1 Samuel 3:2-12

2 Therefore it was done in a day, Eli lay in his bed, and his eyes dimmed, and he might not see; (And so it was done one night, when Eli lay on his bed, and his eyes had dimmed, and he could not see;)
3 the lantern of the Lord was not yet quenched. And Samuel slept in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. (and Samuel also slept in the Temple of the Lord, where the Ark of God was. And one morning, before that the lantern of God was quenched,)
4 And the Lord called Samuel; and he answered and said, Lo! I./Lo! I am ready. (the Lord called to Samuel; and he answered and said, Lo! I am here.)
5 And he ran to Eli, and said to him, Lo! I; for thou calledest me. And Eli said, I called not thee; turn thou again and sleep. And he went and slept. (And he ran to Eli, and said to him, Lo! I am here; for thou hast called me. And Eli said, I did not call thee; return thou, and go to sleep. And so he went and slept again.)
6 And the Lord added again to call Samuel; and Samuel rose (up), and went to Eli, and said, Lo! I (am) here; for thou calledest me. And Eli answered, I called not thee, my son; turn thou again and sleep (And Eli answered, I did not call thee, my son; return thou, and go back to sleep).
7 Forsooth Samuel knew not yet the Lord, neither the word of the Lord was showed to him. (For Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord was not yet shown to him.)
8 And the Lord added, and called yet Samuel the third time; the which rose up and went to Eli, and said, Lo! I; for thou calledest me. Then Eli understood, that the Lord had called the child; (And the Lord added, and called to Samuel yet the third time; and he rose up and went to Eli, and said, Lo! I am here; for thou hast called me. Then Eli understood, that the Lord had called the child;)
9 and Eli said to Samuel, Go thou and sleep; and if he calleth thee afterward, thou shalt say, Speak thou, Lord, for thy servant heareth. Then Samuel went and slept in his place.
10 And the Lord came, and stood, and called as he had called the second time (and called to him as he had called the other times, saying), Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel said, Speak thou, Lord, for thy servant heareth.
11 And the Lord said to Samuel, Lo! I (shall) make a word, that is, (I shall do) a thing signified by a word, in Israel, which word whoever shall hear, both his ears shall ring, that is, he shall be astonished for wonder and dread.
12 In that day I shall raise up against Eli all (the) things that I have spoken upon his house; I shall begin (it), and I shall end (it).

1 Samuel 3:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 3

This chapter gives an account of the Lord's calling to Samuel in the night season, which he first took for the voice of Eli, but being instructed by him, made answer to the voice, 1Sa 3:1-10, and of a message sent from him by Samuel to Eli, foretelling the destruction of his family, 1Sa 3:11-14 and of the delivery of it to him, which Samuel was first fearful of doing, but, encouraged by Eli, he delivered it to him, to which he patiently submitted, 1Sa 3:15-18 and the chapter is closed with the establishment of Samuel as a prophet of the Lord, who continued to appear and reveal himself to him, 1Sa 3:19-21.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.