The LORD then stood beside Samuel and called out as he had done before, “Samuel! Samuel!” “I'm listening,” Samuel answered. “What do you want me to do?”
“Neither,” he answered. “I am here because I am the commander of the LORD's army.” Joshua fell to his knees and bowed down to the ground. “I am your servant,” he said. “Tell me what to do.”
You have seen how I have led you ever since I was a young man. I'm already old. My hair is grey, and my own sons are grown up. Now you must see how well your king will lead you.
When the LORD called out his name for the third time, Samuel went to Eli again and said, “Here I am. What do you want?” Eli finally realized that it was the LORD who was speaking to Samuel.
So he said, “Go back and lie down! If someone speaks to you again, answer, ‘I'm listening, LORD. What do you want me to do?’ ” Once again Samuel went back and lay down.