1 Samuel 3: The Period of Silence 1 Now the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. "The boy Samuel ministered to the Lord: For the third time it is emphasized that Samuel ministered to the Lord (also in 1 Samuel 2:11 and 2:18), just as Aaron and his sons did at their consecration as priests (Exodus 29:1) and just like Paul and Barnabas did before they were sent out as missionaries (Acts 13:1-2)." (David Guzik) “Samuel is the pattern of child religion and service, to which teachers should aim that their children may be conformed. How beautifully his double obedience is expressed in the simple words! His service was ‘unto the Lord,’ and it was ‘before Eli’; that is to say, he learned his work from the old man, and in obeying him he served God. The child’s religion is largely obedience to human guides, and he serves God best by doing what he is bid,-a lesson needed in our days by both parents and children.” (Alexander MacLaren) “Now the 'boy'” etc. — The Hebrew "naar", "elsewhere refers to a young teenager (cf. 1 Samuel 17:33). Consequently we should probably think of Samuel as a boy in his early teens as we read this section. Josephus wrote that Samuel was 12 years old [Antiquities of the Jews].” (Dr. Thomas B. Constable)— "In later times this age was a critical point in the life of a Jewish boy. He then became ‘a son of the Law,’ and was regarded as personally responsible for obedience to it. It was at the age of twelve that 'the child Jesus' first went up to Jerusalem along with his parents (Luke 2:42)." (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) “And the word of the Lord was rare in those days... It was very rarely known to the Israelites; and in point of fact only two prophets are mentioned as having appeared during the whole administration of the judges (Judges 4:4; Judges 6:8)." (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown ) “The song of Hannah, and the prophecy of the 'man of God' (1 Sam. 2:27), are the only instances of prophecy since Deborah." (Albert Barnes) "It was this which made the revelation of Jehovah's will to Samuel an event so memorable both for the Jewish nation and for the Church; for he was called by the providence of God to be the founder of prophecy as an established institution, and henceforward, side by side with the king and priest, the prophet took his place as one of the three factors in the preparation for the coming of Him who is a king to rule, a Priest to make atonement, and also a Prophet to teach his people and guide them into all the truth." (The Pulpit Commentary) "There was no open vision." Literally, "no vision that broke forth," "that is, no distinguished prophets in all the land; one of the great calamities which Amos denounced against Israel: 1 Samuel 8:12." (Joseph Sutcliffe) But this was about to change. "Often 'vision' is apparently used simply as a technical term for a verbal communication from God. Thus Samuel's call is literally called a 'vision' (1 Samuel 3:15)." (Tyndale Bible Dictionary) "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." (Prov. 29:18 KJV) There is vision as people study the law- the Word of God- and order their lives after it's teachings and proclaim it. Thus do they receive a calling of Yahweh and the Spirit of prophecy. “Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:10b) “In the silence of the night a Voice called him by name." (G. Campbell Morgan) Wait for it; it will surely come. Yea, He will surely come! 1 Samuel 3: Yahweh Appears to Samuel for the First Time 2 And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see, 3 and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the LORD where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, 4 that the LORD called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!” 5 So he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” And he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” And he went and lay down. 6 Then the LORD called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him. 8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” 11 Then the LORD said to Samuel: “Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. 14 And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.” Israel was no longer in the wilderness and so frequent movement was not necessary for the ark. It had tarried in place at Shiloh. ”In the tent of meeting, outside the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it [the lamp of God] in order from evening to morning before the LORD; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout their generations for the sons of Israel.” (Exodus 27:21) It is very likely that in this makeshift dwelling they had built near to the ark “certain apartments for the high priest and others more immediately employed about the tabernacle. In one of these, near to that of Eli, perhaps under the same roof, Samuel lay when he was called by the Lord.” (Adam Clarke) The time of Samuel’s call from Yahweh— “In 1 Samuel 1:3 the lamp is mentioned as fixing the exact time. Though it is said that the seven-branched candelabrum was ‘to burn always’ (Exodus 27:20), yet this apparently was to be by perpetually relighting it (ibid. 1 Samuel 30:7, 1 Samuel 30:8); and as Aaron was commanded to dress and light it every morning and evening, and supply it with oil, the night would be far advanced and morning near before it went out.” (The Pulpit Commentary) “Now Samuel did not yet know Yahweh,” (7a) “He knew him not in that way peculiar to prophets: for otherwise he knew the Lord a far deal better than Eli’s two sons did, [1 Samuel 2:12] and yet he and they had all one tutor. But he hath his chair in heaven who teacheth the heart, saith a father.” (John Trapp)— “Nor was the word of Yahweh yet revealed to him. (7b) He knew what had been revealed to the fathers but he had had no personal visions. Thus: “Three times the voice called and three times he ran unto Eli. Then Eli understood that Jehovah called the child and he instructed him to answer at the next call— ‘Speak, Jehovah, for thy servant heareth.’” (Arno Gaebelein) Yahweh had apparently manifested Himself to Eli in like fashion... and thus the coming word of judgement. “Yahweh came, and stood.” “In the previous calls the voice appeared to proceed from a distance; now the sound was as if the speaker stood beside him, and remained in the same close contiguity until the communication was finished. ”(Jamieson, Fausset, Brown) “These last words, which are the same as those used in the history of Balaam, Numbers 22:22; Numbers 23:30 are employed to denote some appearance; and, therefore, both Jewish and Christian interpreters have supposed, that GOD revealed himself to Samuel under some bright and glorious symbol.” (Thomas Coke) Perhaps it was the Angel of Yahweh— the Lord Jesus Christ. And called: “Samuel, Samuel.’ etc. “The repetition of his name was intended to arrest the boy's attention.” (Jamieson, Fausset, Brown) Samuel replied, “Speak for your servant hears.”— “Samuel in answering omits the name ‘Jehovah’ Eli had told him to use. He may have omitted the name Jehovah out of reverential fear. He hears thus from Jehovah’s lips the message of doom for Eli and his house.” (Arno Gaebelein) This fear had existed in the hearts of the remanent of Israel over the ages. “Justly provoked with the ill-conduct of the priests, God had withdrawn his gracious appearances from them. Darkness now reigns in the desolate sanctuary, and neither vision nor dream had for a long time been vouchsafed; but God having raised up Samuel for extraordinary services, and early prepared him, by his exemplary piety, for communion with his blessed self, begins, while he is yet a youth, to manifest himself to him in Shiloh. Note; early piety is usually favoured with especial impartings of divine consolations.” (Thomas Coke) “Notice the regular prophetic phrase ‘in that day’, which always signals something God will assuredly do in the future, usually in the form of judgment but be it noted not necessarily always in the end days. And ‘in that day’ YHWH tells him, He will perform against Eli all that He had spoken concerning his house from beginning to end. Then He explains to him that He has informed Eli that His permanent judgment has been passed on Eli’s house forever because of the iniquity that he knew about and did nothing to prevent. That is, the iniquity of his two sons and their sacrilegious behaviour… And therefore, YHWH explains, He has sworn to the house of Eli that no sacrifice or offering would be able to expiate their sin forever. Thus Samuel learns, possibly for the first time, that sacrifices and offerings do not inevitably expiate sin. Obedience also is necessary.” (Peter Pett) Christians, you cannot just name the name of Jesus- nor even understand and teach His doctrine as Eli did- and privately walk in the way of Baal... and expect to live in the house of Yahweh forever. 1 Samuel 3: Samuel Established As First Official Prophet of Israel 15 So Samuel lay down until morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision 16 Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!” He answered, “Here I am.” "So Samuel lay down until morning." It is not said he slept; it can hardly be thought he should, when it is considered what a new, strange, and uncommon thing had befallen him; what honour had been conferred on him..., that the Lord should vouchsafe to speak and communicate His mind to him...‘and opened the doors of the house of the Lord’ as he had used to do,... though he had been so highly honoured, he was not elated with it, nor thought himself above so low and mean an employment in the house of God; nor did he run to Eli or others, boasting of what he had met with that night, but modestly and carefully attended to what was his common and constant employment every morning." (John Gill) "In Exodus 26:36 : Exodus 36:37, the word used, though translated door, really means an opening, protected by a hanging curtain. The word used here means double or folding doors of wood." (The Pulpit Commentaries) The ark resided in homes which were then called "the house of Yahweh." “And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision. "He reverenced him as a father, and he feared to distress him by showing what the Lord had purposed to do. It does not appear that God had commanded Samuel to deliver this message: he, therefore, did not attempt it till adjured by Eli, 1 Samuel 3:17." (Adam Clarke) 17 And he said, “What is the word that the LORD spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that He said to you.” 18 Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the LORD. Let Him do what seems good to Him.” “By the faithful discharge of a commission so painful, and involving such self-denial and courage, Samuel had stood the first test of his fitness for the prophetic office." (A. Edersheim, Bible History) 19 So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. By continued obedience, Samuel grew and Yahweh was with him, accomplishing whatever He said through him. "He brings low, and lifts up." (1 Samuel 2:7) "And Samuel has not to fight his way to public recognition, or wait long till it come." (Expositor's Bible Commentary) 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the LORD. "The description ‘from Dan to Beersheba’ was a standard expression encompassing all the tribes of Israel, Dan being the northernmost point and Beersheba the southernmost. Compare Judges 20:1; 2 Samuel 3:10; 2 Samuel 17:11; 2 Samuel 24:2; 2 Samuel 24:15; 1 Kings 4:25, and regularly in the book of Samuel. This did not refer to the area of Samuel’s judgeship. It referred to his status as a prophet." (Peter Pett) All of spiritual Israel from antiquity prophesied in a sense concerning the coming of Yahweh to redeem mankind— to gather His people unto Himself and to crush His enemies. But henceforth "the word of Yahweh" would abide on Samuel. "Not merely by isolated commissions, but in the discharge of a regular office, Samuel acted as prophet in Israel. A new period in the history of the kingdom of God had commenced, and all Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, knew that there was now a new link between them and their God, a living centre of guidance and fellowship, and a bond of union for all who were truly the Israel of God.” (A. Edersheim, Bible History) "Samuel was the first of 'the prophets' and last of the judges, preparing the way for the change of government..." (E.W. Bullinger), contrary to God’s will, from Yahweh as king of Israel to human kings in Israel with His prophets leading out in giving direction and vision. Thus: "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning!" (Luke12:35) Revelation by the Word of Yahweh 1 Samuel 3:21 Then the LORD appeared again in Shiloh. For the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD. 4:1a And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Before Samuel did not know Yahweh personally. (1 Sam. 3:7) But by physical appearance, he came to know Him. And the Scriptures came alive for the prophet because he now personally knows the Author. "The LORD appeared again - "‘And Jehovah added to appear;’ that is, he continued to reveal himself to Samuel at Shiloh [but not as before when He 'came, and stood' (1 Sam. 3:10) over him but rather 'by the word of Yahweh' - that is, by the Pentateuch] by the spirit and word of prophecy." (Adam Clarke) “And the word of Samuel came to all Israel." (4:1a) "Having received the word of YHWH Samuel would pass it on to the people. The word of Samuel was heard wherever Israelites were found." (Peter Pett) — from Dan to Beersheba... to the ends of he earth, wherever sons or daughters of the Commandments kept the night watch with open hearts. The Messiah of Israel is “the Word made flesh" leading many commentators to believe that these verses speak of more physical appearances of Him of whom Moses and the prophets wrote. But a study of the greek New Testament will help us understand the difference. There are two words in the New Testament used to refer to the Word of Yahweh. ”Rhema’” is said to be the spoken or preached Word of God, while “Logos” is considered the written Word of God. There is the written Word— written by holy men inspired by the Holy Ghost. We find this in the Pentateuch— the seed book of all other inspired writings. Samuel had access to it; and Yahweh revealed Himself to him by it. But there is also the spoken or preached/ proclaimed Word. This involves those very Words becoming Samuel’s by faith. “And the word of Samuel came to all of Israel.” (1 Samuel 4:1a) Samuel proclaimed the Message to all of Israel. Thus Paul also explained: “When you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13) Jesus can never be separated from His Word and it does not stop there. We have a prophetic office. And we are helped in it because “the Word became flesh and dwelled among us and we beheld His glory.” We can study the New Testament and see how the Messiah handled the words of the prophets, as well as those of Yahweh. “We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:19-21) And so I can likewise share that prophetic word of truth, even now. “But what does it say? ‘The word [rhema] is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word [rhema] of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.’” (Romans 10:8-10)