Samuel's Call and the Judgment of Eli

1 Samuel 3

1 And the child Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

2 And 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;

3 And before 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;

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

5 And he ran to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.

6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you did call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.

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

8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you did call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.

9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call you, that you shall say, Speak, LORD; for your servant hears. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

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

11 And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that hears it shall tingle.

12 In 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.

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knows; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.

14 And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.

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

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

17 And he said, What is the thing that the LORD has said to you? I pray you hide it not from me: God do so to you, and more also, if you hide any thing from me of all the things that he said to you.

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

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

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

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

1 Samuel 3 records the transition of spiritual authority from the aged Eli to the young prophet Samuel, occurring during a time when personal revelations from the Lord were rare 1 Samuel 3:1BHOTV4 19.1+1.

The Setting at Shiloh

During this period, the sanctuary was established at Shiloh, where it had remained for hundreds of years after the conquest of Canaan Joshua 18:1PP 514.4+1. The tabernacle had lost some of its temporary character, with the original curtains and veils being replaced by more permanent structures and doors for the priesthood 1 Samuel 3:15BHOTV4 18.2. Inside this sacred enclosure, the lamp of God in the seven-branched candlestick burned through the night in the holy place 1 Samuel 3:3BHOTV4 19.1. Samuel, who had been dedicated to the Lord by his mother Hannah and trained by Eli, slept within the sanctuary near the ark of God 1 Samuel 3:3BHOTV4 19.1+2.

The Divine Call

While it was still night and the lamp had not yet gone out, the Lord called Samuel by name 1 Samuel 3:3-4BHOTV4 19.1.

• The Initial Confusion: Because Samuel was not yet personally acquainted with receiving direct messages from God, he naturally assumed the voice belonged to Eli, whose eyesight was failing and who might require assistance 1 Samuel 3:2+1BHOTV4 19.1+1.

• The Three Calls: Three times the Lord called, and three times Samuel ran to Eli 1 Samuel 3:4-8BHOTV4 19.1.

• Eli's Realization: After the third instance, Eli understood that the Lord was calling the youth and instructed him to respond, "Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth" 1 Samuel 3:8-9BHOTV4 19.1.

The Vision and Judgment

When the Lord called a fourth time, He did not merely speak but appeared in a vision 1 Samuel 3:10BHOTV4 19.1.

• The Message of Doom: The Lord announced a terrible judgment upon the house of Eli that would make the ears of everyone who heard it tingle 1 Samuel 3:11SITI August 31, 1888, page 536.8+1. This judgment was because Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, had made themselves vile by corrupting the sanctuary services, and Eli had failed to restrain them 1 Samuel 3:13ST December 15, 1881, par. 15+1.

• Irreversible Sentence: The Lord declared that the iniquity of Eli's house would never be purged by sacrifice or offering 1 Samuel 3:14KJV — 1Samuel 3:14.

• Samuel’s Courage: In the morning, Samuel was hesitant to share the vision, but at Eli's insistence, he revealed the entire message 1 Samuel 3:15-18BHOTV4 19.1+1. Eli submissively accepted the divine will, acknowledging that the Lord should do what seems good to Him 1 Samuel 3:18.

Samuel Established as a Prophet

Following this event, Samuel grew in favor with the Lord and men, and none of his words were allowed to fail 1 Samuel 3:19. All Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, recognized that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord 1 Samuel 3:20. This marked the return of "open vision" to the nation, as the Lord continued to reveal Himself to Samuel at Shiloh by His word 1 Samuel 3:21SGL 4.2. The subsequent fulfillment of these prophecies was seen when the ark was captured by the Philistines and Shiloh was eventually ruined due to the people's wickedness 1 Samuel 4:11SS 216.3+1.