1 Samuel 3

10–14 The fourth time, the Lord came and stood there; perhaps Samuel could see Him as well as hear Him. As Eli had instructed, Samuel answered: “Speak, for your servant is listening”¹⁹ (verse 10). We would do well to follow Samuel’s example; what we usually say to the Lord is: “Listen, your servant is speaking”!²⁰

Then the Lord summarized the message that the man of God had given Eli earlier (1 Samuel 2:27–36). God’s JUIGMENT had fallen on Eli’s family (verse 14); their fault could never be atoned²¹ for by sacrifices or offerings (see Hebrews 10:26–27). The fact that the Lord was repeating to Samuel an earlier message showed that this was indeed a true revelation from Him.

15–18 In the morning Eli demanded to know what the Lord had spoken to Samuel. When Eli heard from Samuel the same prophecy that the “man of God” had given him earlier, he knew it must be true; and so he resigned himself to the Lord’s will (verse 18).

19–21 From that time on, Samuel became the Lord’s prophet. The Lord let none of [Samuel’s] words fall to the ground (verse 19)—that is, every prophetic word the Lord spoke through Samuel came true. All Israel from Dan to Beersheba—from north to south (Judges 20:1)—came to recognize that Samuel was indeed the Lord’s prophet²² (verse 20).