Bible HebrewSamuel, Samuel 1 Samuel 3:4–10
A boy in the sanctuary hears his name at night, again and again. The same words come back each time, which makes this a good story to read straight through.
1 Samuel 3:4
וַיִּקְרָא יְהוָה אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי
Wayyiqrā yəḥawwe ʾel-shəmūʾēl wayyōmer hinnēnī
“And yəḥawwe called to Samuel, and he said, “Here I am.””
Word by word
| Hebrew | Sounds | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| וַיִּקְרָא | wayyiqrā | and (he) called |
| יְהוָה | yəḥawwe | yəḥawwe |
| אֶל | ʾel | to |
| שְׁמוּאֵל | shəmūʾēl | Samuel |
| וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer | and he said |
| הִנֵּנִי | hinnēnī | here I am |
- וַיִּקְרָא: וַיִּקְרָא, “and he called”. Story verbs like this carry the action forward one step at a time.
- הִנֵּנִי: הִנֵּנִי, “Here I am”: הִנֵּה + ־נִי “me”. Moses gives the same answer at the burning bush (Exodus 3:4).
1 Samuel 3:5
וַיָּרָץ אֶל־עֵלִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנְנִי כִּי־קָרָאתָ לִּי וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא־קָרָאתִי שׁוּב שְׁכָב וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיִּשְׁכָּב
Wayyāroṣ ʾel-ʿēlī wayyōmer hinnī kī-qārāthā lī wayyōmer lō-qārāthī shūv shəkhāv wayyēlekh wayyishkāv
“And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” And he said, “I did not call. Go back, lie down.” And he went and lay down.”
Word by word
| Hebrew | Sounds | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| וַיָּרָץ | wayyāroṣ | and he ran |
| אֶל | ʾel | to |
| עֵלִי | ʿēlī | Eli |
| וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer | and he said |
| הִנְנִי | hinnī | here I am |
| כִּי | kī | for |
| קָרָאתָ | qārāthā | you called |
| לִּי | lī | me |
| וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer | and he said |
| לֹא | lō | not |
| קָרָאתִי | qārāthī | I called |
| שׁוּב | shūv | go back |
| שְׁכָב | shəkhāv | lie down |
| וַיֵּלֶךְ | wayyēlekh | and he went |
| וַיִּשְׁכָּב | wayyishkāv | and he lay down |
- וַיָּרָץ: וַיָּרָץ, “and he ran”, from the hollow root רוּץ.
- הִנְנִי: הִנְנִי is another spelling of הִנֵּנִי, “Here I am”.
- קָרָאתָ: קָרָאתָ, “you called”, with the ending ־תָ “you”. Then קָרָאתִי, with ־תִי “I” (see the Qal Perfect lesson).
- שׁוּב: Two commands side by side, שׁוּב שְׁכָב, “go back, lie down”. שׁוּב comes from a hollow root.
- וַיֵּלֶךְ: וַיֵּלֶךְ, “and he went”: the story form of הָלַךְ, which behaves like an I-yod verb.
1 Samuel 3:6
וַיֹּסֶף יְהוָה קְרֹא עוֹד שְׁמוּאֵל וַיָּקָם שְׁמוּאֵל וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל־עֵלִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנְנִי כִּי קָרָאתָ לִי וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא־קָרָאתִי בְנִי שׁוּב שְׁכָב
Wayyōsef yəḥawwe qərō ʿōdh shəmūʾēl wayyāqom shəmūʾēl wayyēlekh ʾel-ʿēlī wayyōmer hinnī kī qārāthā lī wayyōmer lō-qārāthī vənī shūv shəkhāv
“And yəḥawwe called Samuel yet again. And Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” And he said, “I did not call, my son. Go back, lie down.””
Word by word
| Hebrew | Sounds | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּסֶף | wayyōsef | and (he) did again |
| יְהוָה | yəḥawwe | yəḥawwe |
| קְרֹא | qərō | to call |
| עוֹד | ʿōdh | again |
| שְׁמוּאֵל | shəmūʾēl | Samuel |
| וַיָּקָם | wayyāqom | and (he) arose |
| שְׁמוּאֵל | shəmūʾēl | Samuel |
| וַיֵּלֶךְ | wayyēlekh | and he went |
| אֶל | ʾel | to |
| עֵלִי | ʿēlī | Eli |
| וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer | and he said |
| הִנְנִי | hinnī | here I am |
| כִּי | kī | for |
| קָרָאתָ | qārāthā | you called |
| לִי | lī | me |
| וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer | and he said |
| לֹא | lō | not |
| קָרָאתִי | qārāthī | I called |
| בְנִי | vənī | my son |
| שׁוּב | shūv | go back |
| שְׁכָב | shəkhāv | lie down |
- וַיֹּסֶף: וַיֹּסֶף + an infinitive means “he did (it) again”: וַיֹּסֶף … קְרֹא, “he called again”. The verb means “add”.
- קְרֹא: קְרֹא, “to call”: an infinitive construct, here without לְ.
- וַיָּקָם: וַיָּקָם, “and he arose”, from the hollow root קום (see the Weak Verbs lesson).
- בְנִי: בְנִי, “my son”: בֵּן + ־ִי “my”. Eli speaks kindly to the boy; Samuel is not his son.
1 Samuel 3:7
וּשְׁמוּאֵל טֶרֶם יָדַע אֶת־יְהוָה וְטֶרֶם יִגָּלֶה אֵלָיו דְּבַר־יְהוָה
Ūshəmūʾēl ṭerem yādhaʿ ʾeth-yəḥawwe wəṭerem yiggāle ʾēlāw dəvar-yəḥawwe
“Now Samuel did not yet know yəḥawwe, and the word of yəḥawwe had not yet been revealed to him.”
Word by word
| Hebrew | Sounds | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| וּשְׁמוּאֵל | ūshəmūʾēl | and Samuel |
| טֶרֶם | ṭerem | not yet |
| יָדַע | yādhaʿ | knew |
| אֶת | ʾeth | (object marker) |
| יְהוָה | yəḥawwe | yəḥawwe |
| וְטֶרֶם | wəṭerem | and not yet |
| יִגָּלֶה | yiggāle | was revealed |
| אֵלָיו | ʾēlāw | to him |
| דְּבַר | dəvar | the word of |
| יְהוָה | yəḥawwe | yəḥawwe |
- וּשְׁמוּאֵל: וְ + a noun first pauses the story to explain the background: “Now Samuel …”.
- טֶרֶם: טֶרֶם, “not yet, before”.
- יִגָּלֶה: יִגָּלֶה, “was revealed”: a Niphal (passive) of גָּלָה, “uncover, reveal”. The נ of the Niphal is hidden in the doubled ג.
- דְּבַר: דְּבַר־יְהוָה, “the word of yəḥawwe”: דָּבָר in its shorter “of” form (see the Construct Chain lesson).
1 Samuel 3:8
וַיֹּסֶף יְהוָה קְרֹא־שְׁמוּאֵל בַּשְּׁלִשִׁית וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל־עֵלִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנְנִי כִּי קָרָאתָ לִי וַיָּבֶן עֵלִי כִּי יְהוָה קֹרֵא לַנָּעַר
Wayyōsef yəḥawwe qərō-shəmūʾēl bashshəlishīth wayyāqom wayyēlekh ʾel-ʿēlī wayyōmer hinnī kī qārāthā lī wayyāven ʿēlī kī yəḥawwe qōrē lannāʿar
“And yəḥawwe called Samuel again, a third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli understood that yəḥawwe was calling the boy.”
Word by word
| Hebrew | Sounds | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּסֶף | wayyōsef | and (he) did again |
| יְהוָה | yəḥawwe | yəḥawwe |
| קְרֹא | qərō | to call |
| שְׁמוּאֵל | shəmūʾēl | Samuel |
| בַּשְּׁלִשִׁית | bashshəlishīth | the third time |
| וַיָּקָם | wayyāqom | and he arose |
| וַיֵּלֶךְ | wayyēlekh | and he went |
| אֶל | ʾel | to |
| עֵלִי | ʿēlī | Eli |
| וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer | and he said |
| הִנְנִי | hinnī | here I am |
| כִּי | kī | for |
| קָרָאתָ | qārāthā | you called |
| לִי | lī | me |
| וַיָּבֶן | wayyāven | and (he) understood |
| עֵלִי | ʿēlī | Eli |
| כִּי | kī | that |
| יְהוָה | yəḥawwe | yəḥawwe |
| קֹרֵא | qōrē | (was) calling |
| לַנָּעַר | lannāʿar | the boy |
- בַּשְּׁלִשִׁית: בַּשְּׁלִשִׁית = בְּ + הַ + שְׁלִשִׁית “third”: “the third time” (see the Numbers lesson).
- וַיָּבֶן: וַיָּבֶן, “and he understood”: the story form of the hollow verb בִּין.
- קֹרֵא: קֹרֵא, “calling”: a Qal participle (ō after the first letter) for something going on at that moment (see the Participles lesson).
1 Samuel 3:9
וַיֹּאמֶר עֵלִי לִשְׁמוּאֵל לֵךְ שְׁכָב וְהָיָה אִם־יִקְרָא אֵלֶיךָ וְאָמַרְתָּ דַּבֵּר יְהוָה כִּי שֹׁמֵעַ עַבְדֶּךָ וַיֵּלֶךְ שְׁמוּאֵל וַיִּשְׁכַּב בִּמְקוֹמוֹ
Wayyōmer ʿēlī lishmūʾēl lēkh shəkhāv wəhāyā ʾim-yiqrā ʾēlekhā wəʾāmartā dabbēr yəḥawwe kī shōmēaʿ ʿavdekhā wayyēlekh shəmūʾēl wayyishkav bimqōmō
“And Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down. And if he calls to you, you shall say, ‘Speak, yəḥawwe, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.”
Word by word
| Hebrew | Sounds | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer | and (he) said |
| עֵלִי | ʿēlī | Eli |
| לִשְׁמוּאֵל | lishmūʾēl | to Samuel |
| לֵךְ | lēkh | go |
| שְׁכָב | shəkhāv | lie down |
| וְהָיָה | wəhāyā | and it will be |
| אִם | ʾim | if |
| יִקְרָא | yiqrā | he calls |
| אֵלֶיךָ | ʾēlekhā | to you |
| וְאָמַרְתָּ | wəʾāmartā | then you shall say |
| דַּבֵּר | dabbēr | speak |
| יְהוָה | yəḥawwe | yəḥawwe |
| כִּי | kī | for |
| שֹׁמֵעַ | shōmēaʿ | (is) listening |
| עַבְדֶּךָ | ʿavdekhā | your servant |
| וַיֵּלֶךְ | wayyēlekh | and (he) went |
| שְׁמוּאֵל | shəmūʾēl | Samuel |
| וַיִּשְׁכַּב | wayyishkav | and (he) lay down |
| בִּמְקוֹמוֹ | bimqōmō | in his place |
- וְהָיָה: וְהָיָה, “and it will be”: וְ + a perfect looking forward. It often begins instructions about the future: “and if …”.
- וְאָמַרְתָּ: וְאָמַרְתָּ, “and you shall say”: another perfect with וְ that works like a future or a command.
- דַּבֵּר: דַּבֵּר, “speak!”: a Piel command. The doubled ב is the Piel clue.
- שֹׁמֵעַ: שֹׁמֵעַ, “listening”: a participle, for listening right now.
- עַבְדֶּךָ: עַבְדֶּךָ, “your servant”: a polite way of saying “I” to someone greater.
1 Samuel 3:10
וַיָּבֹא יְהוָה וַיִּתְיַצַּב וַיִּקְרָא כְפַעַם־בְּפַעַם שְׁמוּאֵל שְׁמוּאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל דַּבֵּר כִּי שֹׁמֵעַ עַבְדֶּךָ
Wayyāvō yəḥawwe wayyithyaṣṣav wayyiqrā khəfaʿam-bəfaʿam shəmūʾēl shəmūʾēl wayyōmer shəmūʾēl dabbēr kī shōmēaʿ ʿavdekhā
“And yəḥawwe came and stood there, and called as at the other times, “Samuel, Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.””
Word by word
| Hebrew | Sounds | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| וַיָּבֹא | wayyāvō | and (he) came |
| יְהוָה | yəḥawwe | yəḥawwe |
| וַיִּתְיַצַּב | wayyithyaṣṣav | and (he) stood (there) |
| וַיִּקְרָא | wayyiqrā | and (he) called |
| כְפַעַם | khəfaʿam | as time |
| בְּפַעַם | bəfaʿam | after time |
| שְׁמוּאֵל | shəmūʾēl | Samuel |
| שְׁמוּאֵל | shəmūʾēl | Samuel |
| וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer | and (he) said |
| שְׁמוּאֵל | shəmūʾēl | Samuel |
| דַּבֵּר | dabbēr | speak |
| כִּי | kī | for |
| שֹׁמֵעַ | shōmēaʿ | (is) listening |
| עַבְדֶּךָ | ʿavdekhā | your servant |
- וַיִּתְיַצַּב: וַיִּתְיַצַּב, “and he stood, took his place”: a Hithpael, the stem marked by תְ after the prefix (הִתְ when there is no prefix).
- כְפַעַם: כְפַעַם בְּפַעַם, “as time by time”: “as at the other times”.
- דַּבֵּר: Samuel answers with the words Eli gave him, but without “yəḥawwe”: “Speak, for your servant is listening”.
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