1 Samuel 3:17, commentary and pictures

The charge belongs to the night in the temple where the ark of God was, before the lamp of God went out, when the word of the Lord was precious and there was no open vision. The Lord called Samuel three times, and each time Samuel ran to Eli thinking Eli had called, until Eli perceived that the call was the voice of God and told him to answer, Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. In the morning Eli called Samuel and urgently and solemnly charged him to tell fully everything the Lord had said without hiding anything, invoking a severe curse on him if he withheld anything, already confident the message foretold great calamity to him and his house.

Samuel had returned to his usual duties with a heavy burden on his young heart, remaining silent because the Lord had not commanded him to reveal the denunciation, avoiding Eli as far as possible out of fear and amazement at having so terrible a message committed to him and out of love and reverence for Eli, trembling lest questioning should compel him to declare divine judgment. He was so awed that the great God should speak to him that he could not remember the exact words Eli had told him to say. Pressed in this way, Samuel obeyed and told Eli everything, delivering God's rebuke. His warnings and reproofs to Eli's household were afterward made known to the whole nation in an effort to counter the harm caused by Eli's earlier neglect, but the people disregarded them.

When Samuel delivered the message, Eli felt no envy, jealousy, or resentment toward him, loved him as before, condemned himself, recognized the rebuke as deserved, and bowed in humble submission to the will of God. The Lord passed by Eli, the aged priest whose eyes were dim, to commune with a child and send rebuke through him, which was a bitter yet deserved rebuke to Eli and his house. Eli was good and pure in morals but too indulgent, lacking moral force and courage to rebuke sin and restrain wrong; he only remonstrated with his vile sons who profaned the house of God without removing them or training his children rightly, neglected his sacred responsibility, received messages from God but did not hear with a firm will to obey because he had become set in his own course, and neglect of duty had made him blind, so God could not go forth with His people.

The warning through Samuel gave Eli a chance to work, but he did not repent as the Ninevites did; he was discouraged and thought it was of no use to make an effort to correct his children, and remained submissive yet indolent. His neglect to stand for the right at last deprived Israel of strength and glory, leading to his sons slain in battle and the taking of the ark, news he could not bear, so that he fell backward and died. The ark was of no consequence to those who were not keeping the law it contained, for Eli trusted more in the ark than in the God who gave it.

Samuel's youth did not prevent God from entrusting him with a solemn message and important work; God accepted him for service when his mother dedicated him, proving that He honors the young. Samuel had been given to the Lord by Hannah's vow before his birth and brought to the tabernacle, where as a child girded with a linen ephod he ministered before the Lord, his mother bringing him a little coat from year to year stitched with many prayers, and the child grew on and was in favor both with the Lord and also with men, as was said of John the Baptist and of Christ, proving that the Lord watches over children noting with intense interest the characters they form. Youth are more impressible than older persons set in their course, and the Lord can still instruct children and youth and mold their minds as He did Samuel's, communicating with them to raise up from them an army of soldiers for Christ to do a work in winning souls which adults could not do. The same danger faces God's people who say they have the law and understand the truth and expect that knowledge to save them while not yielding the full obedience that transforms character.