When People Say, "Here I Am"

(9) The Eternal God called out to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” (10) He replied, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”

(1) Some time afterward, God put Abraham to the test. God said to him, “Abraham,” and he answered, “Here I am.”

(7) Then Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he answered, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Here are the flint and the wood; but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”

(11) Then an angel of the Eternal called to him from heaven: “Abraham! Abraham!” And he answered, “Here I am.”

(17) Then she put in the hands of her son Jacob the dish and the bread that she had prepared. (18) He went to his father and said, “Father.” And he said, “Here I am, which of my sons are you?” (19) Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your first-born; I have done as you told me. Pray sit up and eat of my game, that you may give me your innermost blessing.”

(11) And in the dream an angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ ‘Here I am.’ I answered. (12) And he said, ‘Note well that all the he-goats which are mating with the flock are streaked, speckled, and mottled; for I have noted all that Laban has been doing to you. (13) I am the God of Beth-el, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now, arise and leave this land and return to your native land.’”

(13) Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers are pasturing at Shechem. Come, I will send you to them.” He answered, “Here I am.”

(17) Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream, here I am standing on the bank of the Nile.

(1) So Israel set out with all that was his, and he came to Beer-sheba, where he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. (2) God called to Israel in a vision by night: “Jacob! Jacob!” He answered, “Here I am.” (3) And God said, “I am God, the God of your father. Fear not to go down to Egypt, for I will make you there into a great nation. (4) I Myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I Myself will also bring you back; and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.”

(4) When the Eternal saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him out of the bush: “Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Here I am.”

(6) Again the Eternal called, “Samuel!” Samuel rose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But he replied, “I didn’t call, my son; go back to sleep.”— (7) Now Samuel had not yet experienced the Eternal; the word of the Eternal had not yet been revealed to him.— (8) The Eternal called Samuel again, a third time, and he rose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli understood that the Eternal was calling the boy. (9) And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down. If you are called again, say, ‘Speak, Eternal, for Your servant is listening.’” And Samuel went to his place and lay down. (10) The Eternal came, and stood there, and God called as before: “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”

(3) Here I am! Testify against me, in the presence of the Eternal and in the presence of God's anointed one: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded or whom have I robbed? From whom have I taken a bribe to look the other way? I will return it to you.”

(5) “How do you know,” David asked the young man who brought him the news, “that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” (6) The young man who brought him the news answered, “I happened to be at Mount Gilboa, and I saw Saul leaning on his spear, and the chariots and horsemen closing in on him. (7) He looked around and saw me, and he called to me. When I responded, ‘Here I am,’ (8) he asked me, ‘Who are you?’ And I told him that I was an Amalekite. (9) Then he said to me, ‘Stand over me, and finish me off, for I am in agony and am barely alive.’ (10) So I stood over him and finished him off, for I knew that he would never rise from where he was lying. Then I took the crown from his head and the armlet from his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

(1) In the year that King Uzziah died, I beheld my Ruler seated on a high and lofty throne; and the skirts of His robe filled the Temple. (2) Seraphs stood in attendance on Him. Each of them had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his legs, and with two he would fly. (3) And one would call to the other, “Holy, holy, holy! The Eternal of Multitudes! God's presence fills all the earth!” (4) The doorposts would shake at the sound of the one who called, and the House kept filling with smoke. (5) I cried, “Woe is me; I am lost! For I am a man of unclean lips And I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my own eyes have beheld The Ruler Eternal of Hosts.” (6) Then one of the seraphs flew over to me with a live coal, which he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. (7) It touched it to my lips and declared, “Now that this has touched your lips, Your guilt shall depart and your sin be purged away.” (8) Then I heard the voice of my Ruler saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” And I said, “Here I am; send me.”

(5) Is such the fast I desire, a day for people to starve their bodies? Is it bowing your head like a reed and lying in sackcloth and ashes? Do you call that a fast, a day that the Eternal wants? (6) No, this is the fast I desire: to unlock fetters of wickedness, and untie the cords of the yoke to let the oppressed go free; to break off every chain. (7) It is to share your bread with the hungry, and to take the wretched poor into your home; when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to ignore your own kin. (8) Then shall your light burst through like the dawn and your healing spring up quickly; your Vindicator shall march before you, The Presence of the Eternal shall be your defense. (9) Then, when you call, the Eternal will answer; When you cry, God will say: Here I am.