Chapter Three
YHWH Calls Samuel
3:1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.
Samuel, still a young man, had been serving God, under the supervision of Eli. The Hebrew word translated here as ‘boy’ is nǎ’·’ǎr, referring to a young man, sometimes used to describe one being old enough to be a servant or even go into battle (see 1 Samuel 14:1; 30:13, 17). The historian Josephus records that Samuel was twelve years old at this time.[1] The author then informs us that God had not been communicating with His people for awhile. It appears that God had been silent for many years since the prophet spoke to Eli regarding his family line being cut off from serving God. There are several periods in the Bible where the silence of God was used as the judgment of God (see Psalm 74:9; Ezekiel 7:26; Amos 8:11–12; Micah 3:6).
3:2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.
Eli now being older and unable to see, was lying down in his own room or area for the night. We are told that the lamp of God had not yet gone out, referring to the Menorah in the Tabernacle’s Holy Place. The lamp would either be extinguished or would burn dim and be serviced every morning (see Leviticus 24:1-4), since the lamp had not yet gone out it was likely just before dawn. We read that Samuel was lying down in the temple (Hebrew hê·ḵǎl, a sanctuary, since the Temple had not been built yet this would be somewhere on the Tabernacle grounds), he was sleeping near where the ark of the covenant was (but not in the same room as only the high priest was allowed in the most holy place once a year).
3:4 Then the LORD called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.
YHWH called to Samuel, and thinking it was Eli calling him, he ran to him and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli replied that he did not call him and that he should go back to bed.
3:6 And the LORD called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.
YHWH again called, “Samuel!” and once again Samuel went to Eli responding with the same query and once again Eli said he didn’t call him. The author tells us that Samuel did not yet know YHWH and that the Word of God had not yet been revealed to him. This does not mean that he was totally unaware of God, but likely before he had any personal encounter or knew of anyone who had an encounter with God.
3:8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
YHWH called Samuel for the third time, and Samuel went to Eli, who by now realized that Samuel was being called by God, and so instructed him to say the next time He calls, “Speak Yahweh, because your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:9, LEB) Samuel then returned to bed.
3:10 And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”
YHWH called to Samuel as He did before, calling out to him, “Samuel! Samuel!” Having his name called out twice is reminiscent of when Abraham and Moses were called, both times being at important and transitional periods in their service to God (see Genesis 22:11 and Exodus 3:4). Samuel responds, “Speak, for your servant hears.” Some say that he didn’t respond as Eli recommended because he felt he wasn’t worthy to speak His name, which is possible, but he likely was simply too excited and quickly stated what he could remember to say. We are also told that YHWH also came and stood there, making this a vision as well, a fact that will be confirmed in verse fifteen (possibly a Christophany, click here to read more).
3:11 Then the LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”
YHWH tells Samuel that He is about to do something in Israel that will cause people’s ears to tingle (Hebrew teṣil·lê’·nā(h), to quiver, the result of hearing horrifying news, see also 2 Kings 21:12; Jeremiah 19:3) when they hear about it. He says He will fulfill what He said He was going to do concerning Eli and his family, from beginning to end, referring to the fact that what was previously prophesied by the unnamed prophet will be fully fulfilled. A judgment on Eli for the sin that he knew about regarding his sons blaspheming God and did nothing about it. God then swears an oath that the sins of Eli and his sons will not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering. The unnamed prophet’s prophecy was a warning, but it appears that their repentance never came, and now it was too late and judgment was imminent.
3:15 Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.
Samuel did what was probably a regular daily task assigned to him, he opened the doors of the Tabernacle, but was afraid to tell Eli about the vision. He probably did not know the content of the unnamed prophet prophecy.
3:16 But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” 17 And Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him.”
Eli called and asked Samuel to tell him what God told him. He told him to tell him everything, and threatened him, that God do to him, and more, if he left anything out. So Samuel told Eli everything God had said. Eli responded, He’s YHWH, let Him do what seems good to Him.
3:19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD.
Samuel grew both physically and spiritually, YHWH was with him (see also 1 Samuel 16:18; 18:12, 14) and “let none of His words fall to the ground,” a reference to all of the prophecies he stated came to pass (see 1 Samuel 9:6). The news that there was a true prophet of God spread from Dan in the far north to Beersheba in the far south, an equivalent of saying the entire nation (see also Judges 20:1; 2 Samuel 3:10; 17:11; 24:2, 15; 1 Kings 4:25; 1 Chronicles 21:2; 2 Chronicles 30:5). After a period of silence from God, the Israelites must have been excited as a new era was about to begin. But there would be challenging times approaching soon.
3:21 And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
YHWH appeared again (Hebrew yō’·sěp̄, to continue doing something), apparently God often revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh. The last part that refers to God revealing Himself to Samuel by the word of YHWH, is widely interpreted ranging from being messages direct from God to that of the written word.
The Septuagint adds to this verse, “And Eli was exceedingly elderly, and his sons continued in their way of conduct, and their way was evil before the Lord.”[2]
⇐Previous (Introduction) Next⇒
[1] Josephus, F., & Whiston, W. (1987). The works of Josephus: complete and unabridged (p. 149). Hendrickson.
[2] Brannan, R., Penner, K. M., Loken, I., Aubrey, M., & Hoogendyk, I., eds. (2012). The Lexham English Septuagint (1 Kgdms 3:21). Lexham Press.