I Samuel 3, God Speaks to Samuel

The young boy, Samuel, is serving the priest, Eli, at Shiloh.

I Samuel 3: 1-5, God calls Samuel

The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.   

One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place.  The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.

Then the LORD called Samuel.   

Samuel answered, "Here I am."  And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."

But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down."

So he went and lay down. Again the LORD called, "Samuel!"

And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."

"My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down."

Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."

Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy.  So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, `Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'"  

So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

The narrator tells us that the "word of the Lord" was rare in that time and so Eli and Samuel are unprepared for this visitation. (It is possible that this is a statement about the apostasy of Eli's ministry.)

Samuel is lying in the inner room of the temporary temple at Shiloh while Eli lies in an outer room. During the night, possibly close to dawn, Samuel is repeatedly called by name. At first he believes Eli is calling him but that is not true.  After twice hurrying to Eli's side, Eli eventually realizes that it is YHWH that is calling Samuel and so gives Samuel instructions about the next time the call occurs.

I Samuel 3: 10-14, YHWH's instructions to Samuel

The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!"

Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." 

And the LORD said to Samuel: "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle. At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family--from beginning to end. For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them.  Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli, `The guilt of Eli's house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.'"

The message that God has for Samuel is not a happy one.  Eli's house will be buried by their sins.

I Samuel 3: 15-18, Morning

Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the LORD. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, but Eli called him and said, "Samuel, my son." 

Samuel answered, "Here I am."   

"What was it he said to you?" Eli asked. "Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you."  

So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. 

Then Eli said, "He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes." 

Eli insists that Samuel pass on the message from YHWH and Samuel reluctantly agrees. Eli takes this all quietly.  He has apparently been resigned to this for some time.  His main legacy now will be Samuel.

I Samuel 3: 19-21, Samuel recognized as prophet 

The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground.  And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD.  The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.

YHWH protects and strengthens Samuel. Samuel's words do not "fall to the ground", that is, they take fruit and have good effect.  From the tribe of Dan, now in the far north of Israel, to Beersheba in the south, Samuel is recognized as a prophet.  

The chapter begins by saying that the "word of YHWH" was rare; the chapter ends with YHWH continuing to appear to Samuel at Shiloh.