1 Samuel 3

           Verse 1: During the era of the judges, God doesn’t speak to His people as often or as regularly as He had during the leadership of Moses and Joshua. This is due primarily to Israel’s disobedience, rebellion, and general apostasy. They had turned away from God to worship idols, engaging in all manner of sinful practices such as sodomy and child sacrifice. They ignored God’s law, profaning the temple sacrifices with their worship of the false gods, and because of that the LORD punished them using the heathen nations of the promised land whom Israel had failed to destroy and drive out.
            In all that time, God had been mostly silent, communicating only to the man or woman whom He called to deliver Israel from their enemies whenever they would turn back to Him and repent of their sin. By the time Samuel arrives on the scene, God has not directly spoken to His people in quite some time. That’s why the author refers to the word of the LORD as “precious” and says “…there was no open vision.” The nation as a whole had become so wicked and lost in their sin that they did not know God at all. They knew of Him, but they did not know Him as their fathers did, the generation that had first come into the promised land under the leadership of Joshua. This is why, even though he is reared by Eli to know and obey God, Samuel doesn’t recognize at first who’s calling him later in this passage.
 
            Verse 2-3: Eli is quite old by this point, his sight failing him. (v.2) The lamp of God in the tabernacle was to remain burning every night all night long. (Exodus 27:20-21) We can infer from verse 3 that the living quarters for Eli and Samuel are either connected directly to the tabernacle or somewhere close to it.
 
            Verses 4-10: As noted above, because the word of the LORD is foreign to most of Israel, Samuel has never heard the voice of God. He has been taught by his parents and Eli about God, but has never spoken to God, nor has the LORD ever spoken to Samuel. (v.7) Therefore, when God calls out Samuel’s name, the boy misunderstands, thinking it’s Eli that’s calling to him. (v.4-5) Eli tells him no, it wasn’t him and to go back to sleep. The same thing happens twice more (v.6, 8), and, on the third time, Eli finally realizes who’s calling out to Samuel. He tells Samuel that the next time he hears the voice he’s to say, “Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth.” (v.9) Samuel obeys. (v.10)
 
            Verses 11-14: God tells Samuel that He has passed judgment on Eli and his house because of their sin against Him. (v.12) “That day” is the day that both Eli and his sons will be killed and the ark of the covenant will fall into the hands of the Philistines, as described in chapter four. Hence, the phrase in verse 11: “Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.” Both the loss of the ark of the covenant and the deaths of Eli and his sons will be known throughout Israel.
            Verses 13-14 spell out clearly the reason for His judgment against Eli and his house: “…because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.” Eli is not being held responsible for the sins of his sons, but for his choice to sin by not acting in the name of the LORD to forcibly remove them from office when they refused to repent of their sin. Because of this, God will not accept any more atoning sacrifices for their sin. In other words, it’s too late for any of them to repent. All three have passed the point of no return, and the LORD’s time of grace and mercy has ended. His judgment against Eli and his house is now final. As noted in the previous chapter’s commentary, this judgment extends to all of Eli’s descendants, not just the current generation. (v.13)
 
            Verses 15-18: Now Samuel has his first test as a prophet of the LORD. He must deliver God’s message of judgment against a man who has been like a father to him. (v.15) He is understandably afraid of how Eli will respond to the message, and Eli knows that God has given the young boy a specific message to deliver. He summons Samuel immediately that morning, referring to him as “…my son.” (v.16) Samuel answers right away, no doubt anxious and fearful, but Eli is tender with him, commanding him gently but firmly to reveal what the Lord has told him. Eli also invokes the familiar curse that was a traditional phrase in the ANE at this time: “God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide anything from me of all the things that He said unto thee.” (v.17) (Ruth 1:17)
            Samuel dutifully obeys, and Eli’s response reveals his genuine faith and reverence for God’s authority and sovereignty over all things. “It is the LORD: let Him do what seemeth Him good.” (v.18) Eli accepted responsibility for his sin as well as the just and righteous judgment of God for that sin. He acknowledged God’s holiness and justice in passing that judgment and willingly surrendered to the LORD’s will regarding whatever events would come as a result of that judgment.
 
            Verses 19-21: Samuel grows – both physically and spiritually – as he continues in his service to Eli and the tabernacle. (v.19, 21) The Lord continues to speak to Samuel, and all of his prophecies come true. This is what is meant by the phrase, “…did let none of His words fall to the ground.” Samuel faithfully delivers the word of the LORD to the people and, after some time, all of Israel knows of Samuel and trusts him as a prophet of God. (v.20)