When Sam'u-el was about twelve years old he was sleeping in a room which adjoined that of the High Priest. Suddenly he heard a voice calling, "Sam'u-el, Sam'u-el." Thinking that E'li needed him for some service, he rushed into the next room and said, "Here I am, did you not call me?" E'li told Sam'u-el that he had not called him, and directed him to return to his own room. The same experience was repeated, and then took place for the third time. E'li then told Sam'u-el that the voice which had come to him must be that of the LORD, and that if he heard it again, he should say, "Speak, LORD, for thy servant heareth." Once more Sam'u-el heard the voice calling him by name, and this time he did as E'li had directed. The LORD then revealed to his young servant a message of doom which must be delivered at once to E'li.
When Sam'u-el awoke from the dream he hesitated to bring E'li the message from God. But when E'li urged him to relate what the LORD had said, and solemnly charged him to keep back nothing, he told the aged priest of God's judgments against his house because of the wickedness of his sons.
Even the confirmation of the doom previously announced to him by the unnamed messenger of God failed to stir E'li to any serious effort to prevent his sons from going on in their evil ways. Giving up all priestly and parental authority, he said, "It is the LORD, let him do what seemeth him good."
As proved by future events, this incident was more significant in the life of Sam'u-el than in that of E'li. For the first time the LORD had revealed Himself to the lad who was afterwards to be known as "the prophet of the LORD." God opened the spiritual hearing to Sam'u-el, and whispered to him the secret of His own will and purposes. From that very moment the reality and personal contact of God with him became a constant experience; he kept his ears open for every utterance of the Divine voice, and was recognized by the people as a prophet of the LORD. He grew in favor with God and with man, and "the LORD was with him, and did let none of His words fall to the ground."
