוֹלָם בַּעֲוׂן אֲשֶׁר־יָדַע כִּי־מְקַלְלִים לָהֶם בָּנָיו וְלֹא כִהָה בָּם׃
3:13 I sentence his house to endless punishment
God tells Shmuel that He will punish Eli for failing to rebuke his sons, Chofni and Pinchas, for their immoral behavior while serving in their leadership roles at the Mishkan in Shilo. Through their actions, they profane the Mishkan and discourage people from making pilgrimages there. Consequently, Eli’s sons will be killed and there will be no one left to continue his family’s mantle of leadership. Instead, Shmuel will become the new prophet and leader of the people. He will act the way a true leader should, travelling among the people as an inspiring role model, bringing them closer to Hashem.
14Assuredly, I swear concerning the house of Eli that the iniquity of the house of Eli will never be expiated by sacrifice or offering.”
ידוְלָכֵן נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְבֵית עֵלִי אִם־יִתְכַּפֵּר עֲוׂן בֵּית־עֵלִי בְּזֶבַח וּבְמִנְחָה עַד־עוֹלָם׃
15Shmuel lay there until morning; and then he opened the doors of the House of Hashem. Shmuel was afraid to report the vision to Eli,
טווַיִּשְׁכַּב שְׁמוּאֵל עַד־הַבֹּקֶר וַיִּפְתַּח אֶת־דַּלְתוֹת בֵּית־יְהֹוָה וּשְׁמוּאֵל יָרֵא מֵהַגִּיד אֶת־הַמַּרְאָה אֶל־עֵלִי׃
16but Eli summoned Shmuel and said, “Shmuel, my son”; and he answered, “Here.”
טזוַיִּקְרָא עֵלִי אֶת־שְׁמוּאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל בְּנִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי׃
17And [Eli] asked, “What did He say to you? Keep nothing from me. Thus and more may Hashem do to you if you keep from me a single word of all that He said to you!”
יזוַיֹּאמֶר מָה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלֶיךָ אַל־נָא תְכַחֵד מִמֶּנִּי כֹּה יַעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ אֱלֹהִים וְכֹה יוֹסִיף אִם־תְּכַחֵד מִמֶּנִּי דָּבָר מִכָּל־הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר אֵלֶיךָ׃
18Shmuel then told him everything, withholding nothing from him. And [Eli] said, “He is Hashem; He will do what He deems right.”
יחוַיַּגֶּד־לוֹ שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים וְלֹא כִחֵד מִמֶּנּוּ וַיֹּאמַר יְהֹוָה הוּא הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינָו יַעֲשֶׂה׃
19Shmuel grew up and Hashem was with him: He did not leave any of Shmuel's predictions unfulfilled.
יטוַיִּגְדַּל שְׁמוּאֵל וַיהֹוָה הָיָה עִמּוֹ וְלֹא־הִפִּיל מִכָּל־דְּבָרָיו אָרְצָה׃
20All Yisrael, from Dan to Be'er Sheva, knew that Shmuel was trustworthy as a Navi of Hashem.
כוַיֵּדַע כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִדָּן וְעַד־בְּאֵר שָׁבַע כִּי נֶאֱמָן שְׁמוּאֵל לְנָבִיא לַיהֹוָה׃
21And Hashem continued to appear at Shilo: Hashem revealed Himself to Shmuel at Shilo with the word of Hashem;
כאוַיֹּסֶף יְהֹוָה לְהֵרָאֹה בְשִׁלֹה כִּי־נִגְלָה יְהֹוָה אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵל בְּשִׁלוֹ בִּדְבַר יְהֹוָה׃