1 Samuel 3

God calls Samuel

And the child Samuel ministered to the LORD in the presence of Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; visions were not frequent.

2 And it came about at that time, when Eli was lying down in his place (and his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see), 3 and before the lamp of God had gone out in the sanctuary of the LORD where the ark of God was, and Samuel was lying down to sleep, 4 that the LORD called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am”.

3:4 God speaks to men and He always takes the initiative – Gen 3:8-9; 12:1; 28:12-13; Ex 3:4; Josh 1:1; Jer 1:4-5; Matt 9:9; Acts 9:1-4; Rom 3:11.⚜

5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me”. And he said, “I did not call. Lie down again”. And he went and lay down.

6 And the LORD called yet again, “Samuel”. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me”. And he answered, “I did not call, my son. Lie down again”.

3:5-6 Eli was slow to understand spiritual things.⚜

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

3:7 Samuel was not willfully ignorant of the Lord as Eli’s sons were (1 Sam 2:12). He knew many things about the Lord, was willing to learn more, but as yet had no direct spiritual experience with God. Many religious people are in the same condition, not realizing that to know God is essential to salvation, indeed, is salvation (John 17:3; Eph 4:18; 2 Thess 1:8; 1 John 5:20).⚜

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”. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.

9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be if he calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

3:9 Ps 85:8; Hab 2:1. The Lord is always ready to speak to those who are ready to hear and obey (though He may sometimes test them by silence).⚜

10 And the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel, Samuel”. Then Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening”.

11 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Look, I will do a thing in Israel which will cause both ears of everyone who hears it to tingle. 12 In that day I will perform against Eli everything that I have spoken concerning his house. When I begin I will also make an end. 13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the sin which he knows; because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them.

3:13 1 Sam 2:12, 17, 22, 29. By not restraining his sons Eli became a partaker of their sins and as guilty as they.⚜

14 And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the sin of Eli’s house will never be purged with sacrifice or offering”.

3:11-14 God chose to give His message through a mere boy. Those who are old and experienced in God’s service should not think themselves superior and look down on the young (Ps 8:2; Matt 21:15-16; Jer 1:6-8; 1 Tim 4:12).⚜

3:14 Num 15:30; Isa 22:14; Matt 12:32; Gal 6:7-8; Heb 10:26-31. When people go on knowingly, willfully persisting in sin, there comes a time when God determines to judge them and closes the door to forgiveness.⚜

15 And Samuel lay there until the morning, then opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision. 16 Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son”. And he answered, “Here I am”.

17 And he said, “What is the thing that the LORD said to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God deal harshly with you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that he said to you”.

3:17 We should all want to know everything God has said. Contrast 2 Chron 25:16.⚜

18 And Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him”.

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 to be a prophet of the LORD.

3:20 Dan was in the far north of Israel, Beersheba in the far south.⚜

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

3:21 Observe that God reveals Himself to individuals through His Word. And those to whom the Word comes have the responsibility to declare it to others. God’s revelation of Himself to Samuel was not for Samuel alone.⚜