1. Now the boy Samuel was serving Yahweh in the presence of Eli. The word of Yahweh was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.
2. And then one day when Eli was lying in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow weak so that he was not able to see)
3. and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, Samuel was lying in the temple of Yahweh where the ark of God was.