# 1 Samuel 03 š: The Lord Calls Samuel
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#š Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#š Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#š§ Chapter Summary]]
> [[#āļø Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#š Key Principles / š Life Application]]
> [[#š¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#āļø Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#š Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#š Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#š Internal Notes]]
## š Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### The Call of Samuel
[[#Verse 01.]]Ā Now the boy Samuel continued serving theĀ LordĀ under Eliās supervision.Ā Receiving a message from theĀ LordĀ was rare in those days; revelatory visions were infrequent.
[[#Verse 02.]]Ā Eliās eyes had begun to fail, so that he was unable to see well. At that time he was lying down in his place,Ā
[[#Verse 03.]]Ā and the lamp of God had not yet been extinguished. Samuel was lying down in the temple of theĀ LordĀ as well; the ark of God was also there.Ā
[[#Verse 04.]]Ā TheĀ LordĀ called to Samuel, and he replied, āHere I am!āĀ
[[#Verse 05.]]Ā Then he ran to Eli and said, āHere I am, for you called me.ā But EliĀ said, āI didnāt call you. Go back and lie down.ā So he went back and lay down.Ā
[[#Verse 06.]]Ā TheĀ LordĀ again called, āSamuel!ā So Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, āHere I am, for you called me.ā But EliĀ said, āI didnāt call you, my son. Go back and lie down.ā
[[#Verse 07.]]Ā Now Samuel did not yet know theĀ Lord; theĀ Lordās messages had not yet been revealed to him.Ā
[[#Verse 08.]]Ā Then theĀ LordĀ called Samuel a third time. So he got up and went to Eli and said, āHere I am, for you called me!ā Eli then realized that it was theĀ LordĀ who was calling the boy.Ā
[[#Verse 09.]]Ā So Eli said to Samuel, āGo back and lie down. When he calls you, say, āSpeak,Ā Lord, for your servant is listening.ā So Samuel went back and lay down in his place.
[[#Verse 10.]]Ā Then theĀ LordĀ came and stood nearby, calling as he had previously done, āSamuel! Samuel!ā Samuel replied, āSpeak, for your servant is listening!āĀ
[[#Verse 11.]]Ā TheĀ LordĀ said to Samuel, āLook! I am about to do something in Israel;Ā when anyone hears about it, both of his ears will tingle.Ā
[[#Verse 12.]]Ā On that day I will carry outĀ against Eli everything that I spoke about his houseāfrom start to finish!Ā
[[#Verse 13.]]Ā YouĀ should tell him that I am about to judge his house forever because ofĀ the sin that he knew about. For his sons were cursing God,Ā and he did not rebuke them.Ā
[[#Verse 14.]]Ā Therefore I swore an oath to the house of Eli, āThe sin of the house of Eli can never be forgiven by sacrifice or by grain offering.āā
[[#Verse 15.]]Ā So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of theĀ Lordās house. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.Ā
[[#Verse 16.]]Ā However, Eli called Samuel and said, āSamuel, my son!ā He replied, āHere I am.ā
[[#Verse 17.]]Ā EliĀ said, āWhat message did he speak to you? Donāt conceal it from me. God will judge you severelyĀ if you conceal from me anything that he said to you!ā
[[#Verse 18.]]Ā So Samuel told him everything. He did not hold back anything from him. EliĀ said, āTheĀ LordĀ will do what he pleases.āĀ
[[#Verse 19.]]Ā Samuel continued to grow, and theĀ LordĀ was with him. None of his prophecies fell to the ground unfulfilled.Ā
[[#Verse 20.]]Ā All Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba realized that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of theĀ Lord.Ā
[[#Verse 21.]]Ā Then theĀ LordĀ again appeared in Shiloh, for it was in Shiloh that theĀ LordĀ had revealed himself to SamuelĀ through a message from theĀ Lord.
## š Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
###### Verse 21.
## š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. The lamp of God was to burn through the night (Exodus 27:20-21), so the note that it had not gone out (3:3) places God's call just before dawn.
2. The Lord called Samuel four times (3:4, 6, 8, 10).
3. Samuel did not yet know the Lord in the sense that the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him (3:7).
4. The first-century Jewish historian Josephus said Samuel was twelve years old when God first spoke to him.
5. The phrase that a report will make people's ears tingle (3:11) is used again for Jerusalem's coming judgment (2 Kings 21:12; Jeremiah 19:3).
6. Eli responded to the hard message with humble acceptance: "He is the Lord" (3:18).
7. Saying none of Samuel's words fell to the ground (3:19) means none of his prophecies failed (Deuteronomy 18:22).
8. "From Dan to Beersheba" (3:20) was a common way of saying all Israel, from the far north to the far south.
9. Samuel became known as a prophet, and later Scripture lists him with Moses as a great intercessor (Jeremiah 15:1).
10. The chapter ends with the Lord appearing again at Shiloh (3:21), a turning point after a long season of silence.
## š§ Chapter Summary
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## āļø Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the living Word of God. In a time when the word of the Lord was rare (3:1), God spoke to Samuel, and in these last days God has spoken to us by His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2).
## š Key Principles / š Life Application
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## š¬ Discussion Questions
1. Samuel did not recognize the Lord's voice at first (3:4-7). What helps us learn to recognize when God is speaking?
2. Eli taught Samuel to say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening" (3:9). Who has helped you learn to listen to God?
3. Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the hard message (3:15-18). Why is it hard to speak difficult truth, and why does it matter?
## āļø Key Verses to Remember
- š verse 1: The word of the Lord was rare in those days, and visions were uncommon.
- š verse 10: Samuel answers, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
- š verse 19: The Lord was with Samuel and let none of his words fail.
## š Related Passages/Cross Reference
- š [[Hebrews 01#Verse 01.|Hebrews 1:1-2]] - God has spoken to us by His Son.
- š [[John 10#Verse 27.|John 10:27]] - My sheep hear My voice.
- š [[Amos 08#Verse 11.|Amos 8:11]] - A famine of hearing the words of the Lord.
- š [[Psalm 119#Verse 105.|Psalm 119:105]] - Your word is a lamp to my feet.
- š [[Jeremiah 15#Verse 01.|Jeremiah 15:1]] - Moses and Samuel as intercessors.
## š Devotional Reflection
š SOAP: [[1 Samuel 03 - SOAP|The Beginning of Fellowship]]
## š Internal Notes