1 Samuel 3:1-10

1 Samuel 3:1-10. The Call of Samuel

1. the child Samuel According to Josephus, Samuel had just completed his twelfth year when the word of Jehovah came to him. 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).

ministered Cp. 1 Samuel 2:11; 1 Samuel 2:18.

was precious Rather, was rare. In the general decay of religion, prophetic communications from God had almost entirely ceased. Cp. Amos 8:11; Psalms 74:9. We read of two prophets only in the days of the Judges (Judges 4:4; Judges 6:8).

there was no open vision Rather, there was no vision published abroad. The word is used in 2 Chronicles 31:5 of the publication of a decree (E. V. came abroad). There was no publicly acknowledged prophet, whose -word came to all Israel."