1 Samuel 3:1-5:12 KJV

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 Samuel 3:1

THE CALL OF SAMUEL TO THE PROPHETIC OFFICE"Samuel was called by the providence of God to be the founder of prophecy as an established institution,"[1] and subsequently during the period of the monarchy the prophet of God, side by side with the king of Israel, was responsible for the religious, moral, and ethical guidance of the Chosen People.The only critical complaints against this chapter question its unity and what some have called the "reworking" of the prophecy regarding Eli's priesthood... read more

Thomas Coke

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

1 Samuel 3:1. 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 revealed himself in an immediate and particular manner, as it is explained in the next words; there was no open vision. See 1 Samuel 3:21. In the whole Book of Judges we have mention but of... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

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

1. the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli—His ministry consisted, of course, of such duties in or about the sanctuary as were suited to his age, which is supposed now to have been about twelve years. Whether the office had been specially assigned him, or it arose from the interest inspired by the story of his birth, Eli kept him as his immediate attendant; and he resided not in the sanctuary, but in one of the tents or apartments around it, assigned for the accommodation of the... read more

Thomas Constable

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

C. God’s First Revelation to Samuel 3:1-4:1aThis chapter records how God’s blessing of and through Samuel continued and grew as a result of his faithful commitment to God. This is a revelation of another call to ministry that God extended to His servants the prophets (cf. Exodus 3; Isaiah 6; Jeremiah 1; Ezekiel 1; et al.). [Note: See John E. Johnson, "The Old Testament Offices as Paradigm for Pastoral Identity," Bibliotheca Sacra 152:606 (April-June 1995):182-200.] It is also another instance... 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 3:1

(1) The child Samuel ministered unto the Lord.—The writer of this history, although well aware of the great revolution accomplished in Israel by the prophet whose life and work the Holy Spirit bade him record, gives us but the simplest and shortest possible account of the child-days of him who was only second to Moses in his influence on the eventful story of the chosen people. But short and devoid of detail though the record be, it is enough to show us that the atmosphere in which the child... 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

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 Samuel 3:1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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