1Sa 3:1 And 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.
And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli - Under his direction and instruction; he was now about twelve years of age. Josephus says that Samuel’s call to the prophetic office happened when he had just completed his twelfth year.
and the word of the Lord was precious in those days - that is, a word from the Lord in a dream or vision, directing, informing, instructing, or reproving, this was very rarely had; which accounts for why not only the child Samuel knew not that it was the voice of the Lord that called to him, but Eli himself thought nothing of it until he had called a third time
the word of the Lord was precious in those days--It was very rarely known to the Israelites; and in point of fact only two prophets are mentioned as having appeared during the whole administration of the judges (Jud 4:4; 6:8).
there was no open vision - or prophecy; no publicly known prophet raised up, to whom the people could apply for counsel, direction, and instruction in divine things; in all the times of the judges we read only of Deborah the prophetess, and one prophet more, Judges 4:14, excepting the man of God lately sent to Eli, 1 Samuel 2:27, and this want of prophecy served to set off with greater foil the glory of Samuel as a prophet of the Lord, when he was an established one; there having been none of that character in the memory of man, and therefore he is spoken of as at the head of the prophets, Acts 3:24 And also all the prophets from Samuel and those following after, as many as spoke, have likewise foretold of these days.
1Sa 3:2 And 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;
1Sa 3:3 And 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;
And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord - The tabernacle lamp is put for the lamps in the candlestick in the tabernacle, which were lighted every evening, and burnt till morning; by which time some of them at least usually went out, only it is said the western lamp never went out. Now the reason why this is observed is to show that it was in the night, before morning, that the following transaction was: some by this lamp understand the lamp of prophecy, that before that was quite extinct in Eli, only began to depart, as his eyes are said to begin to wax dim, the spirit of prophecy came to Samuel; so that, as the Jews express it, before one sun was set another arose; thus before the sun of Moses set, the sun of Joshua arose; and before the sun of Eli set, the sun of Samuel arose:
1Sa 3:4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.
That the Lord called Samuel - By a voice which came forth from the most holy place, from between the cherubim, the seat of the divine Majesty:
and he answered, here am I - which was not intended to declare the place where he was, but to express his readiness and cheerfulness to do any thing that was required of him. Genesis 22:1 And it happened after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, Abraham! And he said, Behold me. Genesis
1Sa 3:5 And 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.
1Sa 3:6 And 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.
1Sa 3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord - He knew that Jehovah, the God of Israel, was the true God; he had spiritual knowledge of him, and knew somewhat of his word and worship, ways and ordinances, in which he had been instructed by Eli; It can only be understood, that he had not learnt it perfectly; somewhat he knew of it, but in an imperfect manner, being a child.
Did not know - He was not acquainted with God in that extraordinary or prophetical way. And this ignorance of Samuel's served God's design, that his simplicity might give Eli the better assurance of the truth of God's call, and message to Samuel.
1Sa 3:8 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.
1Sa 3:9 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.
Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth - This was the usual way in which the prophets spoke, when they had intimations that the Lord was about to make some especial revelation.
1Sa 3:10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
And the Lord came, and stood - At the place where Samuel lay; either there was a form before his eyes in the vision of prophecy, some visible corporeal shape assumed; or a bright splendour an illustrious appearance of the glory of God; or it may be rather the voice, which before seemed to be at some distance whereabout Eli lay; it now seemed nearer, and was as the voice of one just by him, that sounded in his ears: A personal presence, not a mere voice, or impression upon Samuel’s mind, is here distinctly indicated.
1Sa 3:11 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.
I will do a thing in
the ears of everyone that heareth it shall tingle - be struck with horror and amazement, and quite stunned, and know not what to think or say, like persons surprised with a violent clap of thunder, which strikes their ears so strongly, that the noise of it is not soon gone from them; this was verified in Eli, and in his daughter-in-law particularly, who, at the news of the above things, the one fell backwards and broke his neck, and the other fell into labour and died; and all Israel were struck with astonishment at these things. 2Kings 21:12 therefore, so says Jehovah, the God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing evil on Jerusalem and Judah, so that whoever hears of it, both his ears shall tingle. Jeremiah 19:3 And say, Hear the Word of Jehovah, O kings of Judah, and people of
the ears of everyone that heareth it shall tingle - This expressive phrase occurs again twice with reference to the destruction of
1Sa 3:12 In 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.
which I have spoken concerning his house - Or family, that is, by the man of God, 1 Samuel 2:27 as that he would cut off the strength of it, that there should not be an old man in it; and such as remained should be reduced to the utmost poverty and meanness; this shows that that prophecy was antecedent to this, contrary to the sense of some:
when I begin, I will also make an end - not immediately, and at once, but by degrees; he began in the death of Hophni and Phinehas, and went on in the slaughter of Abimelech, and the eighty five priests at Nob, in the times of Saul, and finished in the thrusting out of Abiathar from the priesthood, in the times of Solomon, whereby that family was brought to disgrace and poverty.
When I begin - literally, as in the margin: meaning, I will go through with the performance from first to last.
1Sa 3:13 For 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.
For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever - That is, bring his judgments upon them, which should continue on them to their utter destruction; this, as to the substance, he said before by the man of God:
for the iniquity which he knoweth - for the iniquity of his sons, which he thoroughly informed of, and fully acquainted with by others; and somewhat of which he must have been sensible of, and seen with his own eyes, and therefore was inexcusable:
because his sons made themselves vile - mean and contemptible in the sight of men, abhorred and accursed in the sight of God.
and he restrained them not - he did not make use of his authority, neither as a father, and especially not as high priest, and the judge of
1Sa 3:14 And 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.
Shall not be purged with sacrifice - That is, the punishment threatened against Eli and his family, shall not be prevented by all their sacrifices, but shall infallibly be executed. The sin of the sons of Eli could not be purged by the appointed sacrifices of the Law. They had committed the sin unto death; and no offering or sacrifice could prevent this. In blessed contrast with this declaration is the assurance of the New Testament 1John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. Acts
1Sa 3:15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.
Opened the doors - We learn thus incidentally the nature of some of Samuel’s duties. This duty was quite Levitical in its character. Originally, when the tabernacle was simply a tent, travelling with the people from place to place, it had only curtains at the entrance to the holy place and court. But when Israel had become possessed of fixed houses in the land of Canaan, and the dwelling-place of God was permanently erected at Shiloh, instead of the tents that were pitched for the priests and Levites, who encamped round about during the journey through the desert, there were erected fixed houses, which were built against or inside the court, and not only served as dwelling-places for the priests and Levites who were officiating, but were also used for the reception and custody of the gifts that were brought as offerings to the sanctuary. These buildings in all probability supplanted entirely the original tent-like enclosure around the court; so that instead of the curtains at the entrance, there were folding doors, which were shut in the evening and opened again in the morning.
And Samuel lay until the morning – He probably didn’t sleep after that.
Samuel feared to show Eli the vision - Here was Samuel’s first experience of the prophet’s cross: the having unwelcome truth to divulge to those he loved, honored, and feared. It does not appear that God had commanded Samuel to deliver this message: he, therefore, did not attempt it till adjured by Eli, 1Sa_3:17.
1Sa 3:16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.
and he said, Samuel, my son - called him by his name, and in a very tender and affectionate manner, the more to engage him to hasten to him, and thereby also putting him in mind of his filial duty to obey him:
1Sa
God do so to thee, and more also - This was a very solemn adjuration: he suspected that God had threatened severe judgments, for he knew that his house was very criminal; and he wished to know what God had spoken. The words imply thus much: If thou do not tell me fully what God has threatened, may the same and greater curses fall on thyself.
God do so to thee, and more also - it is the form of an oath or curse, wishing that God would do some great evil to him, and more than he chose to express, if he concealed anything from him that had been told him.
1Sa 3:18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.
1Sa 3:19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
And Samuel grew - Not only in years and stature, but in grace and goodness, in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, both with respect to things natural and spiritual, and in esteem, credit, and reputation among men:
and did let none of his words fall to the ground - in allusion to something falling to the ground and rendered useless. . A metaphor from precious liquors, which when they are spilt upon the ground, are altogether useless. (Some say to arrow falling to the ground out of a bow.)
The Lord was with him - Teaching him, and filling him with grace and holiness.
None of his words fall - Whatever prediction he uttered, God fulfilled it; and his counsels were received as coming from the Lord.
These three verses (1 Samuel
1Sa
from Dan even unto Beersheba - That is, from the most northern border of the land of Israel, on which Dan lay, to the utmost border of it southward, where Beersheba was, the fame of Samuel for his piety, prudence, and prophecy, was spread abroad; so that all
1Sa
And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh - In the tabernacle there; he had appeared before to Samuel, when he called him, and declared to him what he designed and resolved to do to Eli and his family, and now appeared again to him in the same place before the battle of the Israelites with the Philistines, of which there is an account in the following chapter. Such appearances had not been usual in
by the Word of the Lord - by Christ, the Word of the Lord, who appeared to him, it is probable, in an human form, as he was wont to do to the patriarchs and prophets, and by whom the Lord revealed his mind and will unto them, being the Angel of his presence, and the messenger of his covenant; or by giving him a word of command to be delivered by him to the children of Israel, and which is expressed and delivered, in the next chapter. By the spirit and word of prophecy.
