1 Samuel 3: 1 – 21
Do You Hear What I Hear?
1 Now the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. 2 And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see, 3 and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the LORD where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, 4 that the LORD called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!” 5 So 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 Then the LORD called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 (Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.) 8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the boy. 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 hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” 11 Then the LORD said to Samuel: “Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. 14 And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.” 15 So Samuel lay down until morning, and 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!” He answered, “Here I am.” 17 And he said, “What is the word that the LORD spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that He said to you.” 18 Then 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 So 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 had been established as a prophet of the LORD. 21 Then the LORD appeared again in Shiloh. For the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
I would say that at first sight the title makes you think of Christmas, does it not? However, after reading through chapter 3 you realize that the Scripture is addressing hearing the voice of the Lord. In fact this wonderful experience seems so rare. In this story our Lord speaks to a young man who has been dedicated to the Lord. It addresses not only the young man but also the high priest.
The Lord’s voice was so rare because of the sins of all the people that they did not even recognize Him until the third call.
Sadly, this same situation is going on today. As we go through this study take you own inventory. Have you ever heard the Lord’s voice? If not then the question is why not?
3.1 ‘And the child Samuel ministered to YHWH before Eli.’ And the word of YHWH was precious in those days. There was no vision published abroad.’
The young boy continued faithfully to serve YHWH. And he did it under Eli’s jurisdiction and guidance. So God had not overlooked what was good in Eli, and He had entrusted to his care the one in whom His coming purposes would be fulfilled.
In this passage we are shown the huge transformation that takes place as a result of Samuel’s presence at Shiloh. It commences with a situation where there is no frequent vision, and ends with Samuel revealing YHWH’s word to all Israel. It must indeed have seemed at the time as though Samuel was the faithful Priest whom YHWH would raise up (2.35). He certainly fulfilled most of the requirements as the adopted son of Eli. But it is noteworthy that Samuel never himself made any claim to be High Priest, nor ever sought to act as such. He acted as a priest, a judge and a prophet, but never as the High Priest of the Tabernacle. That position was reserved for others who were trueborn sons of Aaron. YHWH would be faithful to His promise to Aaron.
Prior to what is to happen to Samuel the writer describes the parlous situation in which Israel finds itself. The word of YHWH was precious because it was so rare. There was ‘no vision published abroad’. God had almost stopped speaking to His people. During the long judgeship of Eli, and especially towards its latter end, the voice of YHWH had been virtually silent. And even before that it had been silent since the birth of Samson. The behavior of those who should have been the means of speaking to His people had made it impossible. Indeed in the whole of the time of the Judges we have only two references to a prophet (Judges 4.4; 6.8). It was true that God still delivered His people, but they received no ‘word from Him.
3.2-4 ‘And it came about on that day, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could not see), and the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, in the temple of YHWH, where the ark of God was, that YHWH called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am.” ’
Old and almost blind Eli had lain down in his quarters in the sacred area surrounding the Tabernacle. Eli’s condition explains why Samuel thought that it was Eli who was calling for assistance. The sevenfold lamp stand still had its light burning through the night as it always had at nights. This demonstrates that dawn had not yet arrived for it was still lit. And Samuel also, having finished his duties for the day had also lain down to sleep ‘in the temple of YHWH where the Ark of God was’. This does not necessarily mean that he slept inside the Sanctuary, although it is possible. It probably means that he slept in the wider Temple area which included the store rooms and the sleeping quarters for those dedicated to YHWH. The point of its being ‘where the Ark of God was’ lay in the fact that it was the Ark which represented the presence of YHWH, and it was YHWH Who was about to speak to him. This last is especially significant in that the Ark would not be there all that much longer. It would shortly be captured by the Philistines and defiled, with the result that, although it was soon returned, it would for a considerable period be unavailable for worship (all through the judgeship of Samuel and the kingship of Saul). But at this stage the Ark was still with His people.
We also need to see behind the details described was the state of Israel. Their leadership was almost blind, and while their light was not yet out, it was on the point of ‘going out’. The situation was spiritually grim. And it was only saved by YHWH speaking from the Ark of God for the last time for many years.
Do we also see the same thing with the churches in our country here in this story? America has almost rejected God’s Holy Word. Today many evil people want to instill laws banning God’s Holy word by listing it as a ‘hate book’. The words our Lord Jesus spoke to all of us as recorded in the book of Revelation is so real today. If you ever want to do an actual investigation of this try visiting some other churches. They do not read the Bible. They do sermons which in most cases talk about social issues. How pathetic. So, if they will not use Almighty God’s Word He will take it away. We read in chapter 2 right off the start of how the church has grown loveless, “1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lamp stands: 2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lamp stand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’
From His throne on the Ark, from the place of propitiation, the mercy seat, YHWH called to Samuel by name. Samuel was used to a voice calling in the night for the ailing Eli no doubt often had to seek his help. So when he heard the voice he thought that it could only be Eli. He was not yet at this stage used to hearing the voice of YHWH.
3.5 ‘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.’
On hearing the voice Samuel ran to where Eli was lying and said, ‘Here I am for you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call my son. Go back to bed.” And Samuel returned to his bed. Notice Eli’s description of Samuel as ‘his son’. We may certainly see that he has adopted Samuel so that he could legitimately be a priest.
3.6 ‘And YHWH 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.”
Then YHWH again called his name, and again Samuel went to Eli saying, ‘Here I am for you called me.” And again he replied, “I did not call my son, go back to bed.”
3.7 ‘Now Samuel did not yet know YHWH, nor was the word of YHWH yet revealed to him.’
We are now given the reason for Samuel’s confusion. Up to this point he did not ‘know YHWH’ In other words he had never had personal and specific communication with Him and from Him. This was indeed the day on which he would become ‘a man of God, a prophet’. For from now on he would continue to hear the voice of YHWH. The long years of darkness for Israel were over. Spiritually the light would not go out. Rather it would go on shining ever more brightly as the years went by.
3.8 ‘And YHWH 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 YHWH had called the youth.’
Once more YHWH called Samuel’s name, and again he ran to Eli and said, ‘Here I am for you called me’. But this time Eli recognized that something unusual was happening. He recognized that it was YHWH who was calling the young man.
3.9 ‘Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call you, that you will say, “Speak, YHWH; for your servant is listening.” So Samuel went and lay down in his place’
Eli told Samuel that if he heard the voice again he must say, “Speak YHWH, for your servant is listening.’ And with that Samuel returned to bed.
3.10 ‘And YHWH came, and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel, Samuel.” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” ’
Then YHWH ‘came, and stood, and called’ his name again. Note the threefold activity indicating its completeness. The previous threefold call was probably intended to be seen as indicating the completeness of his calling. It indicated a kind of inauguration. Now YHWH came in a complete revelation of Himself. Now YHWH speaks Samuel’s name twice. This time He expects a reply. And Samuel replies, ‘speak YHWH for your servant is listening.’ From now on Samuel is a ‘a servant of God’, a ‘man of God’, a ‘prophet of YHWH’.
It is more than likely that Samuel had no notion of what the man of God had said to Eli. It was not the kind of thing that Eli would have shared with a boy. Thus what YHWH said to him must have come as a complete surprise.
3.11 ‘And YHWH said to Samuel, “Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.”
YHWH informs Samuel of the seriousness of what He is about to tell him. For He Is about to do something that will stir the whole of Israel and make their ears tingle because of the seriousness of it. The news of the exclusion from the High Priesthood of the ‘reigning’ line would come as a huge shock to Samuel. It was almost unthinkable. High Priests were forever. And it also highlighted the fact that there would be terrible events that would bring it about, something truly earthshaking.
3.12-13 “In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end. For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves, and he did not restrain them.”
Notice the regular prophetic phrase ‘in that day’, which always signals something God will assuredly, does in the future, usually in the form of judgment. And ‘in that day’ YHWH tells him, He will perform against Eli all that He had spoken concerning his house from beginning to end. Then He explains to him that He has informed Eli that His permanent judgment has been passed on Eli’s house forever because of the iniquity that he knew about and did nothing to prevent. That is, the iniquity of his two sons and their sacrilegious behavior.
Samuel was, of course, well aware of the behavior of Eli’s sons, and had probably anticipated that at some time YHWH would act on the matter. But he had probably not dreamed that it would affect his beloved Eli. We all need to stop and think that Samuel look upon Eli as his dad. We also need to realize that he was as yet too young to recognize that to fail to put restraint on open sin when it was within a person’s authority, was to be guilty of participation in that sin.
3.14 “And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering forever.”
And therefore, YHWH explains, He has sworn to the house of Eli that no sacrifice or offering would be able to expiate [atoned for] their sin forever. Thus Samuel learns, possibly for the first time, that sacrifices and offerings do not inevitably expiate sin. Obedience also is necessary.
The news must have come to him in a way that maybe for the first time ever greatly upset him. He was learning from the commencement that being a prophet of YHWH was never going to be an easy thing. He was learning that as a prophet he would be called on to bear the ‘burden’ of others, and to communicate unpleasant news.
3.15 ‘And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of YHWH. And Samuel was afraid to show Eli the vision.’
Notice that it does not say ‘slept’. It is doubtful whether he could sleep. I am sure you have personally experienced this situation. You cannot sleep and you yearn for the proper time to get up and get going. The book of Ecclesiastes chapter 8 says this well, “When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth, even though one sees no sleep day or night,”
As he lay on his mattress his thoughts must have been turning over and over. How could he possibly tell his beloved step dad what God had told him? And when he rose in the morning wondering what on earth the day would bring, he said nothing to Eli but went to the doors of the outer court, and opened them ready for the new day. He did not dare to say anything to Eli.
3.16 ‘Then Eli called Samuel, and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” ’
Eli may only have had dim sight, but he could hardly have failed to notice how quiet Samuel was, and calling to Samuel he said, ‘Samuel, my son’. And in what must have been a very strained yet anxious voice, Samuel replied, ‘Here I am.’
3.17 ‘And he said, “What is the thing that YHWH has said to you? I pray you, do not hide it from me: God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that he said to you.”
Eli must have known perfectly well that Samuel had received some important message. He probably even suspected that it concerned himself. And so he quietly asked him for full details of what YHWH had said to him. He asked him what had been said, and to hide nothing, and put him under a mild oath not to do so on pain of God’s displeasure.
3.18 ‘And Samuel told him every detail, and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is YHWH. Let him do what seems good to him.” ’
Obediently Samuel explained to him everything that he had been told. He must have been very relieved when the godly Eli took it calmly. But Eli’s faith was sufficient to acknowledge that it was YHWH Who had spoken and that YHWH knew what He was doing. Let Him therefore do what seemed good to Him.
Eli was a godly man. The problem was that he had just been too weak to deal properly with his headstrong sons.
In just a short amount of years the Lord will raise up a king after His own heart by the name of David. In the chapters to come you will also see how he had a hard time controlling rebellious sons.
Eli and David’s lives are a warning to us all not to be too reticent in dealing with sin. Where we have responsibility we must take the blame if we do not fulfill our responsibility.
3.19 ‘And Samuel grew, and YHWH was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground.’
As Samuel grew up YHWH was with Him. He now ‘knew YHWH’ and received His word. And as he passed them on to the people YHWH let none of his words be wasted, and fulfilled all that was promised. Everything that he spoke came about, and came to the people as the oracle of YHWH. His words were certainly going to be needed. They were entering one of the darker periods of Israel’s history in the face of continued Philistine oppression which threatened to engulf them.
3.20 ‘And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of YHWH.’
The result was that all Israel ‘from Dan to Beersheba’ knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of YHWH. The news spread everywhere among the tribes. At last YHWH was speaking again. He had risen up a prophet like to Moses (Deuteronomy 18.15).
The description ‘from Dan to Beersheba’ was a standard expression encompassing all the tribes of Israel, Dan being the northernmost point and Beersheba the southernmost. This did not refer to the area of Samuel’s judgeship. It referred to his status as a prophet.
3.21 ‘And YHWH appeared again in Shiloh; for YHWH revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh in the word of YHWH.’
As a result of Samuel’s prophesying Shiloh would one day regain its status as the place where YHWH revealed Himself. For YHWH revealed Himself to Samuel by giving him ‘the word of YHWH’. Thus the authentic voice of YHWH was again being heard. It portended a new beginning for Israel in its development as a nation4.
1 ‘And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.’
As you know the bible was not written with chapters and verse numbers. Way in the future did this happen. This is why we see sometimes certain verses which begin a chapter should be in the previous chapter.
Having received the word of YHWH Samuel would pass it on to the people. The word of Samuel was heard wherever Israelites were found.
In closing we can hear the Lord voice to us at anytime. When you take some time to open His Precious Word He will speak. So I say, ‘speak Lord for your servant listens.’
