Translations
KJVPrimary
King James VersionAnd 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.
F.O.GSecondary
The F.O.GNow the lad Shmu'el was ministering to YHWH before Eli; and the word of YHWH was rare in those days—there was no vision breaking forth.
F.O.G.M
F.O.G MessageThe boy Samuel was serving Yahweh under Eli's watchful eye. In those days, the word of Yahweh was precious and scarce—visions had all but ceased.
BSB
Berean Standard BibleAnd the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. Now in those days the word of the LORD was rare, and visions were scarce.
Footnotes
Two loaded terms shape v.1. *Yaqar* (rare/precious/costly) describes the word of YHWH—the same word used of costly jewels and honoured people—suggesting not merely infrequency but the catastrophic devaluing of divine speech in Eli's corrupt era. *Nifratz* (from *parats*, to break through or burst forth) describes vision: there was no vision 'breaking through.' FOG renders this as 'no vision breaking forth,' preserving the dynamic sense of divine speech bursting into history. FOG Message uses 'precious and scarce' to capture both the rarity and the loss felt in that silence.
