1 Samuel 3:18

_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._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

11-18 What a great deal of guilt and corruption is there in us, concerning which we may say, It is the iniquity which our own heart knoweth; we are conscious to ourselves of it! Those who do not restrain the sins of others, when it is in their power to do it, make themselves partakers of the guilt, and will be charged as joining in it. In his remarkable answer to this awful sentence, Eli acknowledged that the Lord had a right to do as he saw good, being assured that he would do nothing wrong. The meekness, patience, and humility contained in those words, show that he was truly repentant; he accepted the punishment of his sin....

Verse 1 Samuel 3:18. _SAMUEL TOLD HIM EVERY WHIT_] Our word _whit_, or _wid_, comes from the Anglo-Saxon [A.S.], which signifies _person, thing_, c. _every whit_ is _every thing_. The Hebrew את כל הדברים et col haddebarim, "all these words." _IT_ IS _THE LORD_] He is _Sovereign_, and will do what he _pleases;_ he is _righteous_, and will do nothing but what is _just_. _LET HIM DO WHAT SEEMETH HIM GOOD._] There is much of a godly submission, as well as a deep sense of his own unworthiness, found in these words. He also had sinned, so as to be punished with _temporal death_; but surely there is no evidence that the displeasure of the Lord against him was extended to a future state....

IT IS THE LORD ... - Compare the devout submission of Aaron Leviticus 10:3, and of Hezekiah 2 Kings 20:19. And, for the highest conceivable submission to the will of God, compare Luke 22:42....

EXPOSITION THE CALL OF SAMUEL (1 Samuel 3:1). 1 SAMUEL 3:1 THE WORD OF THE LORD WAS PRECIOUS IN THOSE DAYS. Or rather _rare_;_ _it came but seldom, and there was no proper order of persons from whose ranks the "speakers for God" would naturally step forth. 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 Prie

AND SAMUEL TOLD HIM EVERY WHIT, AND HID NOTHING FROM HIM,.... And so approved himself to be a faithful prophet of God, and man of God, as he is afterwards called; the whole counsel of God is to be declared by his servants the prophets, and the ministers of his word; nothing is to be concealed, which it is the will of God should be made known, whether it be pleasing or displeasing to man: AND HE SAID, IT IS THE LORD; that has said it, and there is nothing to be said against it, and that will do it; and there is no resisting him: or "the Lord is he" w; who has a sovereign right to all his creatures, and may dispose of them as he pleases; he is all wise, and does all things well; he is holy and righteous in all his ways and works, and there is no unrighteousness in him; he is faithful to his word, whether in a way of promise or threatening; and all he does to his people is in love, mercy,...

4. SAMUEL'S CALL AND PROPHETIC MINISTRY CHAPTER 3 _ 1. Samuel's call (1 Samuel 3:1)_ 2. The message from Jehovah (1 Samuel 3:10) 3. Samuel the prophet (1 Samuel 3:19) After the priesthood had so completely failed and divine judgment had been pronounced, Samuel receives his call to the prophetic office. He continued his ministrations as a Levite during the time that the word of the Lord was precious (literally, rare); there was no vision. Up to this time Samuel had not known the Lord nor had the word of the Lord been revealed to him (verse 7). It must have been near the hour of dawn, for the tabernacle lamp was not yet gone out, when the voice of Jehovah called Samuel by name. He kn

IN OBEDIENCE TO THE COMMAND OF THE LORD, SAMUEL ANNOUNCES TO ELI THE DOOM OF HIS HOUSE. Parallel to the Deuteronomic section (1 Samuel 2:27). 1 SAMUEL 3:12. Probably an addition by the Deuteronomic writer to connect with 1 Samuel 2:27 ff. 1 Samuel 3:13. I have told: read, thou shalt tell. 1 Samuel 3:19 to 1 Samuel 4:1 A. ALL ISRAEL. SAMUEL ESTABLISHED AS PROPHET....

EVERY WHIT. every particle. Anglo-Saxon, _wiht._ Every bit. Hebrew "all the words"....

The Message delivered to Eli 15. _the doors of the house of the Lord_.] As the tabernacle was closed by a curtain only, we must suppose that the doors of the enclosure in which it stood are meant. See note on 1 Samuel 1:9. We here learn incidentally the nature of the service which Samuel performed at Shiloh. He acted as a subordinate Levite. Cp. 1 Chronicles 15:23; Psalms 84:10. _Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision_ He naturally shrank from delivering the fatal message to one whom he loved and revered....