1 Samuel 3

1 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.

2 And it cometh to pass, at that time, that Eli is lying down in his place, and his eyes have begun to be dim -- he is not able to see.

3 And the lamp of God is not yet extinguished, and Samuel is lying down in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God [is],

4 and Jehovah calleth unto Samuel, and he saith, `Here [am] I.'

5 And he runneth unto Eli, and saith, `Here [am] I, for thou hast called for me;' and he saith, `I called not; turn back, lie down;' and he goeth and lieth down.

6 And Jehovah addeth to call again Samuel, and Samuel riseth and goeth unto Eli, and saith, `Here [am] I, for thou hast called for me;' and he saith, `I have not called, my son, turn back, lie down.'

7 And Samuel hath not yet known Jehovah, and the word of Jehovah is not yet revealed unto him.

8 And Jehovah addeth to call Samuel the third time, and he riseth and goeth unto Eli, and saith, `Here [am] I, for thou hast called for me;' and Eli understandeth that Jehovah is calling to the youth.

9 And Eli saith to Samuel, `Go, lie down, and it hath been, if He doth call unto thee, that thou hast said, Speak, Jehovah, for Thy servant is hearing;' and Samuel goeth and lieth down in his place.

10 And Jehovah cometh, and stationeth Himself, and calleth as time by time, `Samuel, Samuel;' and Samuel saith, `Speak, for Thy servant if hearing.'

11 And Jehovah saith unto Samuel, `Lo, I am doing a thing in Israel, at which the two ears of every one hearing it do tingle.

12 In that day I establish unto Eli all that I have spoken unto his house, beginning and completing;

13 and I have declared to him that I am judging his house -- to the age, for the iniquity which he hath known, for his sons are making themselves vile, and he hath not restrained them,

14 and therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli: the iniquity of the house of Eli is not atoned for, by sacrifice, and by offering -- unto the age.'

15 And Samuel lieth till the morning, and openeth the doors of the house of Jehovah, and Samuel is afraid of declaring the vision unto Eli.

16 And Eli calleth Samuel, and saith, `Samuel, my son;' and he saith, `Here [am] I.'

17 And he saith, `What [is] the word which He hath spoken unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me; so doth God do to thee, and so doth He add, if thou hidest from me a word of all the words that He hath spoken unto thee.'

18 And Samuel declareth to him the whole of the words, and hath not hid from him; and he saith, `It [is] Jehovah; that which is good in His eyes He doth.'

19 And Samuel groweth up, and Jehovah hath been with him, and hath not let fall any of his words to the earth;

20 and all Israel know, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba, that Samuel is established for a prophet to Jehovah.

21 And Jehovah addeth to appear in Shiloh, for Jehovah hath been revealed unto Samuel, in Shiloh, by the word of Jehovah.

1 Samuel 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

The word of the Lord first revealed to Samuel. (1-10) God tells Samuel the destruction of Eli's house. (11-18) Samuel established to be a prophet. (19-21)

Verses 1-10 The call which Divine grace designs shall be made effectual; will be repeated till it is so, till we come to the call. Eli, perceiving that it was the voice of God that Samuel heard, instructed him what to say. Though it was a disgrace to Eli, for God's call to be directed to Samuel, yet he told him how to meet it. Thus the elder should do their utmost to assist and improve the younger that are rising up. Let us never fail to teach those who are coming after us, even such as will soon be preferred before us, ( John 1:30 ) . Good words should be put into children's mouths betimes, by which they may be prepared to learn Divine things, and be trained up to regard them.

Verses 11-18 What a great deal of guilt and corruption is there in us, concerning which we may say, It is the iniquity which our own heart knoweth; we are conscious to ourselves of it! Those who do not restrain the sins of others, when it is in their power to do it, make themselves partakers of the guilt, and will be charged as joining in it. In his remarkable answer to this awful sentence, Eli acknowledged that the Lord had a right to do as he saw good, being assured that he would do nothing wrong. The meekness, patience, and humility contained in those words, show that he was truly repentant; he accepted the punishment of his sin.

Verses 19-21 All increase in wisdom and grace, is owing to the presence of God with us. God will graciously repeat his visits to those who receive them aright. Early piety will be the greatest honour of young people. Those who honour God he will honour. Let young people consider the piety of Samuel, and from him they will learn to remember their Creator in the days of their youth. Young children are capable of religion. Samuel is a proof that their waiting upon the Lord will be pleasing to him. He is a pattern of all those amiable tempers, which are the brightest ornament of youth, and a sure source of happiness.

Chapter Summary

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.