1 Samuel 3:16-21

16 Then Eli called Samuel and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.

17 And he said, What is the word that the LORD has spoken unto thee? I pray thee do not hide it from me. God do so to thee and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the word that he spoke unto thee.

18 And Samuel declared all of it to him without hiding any thing. Then he said, It is the LORD; let him do what seems good unto him.

19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and did not let any of his words fall to the ground.

20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was a faithful prophet of the LORD.

21 Thus the LORD appeared again in Shiloh, for the LORD manifested himself to Samuel in Shiloh with the word of the LORD.

1 Samuel 3:16-21 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.