1 Samuel 3:9

9 “Go and lie down,” he said to Samuel, “and if He calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

1 Samuel 3:9 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 3:9

Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, go, lie down
Once more;

and it shall be, if he call thee;
the voice, or the Lord by it:

that thou shalt say, speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth;
his meaning is, that he should not rise and come to him, as he had done, but continue on his bed, on hearing the voice again, but desire the Lord to speak to him what he had to say, to which he was ready to attend:

so Samuel went and lay down in his place;
which, as commonly understood, was in the court of the Levites, (See Gill on 1 Samuel 3:3).

1 Samuel 3:9 In-Context

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, because the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

8 Once again, for the third time, the LORD called to Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you have called me.” Then Eli realized that it was the LORD who was calling the boy.

9 “Go and lie down,” he said to Samuel, “and if He calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 Then the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”

11 Then the LORD said to Samuel, “I am about to do something in Israel at which the ears of all who hear it will tingle.