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1 Samuel 3

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1 Samuel 3 Overview

The LORD calls Samuel by name during the night, but Samuel initially thinks Eli is calling him. Eli finally recognizes what is happening and instructs Samuel to listen; the LORD then confirms the judgment already announced against Eli’s house, and Samuel begins to be established throughout Israel as a prophet of the LORD.

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Before you read 1 Samuel 3

Coming from

Chapter 2 exposed the corruption of Eli’s sons and recorded a prophetic sentence against Eli’s house while Samuel continued to grow before the LORD.

In this chapter

God personally calls Samuel and entrusts him with a difficult message, marking the beginning of his recognized prophetic ministry.

Leads into

Chapter 4 shows the national crisis that follows: Israel is defeated by the Philistines, the ark is captured, Eli’s sons die, and Eli himself dies when he hears the news.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The statement that the word of the LORD was precious in those days means prophetic revelation was rare, not that Scripture itself had little value. Samuel has been serving at the sanctuary, yet verse 7 says he did not yet know the LORD in the sense that the LORD had not yet revealed Himself to Samuel in this prophetic way. The chapter then shows Samuel moving from an inexperienced boy to a prophet whose words are recognized from Dan to Beersheba.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

God is able to raise a faithful messenger in the very place where established leadership has become corrupt.

Truth 2

Samuel’s first prophetic assignment is not easy or flattering; faithful ministry sometimes begins with delivering an unwelcome truth.

Truth 3

Eli recognizes that the message is from the LORD and submits to God’s right to judge, even though the judgment falls on his own house.

Truth 4

God establishes Samuel’s credibility over time by causing none of his prophetic words to fall to the ground.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Deuteronomy 18:18–22 gives Israel standards for recognizing true prophetic speech; 1 Samuel 3 shows Samuel becoming publicly established as the LORD’s prophet.

Connection 2

Jeremiah 1 and other prophetic call narratives later show the same basic principle that God appoints and commissions His messengers, though the details of each call differ.

Connection 3

The judgment Samuel hears repeats and confirms the warning already given in 1 Samuel 2, demonstrating continuity rather than a new accusation.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Do not use Samuel’s audible call as a promise that God normally guides every believer through an audible voice. This is a historical prophetic call in the era before the completed biblical canon.

Keep this clear 2

Verse 7 should not be read carelessly as a definitive statement about Samuel’s eternal salvation before that night; the immediate explanation concerns the LORD’s word not yet being revealed to him.

Keep this clear 3

Eli’s statement, ‘It is the LORD,’ recognizes God’s authority, but it does not erase Eli’s earlier failures or cancel the announced consequences.

Read 1 Samuel 3 watching for…

How many times Samuel mistakes the voice for Eli’s.

When Eli finally understands what is happening.

The connection between this message and the warning in chapter 2.

Samuel’s fear about telling Eli the vision.

How the chapter describes Samuel’s growing prophetic reputation.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-10The LORD calls Samuel during the night 11-14The LORD tells Samuel the judgment coming upon Eli’s house 15-18Samuel tells Eli everything the LORD had said 19-21Samuel is established as a prophet of the LORD

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.

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;

And 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;

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

And 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.

And 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.

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

And 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.

Therefore 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.

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

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.

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.

For 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.

And 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.

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

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

And 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.

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

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

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

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

STUDY THIS VERSE

1 Samuel 3:11

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