1-10 How the word of the Lord was first revealed to Samuel 11-14 God tells Samuel the destruction of Eli's house 15-18 Samuel, though loath, tells Eli the vision 19-21 Samuel grows in credit

the child 1Sa 3:15 2:11,18

the word 1Sa 3:21 Ps 74:9 Isa 13:12 Am 8:11,12

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;

his eyes 1Sa 2:22 4:15 Ge 27:1 48:19 Ps 90:10 Ec 12:3

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;

ere. Before sun-rise: for it is probable the lamps were extinguished before the rising of the sun; see the Parallel Passages.

the lamp Ex 27:20,21 30:7,8 Le 24:2-4 2Ch 13:11

the temple 1Sa 1:6 Ps 5:7 27:4 29:9

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

called Samuel Ge 22:1 Ex 3:4 Ps 99:6 Ac 9:4 1Co 12:6-11,28 Ga 1:15,16

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.

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 4:16 Ge 43:29 2Sa 18:22 Mt 9:2

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

Now Samuel. or, Thus did Samuel before he knew the Lord, and before the word of the Lord was revealed unto him.

did not yet Samuel was not destitute of the knowledge of God, in that sense which implies the total absence of true piety, as Eli's sons were; for he knew and worshipped the God of Israel: but he did not know him as communicating special revelations of his will to him, in the manner in which he made it known to the prophets. Jer 9:24 Ac 19:2

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.

the third Job 33:14,15

Although Samuel did not apprehend the way in which God reveals himself to his servants the prophets - by the `still small voice'- yet when this direct communication from the Almighty was made the third time, in a way altogether new and strange to him, it seems astonishing that he did not immediately apprehend. Perhaps he would have been sooner aware of a divine revelation, had it come in a dream or a vision. Those who have the greatest knowledge of divine things, should remember the time when they were as babes, unskilful in the word of righteousness 1Co 13:11,12

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 Ex 20:19 Ps 85:8 Isa 6:8 Da 10:19 Ac 9:6

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

the Lord came. This seems to imply a visible appearance, as well as an audible voice.

as at other 1Sa 3:4-6,8

Samuel did not now rise and run as before, when thought Eli called, but lay still and listened. All must be silent, when God speaks, Observe, however, Samuel in his reply left out one word: he did not say, Speak, Lord, but only Speak, for thy servant heareth; perhaps, as Bp. Patrick suggests, out of uncertainty, whether it was God that spake to him or not. However, by this answer way was made for the massage he now to receive, and Samuel was brought acquainted with the words of God and visions of the Almighty

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 Isa 29:14 Am 3:6,7 Hab 1:5 Ac 13:41

both the ears 2Ki 21:12 Isa 28:19 Jer 19:3 Lu 21:26

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.

I will perform 1Sa 2:27-36 Nu 23:19 Jos 23:15 Zec 1:6 Lu 21:33

when I begin, etc. [heb] beginning and ending

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. or, And I will tell him, etc. 1Sa 2:27-30

I will 2Ch 20:12 Eze 7:3 18:30 Joe 3:12

which he knoweth 1Ki 2:44 Ex 7:22 1Jo 3:20

his sons 1Sa 2:12,17,22,23

vile. or, accursed
restrained them not [heb] frowned not upon them 1Sa 2:23-25 1Ki 1:6 Pr 19:18 23:13,14 29:15 Mt 10:37

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.

the iniquity 1Sa 2:25 Nu 15:30,31 Ps 51:16 Isa 22:14 Jer 7:16 15:1 Eze 24:13 Heb 10:4-10,26-31

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

opened 1Sa 1:9 Mal 1:10

Samuel Samuel reverenced Eli as a father, and feared to distress him by shewing what God had purposed to do. It does not appear that God commanded Samuel to deliver this message; he therefore did not attempt it till adjured by Eli. It might be supposed that Samuel would have been so full of ecstasy as to have forgotten his ordinary service, and run amongst his friends to tell them of the converse he had with God in the night: but he modestly keeps it to himself. Our secret communion with God is not to be proclaimed on the house-top.

feared Jer 1:6-8 1Co 16:10,11

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

17 And 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.

I pray thee Ps 141:5 Da 4:19 Mic 2:7

God 1Sa 20:13 Ru 1:17 2Sa 3:35 19:13 1Ki 22:16 Mt 26:63

more also [heb] so add
thing. or, word

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.

every whit [heb] all the things, or, words.
Whit, or wid, comes from the Anglo-Saxon {wiht} which signifies person, thing, etc. every whit is every thing: equivalent to every jot.

It is the Lord Ge 18:25 Jud 10:15 2Sa 16:10-12 Job 1:21 2:10 Ps 39:9 Isa 39:8 La 3:39 1Pe 5:6

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

grew 1Sa 2:21 Jud 13:24 Lu 1:80 2:40,52

the Lord 1Sa 18:14 Ge 39:2,21-23 Isa 43:2 Mt 1:23 Lu 1:28 2Co 13:11,14 2Ti 4:22

let none 1Sa 9:6 1Ki 8:56 Isa 44:26

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

Dan Jud 20:1 2Sa 3:10 17:11

established. or, faithful 1Ti 1:12

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

And the Lord, Wyyoseph yehowah lehairaoh, `And Jehovah added to appear:' that is, He continued to reveal himself to Samuel at Shiloh.

appeared Ge 12:7 15:1 Nu 12:6 Am 3:7 Heb 1:1

the word 1Sa 3:1,4