1 Samuel 3

1Sa 3:1-10.

THE

LORD

APPEARS TO

SAMUEL IN A

VISION.

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 priests and Levites, his being near to that of

the high priest.

the word of the Lord was precious in those days--It was very rarely

known to the Israelites; and in point of fact only two prophets are

mentioned as having appeared during the whole administration of the

judges

(Jud 4:4; 6:8).

there was no open vision--no publicly recognized prophet whom the

people could consult, and from whom they might learn the will of God.

There must have been certain indubitable evidences by which a

communication from heaven could be distinguished. Eli knew them, for he

may have received them, though not so frequently as is implied in the

idea of an "open vision."

3. ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord--The "temple"

seems to have become the established designation of the tabernacle, and

the time indicated was towards the morning twilight, as the lamps were

extinguished at sunrise (see

Le 6:12, 13).

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 Eli's house; and the aged priest, having drawn the

painful secret from the child, exclaimed, "It is the Lord; let him do

what seemeth him good." Such is the spirit of meek and unmurmuring

submission in which we ought to receive the dispensations of God,

however severe and afflictive. But, in order to form a right estimate

of Eli's language and conduct on this occasion, we must consider the

overwhelming accumulation of judgments denounced against his person,

his sons, his descendants--his altar, and nation. With such a

threatening prospect before him, his piety and meekness were wonderful.

In his personal character he seems to have been a good man, but his

sons' conduct was flagrantly bad; and though his misfortunes claim our

sympathy, it is impossible to approve or defend the weak and unfaithful

course which, in the retributive justice of God, brought these

adversities upon him.