THE LORD RAISES SAMUEL AS HIS PROPHET

1 Samuel 3:1-4:1 / Keywords 3:10

The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

 

 The Lord Calls Samuel

3:1 The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.

2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel.

Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

8 A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

11 And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God,[a] and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”

15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16 but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”

Samuel answered, “Here I am.”

17 “What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.”

19 The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. 21 The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.

4:1 And Samuel’s word came to all Israel.

The Philistines Capture the Ark

Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek. 

Footnotes

a. 1 Samuel 3:13 An ancient Hebrew scribal tradition (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text sons made themselves contemptible

1. The Lord’s words were rare in those days. People were not seeking to hear the will of God and lived according to what pleased them (3:1, Judges 21:25). During this time, God was raising his faithful servant (19-21).

 

2. The young boy Samuel grew up under the care of Eli, the High Priest. One night, the Lord appeared to him and called him (4). Samuel served at the house of the Lord, yet he did not have a personal relationship with him and did not recognize his voice (7). With Eli’s guidance, Samuel learned to be ready for the Lord’s calling with a proper attitude (9,10). The first message he received was not an easy one to deliver; God was going to bring his judgment upon Eli’s family. Eli’s negligence of his sons’ sin against God was not something to be tolerated (13).

 

3. Eli encouraged Samuel to be truthful in delivering the message from God (17). While Eli failed to teach his own sons, he mentored Samuel properly. It was God himself who raised Samuel, making the right environment for him. God does not depend on human strength or wisdom (Romans 9:16). He carries out his plan and raises leaders to shepherd his people despite the wickedness of men.

 

Prayer Father, thank you for raising your people to carry out your will. Please include me in your work to glorify your name.

One Word The Lord raises his servant