1 Samuel 3:11, commentary and pictures

God spoke to the boy Samuel at night in the tabernacle to give him his first direct revelation and commission him as a prophet when the word of the Lord was rare and there was no open vision. The tingling of both ears means a terrible, shocking calamity that God would bring upon Israel in judgment against the house of Eli to be fully carried out. That judgment came because Eli knew his sons made themselves vile and profaned sacred office, yet he was too indulgent to restrain them and gave only mild reproof while keeping them in holy service. In passing by aged Eli to commune with a child, God both rebuked Eli for proving unworthy and honored youth by entrusting solemn truth and special work to those who are impressible and willing to obey. The announcement therefore stands as a danger signal that parents are accountable in great degree for the faults of their children when they tolerate evil and neglect to enforce obedience and discipline in the home.

Samuel's First Nighttime Revelation

The verse records Samuel's first direct revelation, before he had yet known the Lord in direct manifestation, and by it commissions him as a prophet of the Most High. It came when the word of the Lord was precious and there was no open vision, at night in the temple where the ark of God was, before the lamp of God went out. At that hour blind Eli was laid down in his place and Samuel was laid down to sleep, and God called Samuel three times, with Samuel each time running to Eli supposing Eli had called, until Eli perceived the call was the voice of God and directed him how to answer if called again. Samuel was so awed that the great God should speak to him that he could not remember the exact words he had been bidden to say.

In speaking thus God passed by Eli and communed with a child in an unexpected manner, so that Eli would hear of it through the surprise and inquiry of the youth. That passing by of His chosen servant, the man of hoary hairs, was itself a bitter yet deserved rebuke to Eli and his house. He passed Eli by and gave His message to the child Samuel because Eli proved unworthy of his trust, having sinned by remonstrating with his sons without restraining them. Though he knew their iniquity, that they did wickedly and made themselves vile, blind affection made him shrink from decided action to avoid unpleasant feelings in the home, so he only remonstrated but did not command. He neglected to train his sons to keep the way of the Lord and failed his duty as judge in Israel by not separating them from holy office though they misrepresented and dishonored God, so that God could not go forth with His people. While still a boy, therefore, Samuel was entrusted with the solemn message while the aged priest who had neglected his sacred duty and failed to train his children rightly was passed by.

The choice honors the young by calling Samuel in his youth and committing a solemn message and special work to him. God accepted him when his mother dedicated him to His service by solemn vow before his birth and brought him to the tabernacle after his birth, where as a child he ministered before the Lord girded with a linen ephod while his mother made him a little coat year by year and stitched prayers into it. Older persons can become so set in their own course of action that although God sends His messages to them they do not hear with a firm will to obey His voice, whereas children and youth are more impressible. For that reason the Lord can still instruct them and mold their minds as He did Samuel's, and was with youth as with Joseph and Samuel, communicating with them to raise them up to do a work for Christ that adults cannot do. He has died for children and is ready to do a great work for them and to entrust truth and work to them if parents will cooperate with Him in training and educating them according to His instruction.

Judgment on Eli's House

The tingling of both ears means a terrible, shocking and startling calamity and grave crisis that God will do in Israel, making everyone who hears of it shudder with alarm. It announces judgment against Eli's house and household that will be carried out fully. The thing that makes ears tingle is the severe judgment God will carry out against Eli's family, fulfilling all He has declared.

The judgment comes because Eli knew his sons were doing wrong and made themselves vile, yet failed to restrain them. His sons profaned sacred duties and sacrifices and dishonored God in holy office by deliberate contempt for holy things and long-standing wickedness. Though good and pure in morals himself, he lacked moral force and courage, was too indulgent from blind affection, shrank from decided action to avoid unpleasant feelings, gave only mild reproof that did not turn them from evil, and kept them in sacred office.

What God will do is perform against Eli in that day all He has spoken concerning his house, when He begins also making an end, judging his house forever for known iniquity. The guilt is sworn never to be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever, so He will not pardon their transgressions, will not bless the house, but will cut them off in their sins.

Fulfillment is delayed year after year to give time to redeem past failures, correct evils polluting the sanctuary and leading thousands to ruin, and maintain the honor of His name after His authority was set aside and His worship neglected. Eli confesses guilt without the fruits of true repentance, fails to renounce sin and take effective measures against Hophni and Phinehas, remains indolent and merely submissive, unlike the Ninevites, and forbearance only hardens his sons to bolder transgression. Then retribution comes as loss of strength and glory: Israel is defeated by the Philistines, the guilty sons are slain in battle, the ark is taken, and Eli falls backward and dies on hearing it. If Eli had been aroused to act promptly to put the evil away from Israel, Israel might have been saved from humiliation of defeat and the ark would not have fallen into the enemy's hands.

Samuel, established as prophet from Dan to Beersheba, makes the warning and reproof known to the whole nation hoping to counteract past neglect, but priests and people disregard it as before. Surrounding nations who know of openly practiced iniquities grow bolder and more determined in idolatry and crime and feel no guilt for their sins because Israel has not preserved its integrity. Eli himself shows no envy, jealousy, or resentment toward the child messenger, loves him as before, condemns himself, and accepts the word as deserved.

Warning for Parents and Church

The verse stands as a danger signal to parents that they are accountable in great degree for the faults and follies of their offspring and share in the consequences when they tolerate and support evil. It condemns negligence that dallies with sin and crime and an insensibility slow to detect its baleful presence in the families of professed Christians, where defects in home management become a crisis in which Satan blinds perception so that Eli's sin becomes their own. Neglect to restrain sons who do wickedly and make themselves vile, and to enforce obedience and discipline, brings reproach, divine curse, and terrible calamity, as when failure made Israel sin and brought defeat and loss of the ark. The account of Eli and his sons is therefore for careful study in connection with hidden wrongdoing and the need to correct evil in the church.

Commanding children in the way of the Lord as Abraham did is set against merely remonstrating without commanding, for Eli knew their iniquity yet restrained them not because blind affection made him shrink from decided action to avoid unpleasant feelings in the home. He neglected to train his sons to keep the way of the Lord and failed his duty as judge by not separating them from holy office while they misrepresented and dishonored God by their wicked course. God will pass by old experienced fathers connected with His work if they neglect duty in home life, passing Eli by to speak to the youth Samuel. Faithful training of children is the greatest missionary work parents can perform when they cooperate with God, who honors the young and is ready to do a great work for them if parents train and educate them according to His instruction.

Unlike Eli, Samuel did not fail in duty to his sons but educated and trained them so they were well qualified to judge Israel, so no such message of judgment was sent to him. His sons were not ignorant, having received faithful instruction by precept and example and knowing the warning and judgment given to Eli. Yet they walked not in his ways but turned aside after lucre, took bribes, and perverted judgment. Samuel is not to blame for their turning aside, though their wrongdoing tempted the people to think he had been neglectful like Eli, and their course shows how children by their own actions can weaken and counteract the best efforts of parents.

Samuel walked untainted with spotless character though surrounded by the most corrupting influences, seeing and hearing things that grieved his soul while Eli's sons ministered controlled by selfish corruption and polluted the atmosphere and filled Israel with fearful reports. Having no fellowship with or delight in those sins but loving God and keeping close connection with Heaven, an angel was sent to talk with him about what God would do. Dedicated before birth and brought to the tabernacle, ministering girded with a linen ephod while his mother made him a little coat year by year, he grew in favor with God and men, showing the Lord watches over children with intense interest in the characters they form. His experience proves youth may have principles so firm that the most powerful temptations will not draw them from allegiance when they know their weakness and unite their ignorance to Christ's wisdom and their weakness to His strength, united to God and angels.

The startling announcement that makes hearers' ears tingle is a pattern for faithful ministers and messengers to proclaim straight truth that startles, giving needed warnings, rebuking sins, and correcting error and wrong not only in the pulpit but by personal labor even when uncongenial. It lays before lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God the dangers and perils around them and the doom awaiting the impenitent, though disagreeable and unwelcome to those who must be warned. It denounces those who resist the Word and refuse to heed the voice or message, so strong warnings from His messengers are needed.