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Summarized Bible Commentary

1 Samuel 3:1-21

Contents: Samuel becomes Jehovah's prophet-priest.

Characters: God, Samuel, Eli.

Conclusion: A child may have an ear for God's call; a mind for God's service and a message for God's bidding, for God will not be without a mouthpiece even though the ordained priesthood be deaf to His voice.

Key Word: Called, 1 Samuel 3:4.

Strong Verses: 1 Samuel 3:10; 1 Samuel 3:18; 1 Samuel 3:19.

Striking Facts: God's ministers must nourish a holy sensitiveness to sacred things, or callousness will lead them to some sin for which God will be compelled to lay them aside. (1 Samuel 3:13).

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See also 1 Samuel 3:1-21 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER III _Samuel ministers to the Lord before Eli,_ 1. _He is thrice called by the Lord; who informs him of the evils_ _which shall be brought on the house of Eli_, 2-15. _Eli inquires of Samue...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    See the margin reference note. Josephus says that Samuel’s call to the prophetic office happened when he had just completed his twelfth year (compare Luke 2:42). WAS PRECIOUS - (or rare) The song of H...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    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 ha

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    1 SAMUEL 3:1 TO 1 SAMUEL 4:1 A... ALL ISRAEL. ANOTHER SECTION OF THE LIFE OF SAMUEL (see above, p. 273). 1 SAMUEL 3:1. CALL OF SAMUEL....

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    CHILD. youth. Hebrew. _na'ar._ THE LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah_. App-4. WAS. had come to be. PRECIOUS. Hebrew. _yakar_. heavy (in price). Note the five precious things in Old. Testament: the word of God...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    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...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THE CHILD SAMUEL MINISTERED UNTO THE LORD— That is, he performed in the tabernacle the services whereof he was capable, for the assistance and under the direction of Eli. Josephus supposes that he was...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _Samuel's call._ 1 Samuel 3:1-10 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. 2 And it came to pass at t...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._ The child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. His mi...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    3:1 frequent. (c-24) Or 'was not published,' lit. 'spread.' see 2 Chronicles 31:5...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE CALL OF SAMUEL 1. Precious] RM, 'rare': see Isaiah 13:12. There was no prophet then. OPEN] rather, 'published, widely announced': cp. 2 Chronicles 31:5....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISRAEL’S FIRST KING 1 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 3 THE *LORD CALLS SAMUEL V1 The boy Samuel served the *Lord. Eli the priest led him. In those days, it was rare for the *Lord to speak directl...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THE CHILD SAMUEL MINISTERED UNTO THE LORD. — The writer of this history, although well aware of the great revolution accomplished in Israel by the prophet whose life and work the Holy Spirit bade him...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ הַ נַּ֧עַר שְׁמוּאֵ֛ל מְשָׁרֵ֥ת אֶת ־יְהוָ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER V. _ SAMUEL'S VISION._ 1 Samuel 3:1. IT is evident that Samuel must have taken very kindly to the duties of the sanctuary. He was manifestly one of those who are sanctified from in- fancy, a...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    SPEAK, LORD; FOR THY SERVANT HEARETH 1 Samuel 3:1 As we read again these familiar verses, we are taken back in thought to the dear scenes of childhood-to the home we remember so well and to the moth...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    At this point in the history came a change, startling, and full of meaning in Samuel's life. In the silence of the night a Voice called him by name. Thrice he answered by going to Eli. At last Eli rec...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD (a) before Eli. And the word of the LORD was (b) precious in those days; [there was] no open vision. (a) The Chaldee text reads "while Eli lived". (b) B...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Before. Chaldean, "in the days of Heli." The young Levite slept in an adjoining chamber, to wait on the high priest, not far from the sanctuary. --- Precious; that is, rare: (Challoner) as such things...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS In this Chapter we have related to us the call of Samuel, in an extraordinary manifestation of the Lord to him by night in the temple. What the Lord said to him; his fear of communicating it...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The first Book of Samuel (or of Kings as with some) brings before us that great change for which the Book of Ruth was a preparation, and in order to which the Spirit of God closed it with the generati...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _GOD’S VOICE_ ‘The word of the Lord was precious in those days.’ 1 Samuel 3:1 Where we read of ‘the word of the Lord’ being precious in those days, it means that God revealed Himself but rarely to...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    In chapter 3 God reveals Himself to Samuel; and he is known to be a prophet of Jehovah from Dan even to Beersheba. Eli, judged for having loved his sons more than Jehovah, comforts our hearts neverthe...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THE CHILD SAMUEL MINISTERED UNTO THE LORD BEFORE ELI,.... Under his direction and instruction; the Targum is, in the life of Eli, and in such parts of service, relating to the tabernacle of the Lo...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 1. _And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord befor...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    1 Sam. 3:1. Henry _in loc_., "There." From this time it began to be otherwise. There was "open vision." "And all Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _The child Samuel ministered before Eli_ That is, under his inspection and direction. _The word of the Lord was precious_ That is, the word of prophecy, or the revelation of God's will to and by the p...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 How the word of the Lord was first reuealed to Samuel. 11 God telleth Samuel the destruction of Elies house. 15 Samuel, though loth, telleth Eli the vision. 19 Samuel groweth in credit. 1 AND th...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli, as a special servant of the Sanctuary, under the immediate direction of the high priest. AND THE WORD OF THE LORD WAS PRECIOUS IN THOSE DAYS,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE LORD REVEALS HIMSELF TO SAMUEL...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Again the contrast in the child Samuel to what goes before is emphasized: he ministered to the Lord before Eli. Eli witnessed his simple faithfulness to the Lord; but while he no doubt appreciated it...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-10 The call which Divine grace designs shall be made effectual; will be repeated till it is so, till we come to the call. Eli, perceiving that it was the voice of God that Samuel heard, instructed...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    1 SAMUEL CHAPTER 3 The Lord calleth Samuel three times; he knows not God's voice, but thinks it to be Eli who calls him; runs to him, who instructs him, 1 SAMUEL 3:1. At the fourth call he answers, 1...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Samuel 3:1 boy H5288 Samuel H8050 ministered H8334 (H8764) LORD H3068 before H6440 Eli H5941 word H1697 LORD...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE CONTINUED FAITHFULNESS OF SAMUEL (1 SAMUEL 3:1 A). Meanwhile, while all this is going on, Samuel continues on in his faithful service of YHWH without wavering. Samuel stands out like a shining li...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    THE WORD Or, a word from the LORD was unusual in those days; there was no public vision....

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 SAMUEL 1-4 _(with Judges 21:16)_ I. With all his virtues and natural advantages Eli had one great fault. He was a good man of the easy type; the kind of man who makes an admirable servant, who does...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 Samuel 3:1 Of Bible boys Samuel is a chief favourite. The reason is that nothing under the sun is more beautiful than piety in childhood. Nothing like grace for making the young graceful. Martin Lut...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Samuel 3:1. _No open vision;_ that is, no distinguished prophets in all the land; one of the great calamities which Amos denounced against Israel: 1 Samuel 8:12. 1 Samuel 3:3. _Ere the lamp of God w...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli._ THE CHILD PROPHET This white flower blossomed on a dunghill. The continuous growth of a character, from a child serving God, and to old age...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 3:1 THE WORD OF THE LORD WAS RARE IN THOSE DAYS in Israel (1 Samuel 3:1), but that is about to change, as the Lor

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES.— 1 Samuel 3:1. “THE CHILD SAMUEL.” According to Josephus, Samuel was now twelve years old. “PRECIOUS,” _i.e., rare_. “The word was rare that came directly from the Lord...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    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

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Chapter three, The child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious [or scarce] in those days; there was no open vision. [God just wasn't speaking to man.] And i...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Samuel 2:11; 1 Samuel 2:18; 1 Samuel 3:15; 1 Samuel 3:21; Amos 8:11;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE PROPHET SAMUEL 1 Samuel 3:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS The story of Samuel is one of the outstanding messages of the Bible. His father's name was Elkanah. His mother's name was Hannah. Elkanah went up,...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Before Eli — That is, under his inspection and direction. Word — The word of prophecy, or the revelation of God's will to and by the prophets. Precious — Rare or scarce, such things being most preciou...

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