1 Samuel 3KJV
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1 Samuel3

King James Version · Public Domain

1And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

2And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;

3And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;

4That the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

5And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.

6And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.

7Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him.

8And 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.

9Therefore 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.

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

11And 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.

12In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.

13For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.

14And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.

15And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.

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

17And he said, What is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.

18And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good.

19And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

20And all Israel from Dan even to Beer–sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.

21And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Samuel 3.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The word of the Lord first revealed to Samuel. (1–10). God tells Samuel the destruction of Eli's house. (11–18). Samuel established to be a prophet. (19–21).

vv1-10

The call which Divine grace designs shall be made effectual; will be repeated till it is so, till we come to the call. Eli, perceiving that it was the voice of God that Samuel heard, instructed him what to say. Though it was a disgrace to Eli, for God's call to be directed to Samuel, yet he told him how to meet it. Thus the elder should do their utmost to assist and improve the younger that are rising up. Let us never fail to teach those who are coming after us, even such as will soon be preferred before us, Joh 1:30. Good words should be put into children's mouths betimes, by which they may be prepared to learn Divine things, and be trained up to regard them.

vv11-18

What a great deal of guilt and corruption is there in us, concerning which we may say, It is the iniquity which our own heart knoweth; we are conscious to ourselves of it! Those who do not restrain the sins of others, when it is in their power to do it, make themselves partakers of the guilt, and will be charged as joining in it. In his remarkable answer to this awful sentence, Eli acknowledged that the Lord had a right to do as he saw good, being assured that he would do nothing wrong. The meekness, patience, and humility contained in those words, show that he was truly repentant; he accepted the punishment of his sin.

vv19-21

All increase in wisdom and grace, is owing to the presence of God with us. God will graciously repeat his visits to those who receive them aright. Early piety will be the greatest honour of young people. Those who honour God he will honour. Let young people consider the piety of Samuel, and from him they will learn to remember their Creator in the days of their youth. Young children are capable of religion. Samuel is a proof that their waiting upon the Lord will be pleasing to him. He is a pattern of all those amiable tempers, which are the brightest ornament of youth, and a sure source of happiness.

Cross References

1 Samuel 3
v121 Samuel 2:27-36thematic

Direct reference to the previously announced prophetic judgment against Eli's priestly house.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v3Exodus 27:21thematic

Prescribes the burning of the sanctuary lamps until morning, establishing the night-to-morning timeframe.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v71 Samuel 2:12thematic

Contrast between Samuel's ignorance of divine revelation and the sons of Eli who 'knew not the Lord'.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v1Amos 8:11thematic

Parallel description of a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v112 Kings 21:12thematic

The severe warning of judgment that makes the ears of everyone who hears it tingle.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v121 Samuel 4:18thematic

The fulfillment of the threatened doom against Eli's house on the day of the battle.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v131 Samuel 2:22-25thematic

Details Eli's weak admonition of his sons, failing to properly restrain their wicked behavior.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v19Joshua 23:14thematic

Echoes the language of none of God's promised words 'falling to the ground' without fulfillment.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

Mandates the continuous evening-to-morning burning of the golden candlestick in the Tabernacle.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v11Jeremiah 19:3thematic

Another instance where catastrophic national judgment on Israel causes the hearer's ears to tingle.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v18Job 1:21thematic

Parallels Eli's quiet, submissive resignation to the severe, sovereign decree of God.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v1Proverbs 29:18thematic

Describes the spiritual danger and lawlessness that occur when there is 'no open vision'.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v2Genesis 27:1thematic

Parallels the physical dimness of Eli's eyes in old age with Isaac's declining sight.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v20Acts 3:24thematic

Identifies Samuel as the landmark prophet who inaugurated the era of open prophetic succession.

Supported by Matthew Henry