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Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Samuel 3:4

1 Samuel 3:4. 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. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 3:5

5-18. he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me—It is evident that his sleeping chamber was close to that of the aged high priest and that he was accustomed to be called during the night. The three successive calls addressed to the boy convinced Eli of the divine character of the speaker, and he therefore exhorted the child to give a reverential attention to the message. The burden of [the Lord's message] was an extraordinary premonition of the judgments that impended over... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 3:1-18

1. Samuel’s call 3:1-18The Hebrew word used to describe Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:1 (naar) elsewhere refers to a young teenager (cf. 1 Samuel 17:33). Consequently we should probably think of Samuel as a boy in his early teens as we read this section. Josephus wrote that Samuel was 12 years old. [Note: Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 5:10:4.] At this time in Israel’s history (i.e., the late Judges Period), special revelations from God were rare. These normally came to prophets in visions... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 3:1-21

The Call of Samuel1. Precious] RM, ’rare’: see Isaiah 13:12. There was no prophet then. Open] rather, ’published, widely announced’: cp. 2 Chronicles 31:5.3. Ere the lamp of God went out] The lamp (’the seven-branched candlestick’) burned all night in the sanctuary, so that the time was early morning: cp. Exodus 27:21. Samuel seems to have been sleeping in some chamber near the ark. Cp. RV, ’was laid down to sleep, in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.’ On the ark see Intro. § 5.... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - 1 Samuel 3:3-4

(3, 4) Ere the lamp of God went out.—There is a Talmud comment here of singular interest and beauty: “On the day that Rabbi Akiva died, Rabbi (compiler of the Mishnah) was born; on the day when Rabbi died, Rav Yehudah was born; on the day when Rav Yehudah died, Rava was born; on the day when Rava died, Rav Ashi (one of the editors of Guemara) was born. It teaches thee, that no righteous man departs this life before another equally righteous is born; as it is said (Ecclesiastes 1:5): ‘The sun... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - 1 Samuel 3:1-21

The Word of the Lord 1 Samuel 3:1 Is there not a message for us from this story of Samuel listening to the word of God? Is the word of God, the revelation which He gives to men, precious in these days? There is, as there was in those days, no open vision, but we have the written word of God. It carries our minds on does it not? not only to the revelation which God gave of the word of the Lord in the Old Testament, but to that greater Word of the Lord Who was with the Father from all eternity,... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 3:1-21

CHAPTER V.SAMUEL’S VISION.1 Samuel 3:1-21.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, and whose hearts go from the first with sacred duties. There were no wayward impulses to subdue, no hankerings after worldly freedom and worldly enjoyment; there was no necessity for coercive measures, either to restrain him from outbursts of frivolity or to compel him to diligence and regularity in his... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - 1 Samuel 3:1-21

4. Samuel’s Call and Prophetic Ministry CHAPTER 3 1. Samuel’s call (1 Samuel 3:1-9 ) 2. The message from Jehovah (1 Samuel 3:10-18 ) 3. Samuel the prophet (1 Samuel 3:19-21 ) After the priesthood had so completely failed and divine judgment had been pronounced, Samuel receives his call to the prophetic office. He continued his ministrations as a Levite during the time that the word of the Lord was precious (literally, rare); there was no vision. Up to this time Samuel had not known the... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - 1 Samuel 3:4

3:4 That the LORD {e} called Samuel: and he answered, Here [am] I.(e) Josephus writes that Samuel was 12 years old when the Lord appeared to him. read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 3:1-21

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 it had no effect of stirring Eli to more wholehearted obedience. At this time the Word of the Lord was rare: conditions were such that the Lord did not reveal Himself as He had done to Moses, Joshua and some of the Judges. Verse 21 shows however, that Samuel became the one exception. Samuel's... read more

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