1 Samuel 3:8 KJV,NLT

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 3:8

3:8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here [am] I; for thou didst call me. And Eli {g} perceived that the LORD had called the child.(g) Such was the corruption of those times that the chief priest had become dull and negligent to understand the Lord’s appearing. 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

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 3:1-21

ELI ’S DEATH ; THE LOSS OF THE ARK GOD SPEAKS TO SAMUEL (1 Samuel 3:0 ) “The word of the Lord was precious [or rare] in those days” (1 Samuel 3:1 ) is introductory to the record that it was now heard in the case of Samuel. It was Israel’s sin that hid God’s face from them and caused His voice to be silent so long only twice heard during the period of the Judges (Judges 4:4 ; Judges 6:8 ) but He was again to be gracious unto them in this respect, and a new epoch was to open in their... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - 1 Samuel 3:1-18

The House of Eli Overthrown 1Sa 2:33 ; 1Sa 3:18 WE have seen that Hophni and Phinehas were corrupt men, and that as a consequence the people abhorred the offering of the Lord. We have discoursed upon the doctrine that bad priests make bad people. We now come to the divine visitation of priestly unfaithfulness. Once and again we are permitted to see with startling vividness the Hand which rules, and in which is the rod of power. Now and again God puts aside all ministries and mediations, and... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - 1 Samuel 3:8

(8) And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. How gracious is the Lord, in repeating his calls. How numberless are the calls of his grace, in the experience of his people! Eli is taught before Samuel, that these repeated calls, must be from the Lord. So the ministers of God, are sometimes better enabled to explain, than the Lord's people themselves, how the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 3:1-10

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 him what to say. Though it was a disgrace to Eli, for God's call to be directed to Samuel, yet he told him how to meet it. Thus the elder should do their utmost to assist and improve the younger that are rising up. Let us never fail to teach those who are coming after us, even such as will soon be... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - 1 Samuel 3:1-10

The Lord Reveals Himself to Samuel v. 1. 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, it rarely happened that the Lord sent a message by direct prophetic announcement; there was no open vision, literally, "there was no vision spread abroad," made public frequently. There was lacking, on the one hand, a pious, God-fearing priesthood and, on... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - 1 Samuel 3:1-21

SECOND SECTIONSamuel’s Call1 Samuel 3:1 to 1 Samuel 4:1 a1And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord [Jehovah] before Eli. And the word of the Lord [Jehovah] was precious1 in those days; there was no open 2vision [vision spread abroad2]. And it came to pass at that time, when [that3]. Eli was laid down [lying down4] in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim that he could 3not see. And ere [om. ere5] the lamp of God went out [was not yet gone out] in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of... read more