King James Version

1 Samuel 3:1

And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

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Hebrew

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וְהַנַּ֧עַרvehanaarand the boyנַעַרconjunction, definite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and the boy”, the ordinary formH5288(concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age)babe, boy, child, damsel (from the margin), lad, servant, young (man).שְׁמוּאֵ֛לshemuelShemuelשְׁמוּאֵלnoun, proper name — “Shemuel”H8050Shemuel, the name of three IsraelitesSamuel, Shemuel.מְשָׁרֵ֥תmesharetministerשָׁרַתverb, piel, participle, absolute — “minister”, a verb used as a describing wordH8334to attend as a menial or worshipper; figuratively, to contribute tominister (unto), (do) serve(-ant, -ice, -itor), wait on.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).יְהוָ֖הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).לִפְנֵ֣יlifneto a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct — “to a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…עֵלִ֑יeliEliעֵלִיnoun, proper name — “Eli”H5941Eli, an Israelite highpriestEli.וּדְבַרudevarand causeדָּבָרconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and cause”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…יְהוָ֗הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).הָיָ֤הhayahbeהָיָהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be”, a completed actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.יָקָר֙yaqarbrightnessיָקָרadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “brightness”, the ordinary formH3368valuable (objectively or subjectively)brightness, clear, costly, excellent, fat, honourable women, precious, reputation.בַּיָּמִ֣יםbayamimin as long asיוֹםpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “in as long as”, the ordinary formH3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) lon…הָהֵ֔םhahemthe theyהֵםdefinite article, pronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “the they”H1992they (only used when emphatic)it, like, [idiom] (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, [idiom] so, [idiom] such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.אֵ֥יןeynelseאַיִןparticle, negative — “else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).חָז֖וֹןchazonvisionחָזוֹןnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “vision”, the ordinary formH2377a sight (mentally), i.e. a dream, revelation, or oraclevision.נִפְרָֽץnifratsbreakפָּרַץverb, niphal, participle, absolute — “break”, a verb used as a describing wordH6555to break out (in many applications, direct and indirect, literal and figurative)[idiom] abroad, (make a) breach, break (away, down, -er, forth, in, up), burst out, come (spread) abroad, compel, disperse, grow, increase, open, press, scatter, urge.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And the child Samuel ministered unto Jehovah before Eli. And the word of Jehovah was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision.

Young’s Literal Translation

And the youth Samuel is serving Jehovah before Eli, and the word of Jehovah hath been precious in those days — there is no vision broken forth.

World English Bible

The child Samuel ministered to Yahweh before Eli. Yahweh’s word was rare in those days. There were not many visions, then.

Darby Translation

And the boy Samuel ministered to Jehovah before Eli. And the word of Jehovah was rare in those days; a vision was not frequent.

Douay-Rheims

Now the child Samuel ministered to the Lord before Heli, and the word of the Lord was precious in those days, there was no manifest vision.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And the child Samuel ministered to the Lord before Heli the priest: and the word of the Lord was precious in those days, there was no distinct vision.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ τὸ παιδάριον Σαμουὴλ ἦν λειτουργῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐνώπιον Ἡλὶ τοῦ ἱερέως· καὶ ῥῆμα Κυρίου ἦν τίμιον ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις, οὐκ ἦν ὅρασις διαστέλλουσα.