_THE CHILD SAMUEL, SLEEPING IN THE HOUSE OF GOD BY NIGHT, IS CALLED THREE TIMES BY THE LORD; WHO FORETELS TO HIM THE EVILS WHICH HE WOULD SHORTLY BRING UPON THE HOUSE OF ELI. SAMUEL DECLARES TO ELI ALL THAT THE LORD HAD TOLD HIM._ _Before Christ 1102._... [ Continue Reading ]
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 then about twelve years old. _The word of the Lord_ was precious in those days. God then seldom rev... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ERE THE LAMP— Dr. Waterland renders this verse, _and the lamp of God went not yet out,_ (_and Samuel was sleeping_) _in the temple, where the ark of God was._ See Exodus 27:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD CALLED SAMUEL— The voice came, most probably, out of the _most holy place._ So the Chaldee renders it; _a voice was heard out of the tabernacle of the Lord. Here am I,_ was a form of speech implying attention to what was said, and readiness to execute what was commanded.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW SAMUEL DID NOT YET KNOW THE LORD— The second clause in this verse explains the first: Samuel was not yet instructed in the will of GOD as a prophet; he had not yet received any immediate revelation from him.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD CAME, AND STOOD, &C.— 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... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN I BEGIN, I WILL ALSO MAKE AN END— God declares to Samuel, that he will execute upon the house of Eli all that he had threatened against him by the prophet whom he had heretofore sent; that he would not delay it; nor would he discontinue it till the just measure of his chastisements was fulfille... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE HIS SONS MADE THEMSELVES VILE, &C.— Here we read the crime of Eli, and the sad cause of all his misfortunes. He knew the wickedness of his sons, and, content with chiding them gently, he had not resolution enough to chastise them with severity. The Hebrew is very expressive: it says, that th... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ELI CALLED SAMUEL, AND SAID— Either that he might not afflict Eli, or displease God, Samuel _feared_ to tell this unhappy father what had been revealed to him. But Eli, naturally distressed and uneasy, presses him earnestly to conceal nothing from him: he adjures him by a solemn imprecation, _G... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD WAS WITH HIM, AND DID LET NONE OF HIS WORDS FALL, &C.— None of the predictions of Samuel were unaccomplished; in the same manner as an arrow shot by a good archer fails not to arrive at its mark; for this is the metaphor. See Schultens's Orig. Heb. pars 2: page 143. Thus _the Lord_ shewed t... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THE WORD OF THE LORD— i.e. By his _Son,_ who is called _the Word of the Lord_ by way of eminence. See Acts 3:24. REFLECTIONS.—As Samuel increased in years, he grew more distinguished by Divine manifestations, and more esteemed by the people of God. 1. The Lord appeared to him again, by the word... [ Continue Reading ]