1 Samuel 3

King James Version

Full text for 1 Samuel Chapter 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.

2And 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;

3And 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];

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

5And 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.

6And 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.

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

8And 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.

9Therefore 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.

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

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.

12In 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.

13For 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.

14And 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.

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

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

17And 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.

18And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It [is] the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.

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

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

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

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

The young Samuel, ministering under the aged Eli, receives a direct call from the LORD during a time when divine revelation was scarce. After initially mistaking the voice for Eli's, Samuel is instructed by Eli to respond, whereupon the LORD reveals a severe judgment against Eli's house for his sons' wickedness and Eli's failure to restrain them. Samuel faithfully conveys this difficult message to Eli, who humbly accepts the divine decree, leading to Samuel's establishment as a recognized prophet throughout Israel.

Medium Summary

In a period characterized by infrequent divine revelation, the young Samuel served the LORD under the supervision of the elderly and visually impaired priest Eli. One night, the LORD repeatedly called Samuel, who, unaware of the divine voice, mistakenly ran to Eli three times. Eli, discerning that the LORD was calling the child, instructed Samuel to respond, "Speak; for thy servant heareth." Upon Samuel's obedience, the LORD delivered a solemn message of impending judgment upon Eli's household, reiterating the consequences for the iniquity of his sons, whom Eli had failed to restrain, declaring that their sin could not be atoned for by sacrifice. Though fearful, Samuel fully disclosed the divine word to Eli the following morning. Eli responded with resignation, stating, "It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good." Consequently, Samuel's prophetic authority was affirmed, and he grew in stature as the LORD was with him, establishing him as a prophet known throughout all Israel.

Long Summary

The chapter opens with the young Samuel ministering before the LORD under the guidance of the aged priest Eli, whose eyesight was dim. At this time, direct divine communication, or "open vision," was rare and highly valued. One night, as Eli lay in his place and Samuel was asleep near the ark of God, the LORD called Samuel by name. Samuel, not yet knowing the LORD or His word, mistook the call for Eli and ran to him, offering his service. This occurred a second and then a third time, with Eli denying each call. Finally, Eli, discerning the divine nature of the repeated calls, instructed Samuel that if he heard the voice again, he should respond, "Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth." Samuel returned to his place, and when the LORD called him a fourth time, Samuel responded as instructed. The LORD then delivered a profound and sobering message to Samuel concerning Eli's house. He declared that He would perform a deed in Israel that would cause all who heard it to tingle, fulfilling all the judgments previously spoken against Eli's family. The LORD specified that Eli's house would be judged forever for the iniquity he knew of—specifically, his sons making themselves vile—and his failure to restrain them. Furthermore, the LORD swore that the iniquity of Eli's house would never be purged by sacrifice or offering. The following morning, Samuel, though fearful, opened the doors of the house of the LORD. Eli, sensing the gravity of the situation, earnestly questioned Samuel, demanding that he hide nothing of what the LORD had spoken. Samuel, without reservation, recounted the entire vision to Eli. Eli's response was one of submission to divine will: "It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good." From that time forward, Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, ensuring that none of his prophetic words failed. Consequently, all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, recognized Samuel as a divinely established prophet of the LORD, as the LORD continued to reveal Himself to Samuel in Shiloh.

Core Concepts

  • Divine CallThe LORD's direct and repeated summoning of Samuel, initiating his prophetic ministry, despite Samuel's initial unfamiliarity with the divine voice.
  • Scarcity of VisionThe chapter highlights a period when "the word of the LORD was precious" and there was "no open vision," emphasizing the unusual nature and significance of Samuel's direct encounter with God.
  • Eli's JudgmentThe severe divine decree against Eli's household, pronounced through Samuel, due to the unpunished wickedness of his sons and Eli's failure to restrain them, a sin that could not be atoned for by sacrifice.
  • Prophetic SuccessionThe transition of divine communication and authority from the aging Eli, whose house was under judgment, to the young Samuel, who was divinely established as a prophet throughout Israel.
  • Obedience and RevelationSamuel's obedience to Eli's instruction to respond to the divine call, which led to the LORD's revelation of His will and judgment to the young prophet.
  • Divine SovereigntyEli's humble acceptance of the LORD's harsh judgment upon his house, stating, "It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good," demonstrating a recognition of God's ultimate authority.