1 Samuel 3:9

9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go , lie down : and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say , Speak , LORD; for thy servant heareth . 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, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.

8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said , Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.

9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go , lie down : and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say , Speak , LORD; for thy servant heareth . So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 And the LORD came , and stood , and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered , Speak ; for thy servant heareth .

11 And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle .