CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES.

1Sa. 3:1. The child Samuel. According to Josephus, Samuel was now twelve years old. Precious, i.e., rare. The word was rare that came directly from the Lord by prophetic announcement to the people; the proper organs were lacking, persons who were filled with the Spirit of the Lord, that they might be witnesses of His word; there was lacking also in the people the living desire for the direct revelations of God in His word (Langes Commentary). No open vision, lit. no vision spread abroad. Here vision includes all the ways whereby God revealed Himself to men. Which He did then so seldom that, whatsoever revelation there might be privately to some pious persons, there was none then publicly acknowledged to be a prophet (Patrick).

1Sa. 3:2. His eyes began to wax dim. This mention of Elis dimness of sight is introduced parenthetically. It explains Samuels supposition that he had been called by Eli: the imperfect vision of the aged priest would make him dependent upon the services of an attendant, and these services Samuel was probably appointed to render (Hobson). The lamp of God, i.e., the seven-branched candlestick. This stood in the centre, on the left of the entrance, and is now mentioned for the last time. It was superseded in the reign of Solomon by the ten separate candlesticks, but revived after the captivity by the copy of the one candlestick with the seven branches, as is still seen on the arch of Titus. It was the only light of the Tabernacle during the night (Dean Stanley). Went out. This indicates that the time was near morning. Temple. See on 1Sa. 1:9. The sanctuary was so encased with buildings as to give it the name and appearance of a house or temple (Dean Stanley). Samuel slept in the court, where cells were built for the priests and Levites to live in when serving in the sanctuary. See 1Sa. 3:15. (Keil). The high-priest was not in domestic residence at the temple, much less, therefore, at the tabernacle. But Eli, who was now an aged man, with all his family grown up and settled in their own households, might, both from feeling and convenience, incline to reside constantly at his humble official lodge, under the shadow of the tabernacle. The proper place of Samuel would have been among the attendant Levites, but on account of his personal services to the high-priest, he rested not far from him (Kitto). The Lord. Jehovah. This name stands after the temple because it is the Covenant God who descends to His people, and dwells with them, that is brought before us. On the other hand, in connection with the lamp and the ark, Elohim is used in the sense of the Divine in general (Langes Commentary).

1Sa. 3:4. The Lord called Samuel. Probably by a voice from the ark in the Holy of Holies (Wordsworth).

1Sa. 3:5. He ran, etc. Which shows the great readiness and promptness of his obedience, which made him come, yea, run at his first call (Patrick).

1Sa. 3:7. Did not yet know, etc. He had not the special knowledge of God which was given by extraordinary revelation (Langes Commentary). Revealed, literally uncovered. The metaphor is transferred in a certain way in 1Sa. 9:15, where it is said (Hebrew) that the Lord uncovered the ear of Samuel. Our word revelation may be taken as including both these ideas (Hobson). (See comments on 1Sa. 3:21.)

1Sa. 3:10. Stood. The voice becomes a vision. A personal presence, not a mere voice, or impression upon Samuels mind is here indicated (Bishop Hervey).

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.1Sa. 3:1-10

THE VOICE OF THE UNSEEN

I. Special preparation qualifies for special revelation. Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. In any branch of service, whether rendered to men or more directly to God, training is needed before a man is fit to fulfil its duties. Men to whom the voice of nature has spoken in any special manner are generally men who have been her students from their early years, and their long waiting upon her in her temple has made them capable of receiving special revelations from her. Newton and Faraday were made partakers of some of her secrets only after years of training in her school, and the same may be said of the poets and artists whose ears have been opened, or whose vision has been enlightened in an especial manner to hear her voice, or to see her beauties. Davids early days were spent in meditating upon the heavens that declared the glory of God and the firmament that showed the Divine handiwork. Doubtless this early training had much to do with his susceptibility to impressions from the works of God in nature in his after-life, and made him able to see God in all the things that He has made. God, by early training, fitted him to be not only a king and a soldier, but a poet. So Samuel was prepared, by early and special training, to receive special revelations from God.

II. Early religious training fits men for great and important work in after life. From his very early days Samuel dwelt in the sanctuary of the Lord, and was in daily attendance upon the services of His house. Corrupt as were some of those who ministered in holy things, there were doubtless some good and elevating influences around him which would accustom him to the thought of the God of his fathers, and tend to prepare him for the special work to which he was destined. The comparatively easy and pleasant ministry unto the Lord within His house prepared him for the sterner service he was to be called to render without the courts in a more public capacity. The sailors child is first taught to handle an oar in the sheltered cove before his fathers cottage, in sight of home and within reach of his mothers eye. But this easy exercise is to fit him in after years to move out into the wide ocean and face the perils of the storm, and with a skilful hand pilot his vessel safely over a dangerous sea. The home-life of every well-trained child is a calm and peaceful bay, in which, encircled by loving laws and gentle words, he is being fitted to fight the difficulties and temptations of life outside the charmed circle. In due time he moves out into the vast sea of life, and finds himself in a world altogether different from his childhoods home; but the holy influences that were around him there have fitted him for taking his place and doing his work in the world, so as to glorify God and bless himself and others. So it ought to be with every member of a godly household, so it was with Samuel. The gentleness of God (2Sa. 22:36) as he experienced it in the comparatively calm and peaceful atmosphere of his early days, made him fit to fulfil the arduous mission to which he was afterwards called, and strengthened him to fulfil all the Divine commands even to the terrific one of hewing Agag in pieces before the Lord (1Sa. 15:33). What a contrast was the last-mentioned stern service to the gentle ministry of his early days, but obedience to the will of God was doubtless the motive power in both. This habit of obedience is the one which above all others, perhaps, fits men bravely and faithfully to fulfil their duties to God and men. If a child has been accustomed from a sense of duty to render obedience to his human father or guardian he will come more readily to subject his will to his Divine Father. Submission to the lesser and imperfect being prepares the way for submission to the Almighty and Perfect One. We see from Samuels ready response to what he supposed was the call of Eli, how accustomed he was to render implicit obedience to him who stood to him in the place of his earthly father, and this submission to a human will and authority was one of the most important elements in his early training to fit him in after life to render unhesitating obedience to the word of the Lord, and to shrink from no service which He called upon him to perform.

III. God speaks when His speech is most needed. Rain is never so precious as when famine has set in from lack of it. When the clouds have for long ceased to yield refreshment to the earth, then every drop is as precious as gold. When there is lack of the rain of heaven, then there is dearth, and disease, and death. So is it in the spiritual world when there is a lack of spiritual teaching. From this soul-famine there springs apace all kinds of spiritual diseases, and souls perish for lack of bread. In Israel, at this period of its history, there was such a soul-famine, and with few exceptions its whole head was sick, and its heart was faint in consequence, and wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores broke out in the lives of those who ought to have been fit mediums for the descent of that spiritual rain which makes glad the wilderness and the solitary place, and causes the spiritual desert to rejoice and blossom as the rose. In this time of great need God broke the long silence, and in this word coming to Samuel there was a sound of that abundance of rain which was to be poured down upon this highly-favoured people almost unceasingly until the time of Malachi. This voice of God, coming to the youthful Samuel in the night watches, was to be the beginning of a long series of open visions, and of an abundant revelation of the mind and will of God. But the first drops of the shower fell in a time of spiritual drought, and famine, and disease.

IV. God speaks through spiritually qualified instruments. A coloured glass is not a fit medium to transmit the pure white light of the sun. A blackened glass almost entirely shuts out his rays; light can hardly find any entrance through such a medium. Gods silence had been of so long continuance because those who ought to have been fit mediums to transmit His word were utterly incapable even of receiving it. Neither Eli nor his sons were qualified instruments by which God could reveal His will to the people. Even the high-priest himself was not one whose spiritual nature was sufficiently awake to render him capable of receiving visions of God. And he who would reveal to others the word of the Lord must be able first to see and hear for himself. But Samuel was of an entirely different nature. His ear had been rendered susceptible to spiritual voices, his eyes were fitted to discern spiritual realities, and his will was so far in harmony with the will of Godhis desire to serve the Lord was so far single and unbiassed,as to render him a fit medium through which the light of the Divine word could be transmitted.

V. The unseen world is as real as that which is seen. The personality of Eli in the tabernacle was one that could be seenit was within the reach of Samuels bodily senses. But he came to be conscious of a Person, quite as real, though ordinarily beyond the reach of his vision. He who spoke to Samuel in his sleep was as real an existence as was the priest to whom he at first attributed the voice. That Samuel at first mistook the voice of the invisible God for the voice of the visible Eli shows how strongly he was assured of the reality of the person who spoke to himhow certain he felt that the voice belonged to a real and actual existence. That which is unseen by our mortal eye is as real, and is as near to us, as that which our bodily vision can apprehend, and it only needs God to awaken our spiritual senses to make us conscious of this. Many a man can testify from his own experience that communion with God is quite as much a reality as any communion with man. Samuel, during his minority, had many a conversation with the aged Eli, and had doubtless received some good impressions from his intercourse with the old priest. But the intercourse which he held from this time forth with a person who spoke to him from the invisible world was as real and far more impressive than any he had ever had with the person before whom he had so long ministered to the Lord. So real was it, and so strong an impression did it make upon him that he could afterwards reproduce the words that had been spoken to him, and felt that communion with Him whose dwelling is not with flesh, was a more influential fact of his life than any intercourse with men. He had been conversant with many facts concerning Jehovah before this time, but he now awoke to such a personal consciousness of His existence, and such an abiding sense of His nearness, that up to this crisis in his history it is said of him that he knew not the Lord.

OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS

1Sa. 3:1. Since the extraordinary gifts stand in close connection with the ordinary, we must conclude that the latter also were sparingly dealt out, that among the masses there was a great deal of lukewarmness, and even open apostasy. The want of a reformation was urgent. That the extraordinary gifts, however, had not quite disappeared, we learn from the example of the man of God who comes to Eli to upbraid him with his sins and also to announce the Divine judgment. And with respect to the ordinary gifts, we are led to the conclusion that there was at that time a not inconsiderable ekloge, not only by the institution of holy women (see Critical Notes on 1Sa. 2:21), but also by the custom of the Nazarite, of which we have two contemporaneous examples in Samson and Samuel, and must therefore have been pretty widely spread. Hence we infer that the spirit of piety was by no means dead, especially since an institution such as that of the Nazarites stands in close connection with the whole national tendency, and can only flourish when more or less supported by it.Hengstenberg.

Faithful in little, and therefore entrusted with more, being the next famous prophet to Moses, and called the first (Act. 3:24; 2Ch. 35:18).Trapp.

The time of Samuels appearance in Israel as prophet was a time of an internal judgment of God, which consisted in the lack of intercourse of God with His people by revelation. It was a theocratic interdict incurred by the continual apostasy of the people from their God Such a judgment came upon Saul (1Sa. 28:6; 1Sa. 28:15). The same law presents itself in all periods of the kingdom of God; men lose the source of life, Gods revealed word, by a Divine judgment, when they withdraw from intercourse with the living God, and will not accept His holy word as the truth which controls their whole life.Langes Commentary.

1Sa. 3:2. God lets old Eli sleep, who slept in his sin; and awakes Samuel to tell him what He would do with his master. He, who was wont to be the mouth of God to the people, must now receive the message of God from the mouth of another; as great persons will not speak to those with whom they are highly offended, but send them their checks by others.Bishop Hall.

1Sa. 3:4. He answered Here am I. A hearing ear is a sweet mercy; and a heavy ear, a grievous judgment (Isa. 6:9).Trapp.

1Sa. 3:5-6. He would not have lain down to sleep had he thought that the Lord had spoken unto him. So, if men did but consider that God speaketh unto them by His ministers, they would hear and heed much better. How oft do we either turn a deaf ear to Gods call, or else mistake, and run another way, till He please to speak home to our hearts, and cause us to hear Him.Trapp.

1Sa. 3:10. For the first time Samuel stands with consciousness in the presence of the majesty of Godand immediately all the riddles of life begin to be solved for him, and the meaning of his own life to become clear. What he says bears the clearest stamp of a really begun communion with the Lord. Is it not the resolve to say and to do all that the Lord might show him of His lofty thoughts and waysis it not this, and nothing but this, that is expressed in Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth? Has he not thereby once for all renounced self-knowing and self-will? That was the faithfulness as a prophet, which all Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, recognised in him (1Sa. 3:20). And that which thus first established a true communion with the Lord could also alone be the power that maintained it. The constant prayer, Speak, Lord, and the constant vow, Thy servant heareththat is the hand which takes hold of Gods right hand, to be held fast by it with everlasting life. Speak, Lord, etc., a testimony of unconditional devotion to the Lord.

1. How such a testimony is reached (a), through the Lords awakening call; (b), through receptivity of heart for Gods word; (c) through the deed of self-denial in the renunciation of all self-knowledge and self-will.

2. What is therein testified and praised before the Lord(a) humble subjection [speak, Lord]; (b) steadfast dependence on the Lord in free love [Thy servant]; (c) unconditional, joyful obedience to His will [Thy servant heareth]. Conditions of a blessed fulfilment of ones calling for the kingdom of God

1. The experience of the power of the Divine word: I have called thee by name.
2. The repeated call in prayer, Speak, Lord.
3. The fulfilment of the vow: Thy servant heareth.Langes Commentary.

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Samuels call. 1Sa. 3:1-10

And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;

3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was and Samuel was laid down to sleep;

4 That the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.

6 And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him.
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.

9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down; and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

1.

Why was the word of the Lord precious? 1Sa. 3:1

It was not easy for the people in Samuels day to have a copy of the scriptures. Manuscripts were expensive. Some of them were made on vellum in ancient times. Others were made on papyrus. The copies were handmade and generally they were kept at the center of worship. The copies were made in later times as kings were commanded to do so in Deuteronomy (Deu. 17:18). In Samuels day the Word was precious because not very many people listened to it. Not many prophets were active and as the scripture says, there was no open vision.

2.

What was wrong with Elis eyes? 1Sa. 3:2

One of the very common afflictions of old age is the dimness of eyes mentioned frequently in the scripture. Jacobs eyes became dim so that he could not see (Gen. 27:1). This dimness came quite a number of years before Isaac died. Eli seems to have been afflicted with this same weakness. Some commentaries suggested that this was the kind of affliction we notice when cataracts form. They did not have the benefit of eye glasses nor surgery to correct this weakness. Elis being in this condition must have thrown more responsibility on Samuel.

3.

When did the lamp of God go out? 1Sa. 3:3

The lamp that was in the tabernacle outside the veil near the Holy of Holies was never to go out (Exo. 27:20). Some of the exterior lamps, however, would be put out as activity around the tabernacle ceased. Reference must be made of some of these lamps and it may have been a part of Samuels responsibility to tend these lamps. This may be a part of his service unto the Lord before Eli (1Sa. 3:1).

4.

What vision did Samuel have? 1Sa. 3:4; 1Sa. 3:10-18

Samuel had a vision in which the Lord called to him and revealed to him the coming destruction of the House of Eli. Samuels reaction was that he was afraid to tell Eli. When we read Jehovah came and stood, we understand that the revelation then was an objectively real affair and no mere dream of Samuels. No doubt Samuel had first thought that the aged Eli had called him for assistance. Before the communication was over, however, he was undoubtedly sure of what he had heard and seen. A dream is not being described, for Samuel rose and ran to Eli after each call. The prophet heard a voice physically audible. This voice enunciated in articulate words the message which the prophet was to receive. The experience is not a parallel to Jacob who saw and heard God in a dream.

5.

Why did Samuel not yet know the Lord 1Sa. 3:7

Samuel had not had a personal revelation of the will of the Lord to him. He knew that God was the maker of the heavens and the earth. He must have known of how his mother had prayed to God for him. His own name meant heard of the Lord. The last two letters of his namee, 1, were an abbreviation of the Hebrew word for God. Although Samuel knew that there was one true and living God, he had not yet been called of the Lord to His ministry.

6.

How many times did he go to Eli? 1Sa. 3:8

Samuel went to Eli three times, during the course of the vision. On the third time when Samuel came to him, Eli spoke to him and told him that it was the Lord calling to him out of heaven and that he should answer him and say Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth. On the fourth time, he came to him in the morning after he had opened the doors of the house of the Lord.

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(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 lived was a pure and holy one; the boy was evidently kept apart from Hophni, Phinehas, and their impious self-seeking party. The high priestly guardian was evidently fully conscious of the importance of his charge, and he watched over his pupil with a tender watchful care. Perhaps his sad experiences with his evil headstrong sons had taught the old man wisdom; certainly the training he gave to Samuel was one that educated the boy well for his after-life of stirring public work. The notices of the childhood and boyhood are indeed brief. The first contrasts sharply the lawless profligacy of the priestly houses with the pure holy childhood passed in the sanctuary courts, probably always in the company of the old man. Hophni and Phinehas, the grown men prostituted the holy work to their own vile worldly ends: the child ministered before the Lord in his little white robe; and while in the home life of his own mother and father in Ramah, his brothers and sisters were growing up with the sorrows and joys of other Hebrew children, the child Samuel grew before the Lord amid the stillness and silence and the awful mystery of the Divine protection, which seems ever, even in the darkest days of the history of Israel, to have surrounded the home of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. It was amidst this silent, sacred mystery, apart from the disorders of his priestly sons, that Eli taught the boy the story of his ancestors, with only the dark curtains of the sanctuary hanging between master and pupil and the mystic golden throne of God, on which His glory was sometimes pleased to rest.

The writer wrote his gloomy recital of the wild unbridled life of the wicked priests, wrote down the weak, sorrowful remonstrances of the father and high priest, foreshadowing, however, their certain doom; and then, again, with their life of shame sharply contrasts the pure child-life of the little pupil of the old sorrow-stricken high priestthe boy whom all men loved. And the boy Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the Lord, and also with men.

Once more Eli, now weak with age, is warned of the sure consequences which would follow the evil licence and the irreligion of his priestly sons; and again the boy Samuel and his life, guided by Eli, his guardian and teacher, is contrasted with the wild, unchecked lawlessness of the priestly sons of Eli perpetually dishonouring religion and the sanctuarya lawlessness which had just been denounced by the nameless prophet (1Sa. 2:27-36).

Josephus tells us that Samuel, when the Lord first called him, was twelve years old. This was the age of the child Jesus when He disputed with the doctors in the Temple.

Was precious in those days.Precious, that is, rare. The word of the Lord is the will of the Lord announced by a prophet, seer, or man of God. Between the days of Deborah and the nameless man of God who came with the awful message to Eli, no inspired voice seems to have spoken to the chosen people.

The open vision refers to such manifestations of the Divinity as were vouchsafed to Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and Manoah, and in this chapter to Samuel. There may possibly be some reference to the appearance of Divine glory which was connected with the Urim and Thummim which were worn by the high priest. This significant silence on the part of the invisible King the writer dwells on as a result of the deep corruption into which the priests and, through their evil example, a large proportion of the nation, had fallen.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

SAMUEL’S CALL, 1Sa 3:1-21.

1. Samuel ministered See note on 1Sa 2:11. According to Josephus, Samuel was now about twelve years old.

The word of the Lord was precious in those days , precious, costly; an epithet applied frequently to very rare and costly stones. 2Sa 12:30; 1Ki 10:2 ; 1Ch 20:2; Eze 27:22. The meaning is that direct revelations from God had become exceedingly rare, and this fact was owing to the lamentable sinfulness of the priesthood and the people. As sinfulness in the individual heart drives away the Holy Spirit, so in the Hebrew nation it drove away the spirit of prophecy. A direct communication from God at such a time would truly be a precious thing. Unless we reckon Deborah, who is called a prophetess, (Jdg 4:4,) so far as we know only two prophets had appeared in Israel (see Jdg 6:8, and 1Sa 2:27) during the period that intervened between the time of Moses and this call of Samuel.

No open vision Literally, No divine communication was spread; that is, published abroad, made known. If, perchance, God revealed himself to pious individuals here and there, he gave them private revelations; but the persons thus honoured were not thereby constituted public prophets, nor sent to publish their communications to the people. In the midst of such spiritual darkness Samuel arose as a new luminary in Israel.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

The Continued Faithfulness Of Samuel ( 1Sa 3:1 a).

Meanwhile, while all this is going on, Samuel continues on in his faithful service of YHWH without wavering. Samuel stands out like a shining light against the dark background of Eli’s priestly family and their behaviour (and is a credit to Eli).

1Sa 3:1 a

‘And the child Samuel ministered to YHWH before Eli.’

There was no blip in Samuel’s service. He continued faithfully to serve YHWH. And he did it under Eli’s jurisdiction and guidance. So God had not overlooked what was good in Eli, and He had entrusted to his care the one in whom His coming purposes would be fulfilled. It was not so much Eli himself who was rejected, but his family line.

Chapter 3.

God now informs Samuel himself of what He will do to the house of Eli. As a result from this time on Samuel is himself to be seen, even at a young age, as a ‘man of God’ who can be entrusted with YHWH’s message (1Sa 3:2-18). And in this chapter we then see a ‘flash forward’ of his sprouting forth as a prophet of YHWH, ‘And Samuel grew and YHWH was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of YHWH. And YHWH appeared again in Shiloh, for YHWH revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of YHWH. And the word of Samuel came to all Israel’ (1Sa 3:19 to 1Sa 4:1 a).

Samuel’s Vision And Its Consequences ( 1Sa 3:1 to 1Sa 4:1 a)

In this passage we are shown the huge transformation that takes place as a result of Samuel’s presence at Shiloh. It commences with a situation where there is no frequent vision, and ends with Samuel revealing YHWH’s word to all Israel. It must indeed have seemed at the time as though Samuel was the faithful Priest whom YHWH would raise up (2:35). He certainly fulfilled most of the requirements as the adopted son of Eli. But it is noteworthy that Samuel never himself made any claim to be High Priest, nor ever sought to act as such. He acted as a priest, a judge and a prophet, but never as the High Priest of the Tabernacle. That position was reserved for others who were trueborn sons of Aaron. YHWH would be faithful to His promise to Aaron.

We may analyse the chapter as follows:

a And the word of YHWH was precious in those days. There was no frequent vision (1Sa 3:1 b).

b And it came about on that day, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could not see), and the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, in the temple of YHWH, where the ark of God was, that YHWH called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am”. And he ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” And he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” And he went and lay down. And YHWH called yet again, “Samuel.” And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” And he answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again” (1Sa 3:2-6).

c Now Samuel did not yet know YHWH, nor was the word of YHWH yet revealed to him’ (1Sa 3:7).

d And YHWH called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” And Eli perceived that YHWH had called the child. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call you, that you will say, “Speak, YHWH; for your servant is listening.” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And YHWH came, and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel, Samuel.” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1Sa 3:8-10).

e And YHWH said to Samuel, “Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one who hears it will tingle” (1Sa 3:11 a).

f In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end” (1Sa 3:11-12).

g “For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves, and he did not restrain them” (1Sa 3:13).

f “And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering for ever” (1Sa 3:14).

e And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of YHWH. And Samuel was afraid to show Eli the vision (1Sa 3:15).

d Then Eli called Samuel, and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” And he said, “What is the thing that YHWH has said to you? I pray you, do not hide it from me: God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that he said to you”. And Samuel told him every detail, and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is YHWH. Let him do what seems good to him” (1Sa 3:16-18).

c And Samuel grew, and YHWH was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground (1Sa 3:19).

b And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of YHWH (1Sa 3:20).

a And YHWH appeared again in Shiloh; for YHWH revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh in the word of YHWH. And the word of Samuel came to all Israel (1Sa 3:21 to 1Sa 4:1 a).

Note that in ‘a’ the word of YHWH was rare and precious and there was no vision published abroad, and in contrast in the parallel the word of YHWH came to Samuel, and through him to all Israel. In ‘b’ YHWH calls to Samuel twice, and in the parallel he was established as a prophet of YHWH. In ‘c’ Samuel had not yet had the word of YHWH revealed to him, and in contrast in the parallel Samuel grew and YHWH was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. In ‘d’ Eli perceived that YHWH had called Samuel and told him to listen to what YHWH had to say, and in the parallel. Samuel tells Eli every detail of what YHWH had said. In ‘e’ YHWH tells Samuel that what He has to tell him will make every ear tingle, and in the parallel Samuel is afraid to give the details to Eli. In ‘f’ YHWH says He will perform against Eli all that He has spoken concerning his house from beginning to end, and in the parallel the iniquity of Eli’s house would not be expiated for ever. Centrally in ‘g’ is given the reason for the curse on the house of Eli.

The Situation ( 1Sa 3:1 b).

1Sa 3:1 b

‘And the word of YHWH was precious in those days. There was no vision published abroad.’

Preparatory to what is to happen to Samuel the writer describes the parlous situation in which Israel finds itself. The word of YHWH was precious because it was so rare. There was ‘no vision published abroad’; compare 4:1a. God had almost stopped speaking to His people. During the long judgeship of Eli, and especially towards its latter end, the voice of YHWH had been virtually silent. And even before that (if it was before it) it had been silent since the birth of Samson. The behaviour of those who should have been the means of speaking to His people had made it impossible. Indeed in the whole of the time of the Judges we have only two references to a prophet (Jdg 4:4; Jdg 6:8). It was true that God still delivered His people, but they received no ‘word from YHWH’.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

1Sa 3:3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;

1Sa 3:3 Comments The Scriptures tell us that the lamp in the Holy Place ceased burning while Samuel was young. God had commanded the Levites to keep the lamp always burning. It was to never go out (Exo 27:20-21). In conjunction with this failure in Eli’s service in the Tabernacle as high priest, and with the disobedience of his sons in receiving the offerings of the people, the Lord now speaks judgment upon Eli and his descendants.

Exo 27:20-21, “And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.”

1Sa 3:4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

1Sa 3:4 Comments – Notice how Samuel had positioned himself in God’s presence. He was before the ark of God, which was the place where God met with man. Samuel was resting in His presence. This is a position where the prophetic and the supernatural will operate in our lives. As we wait in God’s presence, we too, will experience supernatural visitations and receive divine words from the Lord.

1Sa 3:7  Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.

1Sa 3:7 Comments – Just like Samuel, Christians have to learn to recognize God’s voice.

1Sa 3:14  And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.

1Sa 3:14 Scripture References – Note:

Pro 29:1, “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”

Heb 10:29, “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”

1Sa 3:19  And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

1Sa 3:19 Comments – As a prophet of God, Samuel prophecies always came true.

1Sa 3:21  And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

1Sa 3:21 Comments – God now had a man, a vessel, in which to speak through. Out of an entire nation, one man was yielded enough to God’s will in his life to be a spokesman for God. How much we, as people of God, especially a minister, need to be this kind of vessel both in our talk and in our walk.

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

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 the other hand, an appreciation of the divine Spirit’s work through the Word. “Jehovah had indeed promised His people to send prophets, who should reveal to them His will and counsel, Deu 18:15 ff. ; Cf Num 23:23; but since divine Revelation presupposes willingness to accept the truth on the part of man, the unbelief and the disobedience of the people was able to hinder the fulfillment of this and similar prophecies, and God could in punishment deprive the idolatrous people of His Word. ” (Keil. )

v. 2. And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, namely, to sleep at night in the room reserved for him, and his eyes began to wax dim that he could not see, this being added by way of parenthesis, in order to explain the action of Samuel, who supposed that Eli was calling him to assist him in some manner,

v. 3. and ere the lamp of God, the large candlestick with its seven lamps, whose oil was replenished every morning, since they went out toward morning, went out in the Temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep,

v. 4. that the Lord called Samuel; and he answered, Here am I. So Samuel was sleeping in one of the rooms which were built in the court of the Tabernacle for the use of the priests and Levites who happened to be on duty, and it was toward morning.

v. 5. And he ran unto Eli and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. That was the conclusion which he naturally drew, and his faithful willingness took him to the room of Eli as quickly as he could get there a fine example to many a young man of our days. And he, Eli, said, I called not; lie down again, evidently supposing that Samuel had merely dreamed he was being called. And he went and lay down.

v. 6. And the Lord called yet again, Samuel! And Samuel arose, and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. He was again, as a faithful servant, ready to do his master’s bidding; there was no peevish discontent in his voice for having been called out of his rest. And he, Eli, answered, I called not, my son; lie down again, still believing that the young man was being misled by some illusion of the senses.

v. 7. Now, Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the Word of the Lord yet revealed unto him. This is added by way of explanation. Samuel did not yet possess the special, direct knowledge of God, for this was given only by an extraordinary Revelation of Jehovah, in dreams and in visions, and this form of manifestation was at that time practically unknown in Israel; hence his ignorance.

v. 8. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, still with the same cheerful willingness which disregarded its own comfort, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. He was ready for service day or night, and without the slightest irritation. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. This was the conclusion which Eli reached from his knowledge of God’s manner of dealing with His prophets.

v. 9. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth. So Samuel, ever obedient, even while he may have wondered about the strangeness of the command, went and lay down in his place.

v. 10. And the Lord, who had at first manifested Himself merely by His voice, came, and stood, in a vision which must have been plainly visible to Samuel upon awakening, and called as at other times, Samuel! Samuel! Then Samuel answered, Speak, for Thy servant heareth. Samuel is not only an example of obedience, but also of willingness to hear the voice of the Lord. Like him all believers should open their ears and hearts to God and give heed to the voice which comes to us in the Word.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

EXPOSITION

THE CALL OF SAMUEL (1Sa 3:1-10).

1Sa 3:1

The word of the Lord was precious in those days. Or rather rare; it came but seldom, and there was no proper order of persons from whose ranks the “speakers for God” would naturally step forth. It was this which made the revelation of Jehovah’s will to Samuel an event so memorable both for the Jewish nation and for the Church; for he was called by the providence of God to be the founder of prophecy as an established institution, and henceforward, side by side with the king and priest, the prophet took his place as one of the three factors in the preparation for the coming of him who is a king to rule, a Priest to make atonement, and also a Prophet to teach his people and guide them into all the truth. There was no open vision. Literally, “no vision that broke forth”. The meaning is, that though prophecy was an essential condition of the spiritual life of Israel, yet that hitherto it had not been promulgated and established as a fact. The gift had not absolutely been withheld, but neither had it been permanently granted as a settled ordinance. There are in Hebrew two words for vision: the one used here, hazon, refers to such sights as are revealed to the tranced eye of the seer when in a state of ecstasy; while the other, march, is a vision seen by the natural eye. From the days, however, of Isaiah onward, hazon became the generic term for all prophecy.

1Sa 3:2

Eli could not see. I.e. clearly. His sight was fast failing him, and Samuel, still called a child, na’ar, but probably, as Josephus states (‘Antiq.,’ 1Sa 5:10, 1Sa 5:4), now fully twelve years old, was in constant attendance upon him because of his increasing infirmities. Both were sleeping in the temple; for literally the words are, And Samuel was sleeeping in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God was. Of course neither Eli nor Samuel were in the holy place; but, as in 1Sa 1:9, the word temple is used in its proper sense of the whole palace of Israel’s spiritual King, in which were chambers provided for the use of the high priest and those in attendance upon him.

In 1Sa 1:3 the lamp is mentioned as fixing the exact time. Though it is said that the seven-branched candelabrum was “to burn always” (Exo 27:20), yet this apparently was to be by perpetually relighting it (ibid. 1Sa 30:7, 1Sa 30:8); and as Aaron was commanded to dress and light it every morning and evening, and supply it with oil, the night would be far advanced and morning near before it went out. In the stillness then of the late night Samuel, sunk in heavy sleep, hears a voice calling him, and springing up, naturally hurries to Eli, supposing that he needed his services. Eli had not heard the voice, and concluding that it was a mistake, bids Samuel return to his bed. Again the voice rings upon his ear, and again he hastens to Eli, only to be told to lie down again.

In 1Sa 1:7 the reason is given why Samuel was thus thrice mistaken. Samuel did not yet know Jehovah, neither was the word of Jehovah yet revealed unto him. Doubtless he knew Jehovah in the way in which the sons of Eli did not know him (1Sa 2:12), i.e. in his conscience and spiritual life, but he did not know him as one who reveals his will unto men. Prophecy had long been a rare thing, and though Samuel had often heard God’s voice in the recesses of his heart, speaking to him of right and wrong, he knew nothing of God as a living Person, giving commands for men to obey, and bestowing knowledge to guide them in doing his will.

1Sa 3:8

But Eli was neither so inexperienced, nor so lost to all sense of Jehovah being the immediate ruler of Israel, as not to perceive, when Samuel came to him the third time, that the matter was Divine. Possibly he recalled to mind the visit of the man of God, and had some presage of what the message might be. At all events he bade Samuel lie calmly down again, because the best preparation for hearing God’s voice is obedience and trustful submission.

1Sa 3:10

And Jehovah came, and stood, and called as at other times. It is something more than a voice; there was an objective presence; and so in 1Sa 3:15 it is called, not hazon, a sight seen when in a state of ecstasy, but march, something seen when wide awake, and in the full, calm possession of every faculty. As at other times simply means as before, as on the two previous occasions. But now, instead of hurrying to Eli, Samuel obediently waits for the revelation of the Divine will, saying, “Speak; for thy servant heareth.”

THE MESSAGE TO ELI (1Sa 3:11-18).

1Sa 3:11

Behold, I will do. Rather, I do, I am now doing. Though the threatened ruin may be delayed for a few years, yet is it already in actual progress, and the fall of Eli’s house will be but the consummation of causes already now at work. At which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. This implies the announcement of some event so frightful and unlooked for that the news shall, as it were, slap both ears at once, and make them smart with pain. And such an event was the capture of the ark, and the barbarous destruction of the priests and sanctuary at Shiloh. The phrase is again used of the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (2Ki 21:12; Jer 19:3), a calamity which Jeremiah compares to the fall of Shiloh (Jer 7:12, Jer 7:14; Jer 26:6, Jer 26:9), inasmuch as both of these events in-valved the ruin of the central seat of the Jewish religion, and were both accompanied by revolting cruelties.

1Sa 3:12

I will perform. Literally, “I will raise up,” i.e. I will excite and stir up into active energy all the denunciations of the man of God (1Sa 2:27), which hitherto have been as it were asleep and at rest. All things which. Better, quite literally, all that I have spoken. When I begin, I will also make an end. In the Hebrew two infinitives used as gerunds, “beginning and ending,” i.e. from beginning to end. The Hebrew language constantly thus uses infinitives with great force; as, for instance, in Jer 7:9 : “What! stealing, murdering, committing adultery,” etc.

1Sa 3:13

For I have told him, etc. These words may be translated, with the Septuagint and Vulgate, “For I have told him that I would judge his house,” referring back to the message of the man of God; or, with the Syriac, “And I will show him that I do judge his house.” Forever. I.e. finally; his house shall pass away. His sons made themselves vile. The verb used here invariably means to curse; but “they cursed themselves” does not, without straining, give a good sense. The Septuagint for “themselves” reads God, and the Syriac the people. Buxtorf says (‘Lex. Rab.,’ sub ) that the right reading is me, and that this is one of eighteen places where the scribes have changed me into themselves or them. But while thus there is much uncertainty about the right text, the evidence is too uncertain to act upon, and it is best to translate, “His sons have brought a curse upon themselves,” while acknowledging that the ordinary rendering would be “have cursed themselves.” And he restrained them not. The Versions generally take the verb used here as equivalent to one differing only in having a softer medial consonant, = , and translate rebuked; but that really found in the Hebrew text signifies “to weaken, humble, reduce to powerlessness.” The A.V. takes neither one verb nor the other in the rendering restrained. Eli ought to have prevented his sons from persisting in bringing disgrace upon God’s service by stripping them of their office. Their wickedness was great, and required a stern and decisive remedy.

1Sa 3:14

Sacrifice nor offering. The first of these is zebach, the sacrifice of an animal by the shedding of its blood; the second is the minchah, or unbloody sacrifice. The guilt of Eli’s sons could be purged, i.e. expiated, by none of the appointed offerings for sin, because they had hardened themselves in their wrong doing even after the solemn warning in 1Sa 2:27-36. Hence the marked repetition of the denunciation of finality in their doom. Again it is said that it is forever. It has, however, been well noticed that though the message of Samuel confirms all that had been threatened by the man of God, yet that no bitter or painful words are put into the mouth of one who was still a child. For this there may also be a further reason. The first message was intended to give Eli and his sons a final opportunity of repentance, and, that it might produce its full effect, the severity of the doom impending upon them was clearly set before their eyes. They did not repent. Eli hardened himself in his weakness, and took no steps to vindicate God’s service from the slur cast upon it by an unworthy priesthood. His sons hardened themselves in crime, and made their office a reproach. It was enough, therefore, to repeat and confirm generally the terms of the former prophecy, as no moral object would be gained by calling attention to the severity of the coming judgment.

1Sa 3:15

Samuel opened the doors. In Exo 26:36 : Exo 36:37, the word used, though translated door, really means an opening, protected by a hanging curtain. The word used here means double or folding doors of wood, and we must therefore conclude that solid buildings had grown up round the tabernacle (see on 1Sa 1:9), and a wall for its defence in case of invasion, or the assault of predatory tribes. The confiding the keys of these enclosures to Samuel shows that he was no longer a mere child, or he would have been incapable of holding a position of such high trust (on the key as an emblem of authority see Isa 22:22). Vision, as noticed above on Exo 36:10, means something seen by a person awake and in full possession of his senses.

1Sa 3:16, 1Sa 3:17, 1Sa 3:18

God do so to thee, etc. This adjuration shows how great had been the agony of Eli’s suspense, yet, true to his sluggish nature, he had waited patiently till the morning came. Then he summons Samuel to him, calling him lovingly my son, and everything tends to show that there was a real affection between the two. He next asks, What is the thing that he hath said unto thee? The A.V. greatly weakens this by inserting the words “The Lord.” The original is far more suggestive. Put quite indefinitely, it says, “Whoever or whatsoever be thy visitor, yet tell me all.” Then, when Eli has heard the message, he says, It is Jehovah. Though he had not had the courage to do what was right, yet his submission to God, and the humility of his resignation, prove that the Holy Ghost had in these years of waiting being doing its work upon the old man’s heart. Eli’s adjuration, we must further note, was equivalent to putting Samuel upon his oath, so that any concealment on his part would have involved the sin of perjury.

ESTABLISHMENT OF SAMUEL IN THE OFFICE OF PROPHET (1Sa 3:19 1Sa 4:1).

1Sa 3:19

And Samuel grew. His childhood up to this time has been carefully kept before our view; now he passes from youth to manhood. And Jehovah was with him. By special gifts, but especially by establishing his words. Spoken by Divine inspiration, they were all fulfilled. So in Ecc 12:11 the words of the wise are compared to “nails fastened” securely, and which may therefore be depended upon. But in their case it is experience and sound judgment that makes them foresee what is likely to happen; it was a higher gift which made Samuel’s words remain safe and sure, and capable of firmly holding up all enterprises that were hung upon them.

1Sa 3:20

From Dan, upon the north, to Beersheba, upon the south, means “throughout the whole country.” The phrase is interesting, as showing that, in spite of the virtual independence of the tribes, and the general anarchy which prevailed during the time of the judges, there was nevertheless a feeling that they all formed one people. Was established. The same word used in Num 12:7 of Moses, and there translated was faithful. It is one of those pregnant words common in Hebrew, containing two cognate meaning. It says, first, that Samuel was faithful in his office; and, secondly, that because he was found trustworthy he was confirmed and strengthened in the possession of it.

1Sa 3:21

And Jehovah appeared again. Literally, “added to appear,” i.e. revealed himself from time to time on all fit occasions. To appear, literally, “to be seen,” is the verb used of waking vision (see on 1Sa 3:15). By the word of Jehovah. Many of the old commentators refer this to the second person of the Holy Trinity, but he is himself Jehovah, as we affirm in the Te Deum: “We believe thee to be the Lord,” i.e. the Jehovah of the Old Testament, usually translated, in deference to a Jewish superstition, “the LORD.” As the Word, Christ is “the Word of God.” The phrase really means, “by prophetic inspiration” revealing to Samuel the truth (comp. Isa 51:16; Jer 1:9).

HOMILETICS

1Sa 3:1-10

Light withheld.

The facts given are

1. A lack of the manifest revelations of the Divine will to which Israel had been accustomed.

2. A consciousness of this want on the part of the few pious in Israel.

3. The continued service of Samuel in the ordinary routine of the sanctuary.

4. The resumption of the manifest revelation by the call of Samuel to receive it.

5. Samuel experiences difficulty in recognising the call of God.

6. Eli renders to him the assistance by which he becomes recipient of the Divine communication. The statement concerning Samuel’s continued service in the sanctuary is evidently to prepare the way for the new prophet’s summons to important duties. The historian’s mind rests primarily on a dreary period during which a valued privilege was not enjoyed.

I. A PROGRESSION OF LIGHT IS NEEDED IN THE CHURCH OF GOD. The ancient Jewish Church was very dependent for its growth in knowledge, in direction for present duty, and in advancing joy in life, upon well ascertained communications from God. The fragmentary history from patriarchal times onwards acquaints us with many specific instances in which “open vision,” as distinguished from individual enlightenment for private uses, was vouchsafed. It is probable that much other light was given than we have record of, as truly as that the apostles received more from Christ than is explicitly contained in the Gospels. The clear light of God was necessary in successive years to enable Israel to do the work required in paving the way for Messiah. Therefore men looked for “vision” through some chosen instrument, and felt that the normal course of Providence was interrupted when, through long and weary years, none was granted. Substantially the light has now been given to the modern Church. No one is to “add to or take away from the words of the book” which God has given for the instruction and guidance of his people. But relatively, to the perception of the Church and of the individual, there is still a progression in what is made known to us. All the truth was in Christ before it gradually came forth “in divers manners to the fathers;” and all the truth requisite for salvation is in the word of God. But as occasional manifestations in ancient times brought successive beams of light from the original Source to supply the need of men, so now out of the word of God much light has to break forth for the instruction, guidance, and comfort of the Church. There is all the difference imaginable between adding to the sum of truth by traditions of men or superior “light of reason,” and having the things of Christ revealed to us by the Spirit. Our growth in knowledge is consequent on clearer “visions” from God’s word.

II. SPIRITUAL RECEPTIVITY IS A CONDITION OF RECEIVING FURTHER LIGHT FROM GOD. The absence of “open visions” in the days of Eli is implicitly accounted for by the circumstance that the official persons through whom the communications usually came were not in a state of mind to be so honoured by God. There seems to be a beautiful adaptation between the fitness of the instrument and the fulness of the truth conveyed. Isaiah’s intense spirituality of mind made him a fit instrument for conveying to men the more advanced truth revealed to him. The tone of the Apostle John’s nature qualified him for the special quality and degree of truth characteristic of his writings. There seem to be high regulative laws by which God sends forth his light to the spiritual man corresponding to those in the lower sphere of intellect and moral perception. The application of this principle is seen in the history of the Church and of the individual. When the leaders of the Church have been intent on earthly things, no advance has been made in the understanding of the Scriptures. As protoplastic life must pre-exist in order to the assimilation of protoplasm, so a certain spiritual light and love must dwell in man in order to the absorption into self of light from God’s word. No wonder if irreligious men cannot know the mysteries of the kingdom. The highest spiritual truth is not intellectually, but “spiritually discerned.” Christ may have many things to say to us, but we, through deficient receptivity, “cannot bear them now.” Hence the wisdom of God is often foolishness to men, or the darkness is real because the eye that should see is dim.

III. It is a GREAT CALAMITY FOR ANY PEOPLE TO BE DEPRIVED OF THE LIGHT which ordinarily comes from God for human use. The historian indicates the sad loss from which the people were suffering in this withholding of “open vision.” All light is good, only good. It is the chief means of life. It means cheer, safety, development. To be without it in any measure is, in that degree, to be practically blind, and to suffer all the evils of blindness. We mourn over those who cannot see the sweet, beautiful light of day. Agony enters us when we gaze on men devoid of the light of reason. The wisest grope as in perpetual fear when the pillar of fire and Divine silence show not the way to take. Worst of all when the Church has no guidance suited to its need. There have been periods when the written word has been almost lost to the mass of Christians. There are souls dark, sad, hopeless because no “vision” points to the Refuge from sin and the rest to come. If one could speak out the secret miseries of some who, dazed by exclusive gaze on the light of reason, feel that life is hopeless, the world would scarcely credit the story.

IV. The LACK OF RECEPTIVITY BY WHICH this calamity is experienced is often THE RESULT OF A DEGENERATE, CORRUPT STATE OF MIND SELF–INDUCED AND LOVED. The spiritual unfitness of people and leaders in Eli’s day to receive more and frequent “visions” was the creation of their own wicked wills. The calamity of being left for a while was the fruit of their doings. Sin is a blinding power, as also a creator of positive aversion. The natural effect of religious declension is to render men indifferent to the value of God’s truth for its own sake and for its elevating influence; incapable of appreciating and even discerning it in its purity; prone to set a wrong interpretation upon it when in any degree it is given; and even, in many instances, disposed go refer that which professes to be from God to any other than the true source. It is a fair question how much of the professed rejection of Christianity on reasonable grounds is really traceable to the pure exercise of the reason under the guidance of an undefiled love of truth. Is not zeal to be free from such holy restraints as Christ imposes often an important element in the case? The finer and most convincing evidences of the truth of Christianity lie in the spiritual beauty and glory of the Christ, and this is a factor which mere intellectual processes cannot assess. How is it that the unholy always welcome objections to Christianity? It is ever true, “sin lieth at the door.” “Ye will not come unto me.” “Out of the heart are the issues of life.”

V. The CAUSE OF THE DEGENERACY which issues in a calamitous loss of spiritual light LIES IN A NEGLECT OF SUCH LIGHT AS IS ALREADY GIVEN. The inaptitude of Eli to receive “visions,” and of the people to profit by them, was the fruit of a religious decay brought on by inattention to the instructions given by Moses, and a heedless performance of acts of worship. Thus calamity came of abuse or neglect of existing privileges. The principle holds good over a wide sphere. Unfaithfulness in some Churches of Asia led to the dire calamity of a removal of the “candlestick.” Apostles sometimes turned from cities that failed to use the opportunities they afforded them. Those who, seeing the “Eternal Power and Godhead “in the “things that are made,” glorified not God, had their “foolish heart darkened.” An exclusive fondness for one side of intellectual nature, to the habitual neglect of the secret and subtle moral elements in conscience, often results in the folly and wickedness of finding not even a trace of God in the universe. Of many it may still be true, “Hadst thou known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace I but now they are hid from thine eyes.'”

VI. The CORRUPTION OF AN AGE and consequent WITHHOLDMENT OF DIVINE LIGHT is NO PERMANENT BAR TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRUTH. Israel’s degeneracy brought its chastisement; yet God had a holy servant in reserve both to remove the impeding corruption and to continue the declarations of God’s will. Waters held back by a barrier retain and multiply their force, and in course of time will first sweep away the opposition and then flow peacefully on. God’s purposes are an eternal force pressing on into the future. In ancient times a measure of truth was given to the world to make ready a fit time and condition for the Christ to come; and this was done, if not by one unwilling instrument, yet by another when that was swept away. Likewise the Church is to get more truth from the Bible for the “perfecting of the saints;” and in spite of dark seasons it will rise to a clearer vision of the truth in Christ by the providential removal of obstructions and the introduction of a more holy and teachable order of men. Man lives and toils, and opposes and dies. God ever lives in full resistless energy.

Practical considerations:

1. It is a question how far errors and theological conflicts are to be associated with a defective spirituality arising from either over-absorption in purely philosophical pursuits, external Church order, or political and party arrangements.

2. To what extent is it possible to remedy the absence of Divine truth in much of the literature of modern times.

3. By what means the Church and the individual may secure more of that holy, teachable spirit by which alone a fuller vision of truth shall be enjoyed.

4. How far the conduct of controversies of the day respecting Divine truth is defective by not sufficiently taking into account the spiritual condition of men opposed to religion, and whether there is a proper dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit to give eyes to the blind.

5. To what extent, in personal seasons of darkness, the cause lies in our personal indulgence in secret or open sin.

Lowly instruments.

The transition from the employment of Eli, as the messenger of God to the people, to Samuel, brings into view important truths concerning the instrumentality by which God effects his purposes concerning man.

I. God always has IN RESERVE AND TRAINING SUITABLE INSTRUMENTS for promoting the ends to be sought in connection with Christ’s kingdom. Judged from the outward aspect of things, all around appeared dark and hopeless. There was no one able to cope with the difficulties of the position. A similar condition of things has been found in certain countries during the history of the Christian Church. Some desponding minds would find a correspondence in the prevailing unbelief and daring atheism of modern times. There are also conditions of the individual spiritual life when decay has apparently gone on to utter hopelessness. Missionaries have now and then felt almost the horror of despair in view of nameless barbarities. But two or three saw a little beneath the surface. Hannah was sure of coming deliverance. Elkanah in some degree shared her confidence, and Eli surmised a purpose of the Lord in the presence of the holy child of the sanctuary. And, answering to these better spirits of a corrupt age, there are always a few”a remnant”who know and are comforted in the assurance that God has instruments in reserve. As in the case of Samuel, they are chosen, in training, and biding their time. There are instances of this general truth

1. In the preparation of the earth for man. From remote times there were already chosen, and qualified, and retained in other forms till fit season, the agencies by which, in spite of catastrophes of fire and convulsion and deluge, the beautiful earth would come forth in material realisation of the thought and purpose of God.

2. In the infant Christian Church. The end of Christ’s earthly life seemed most disastrous to his kingdom. The corruption and craft of the wicked were dominant, and the removal of the Saviour seemed to human judgment to be the climax of disaster. Yet God had chosen, was training and holding in reserve, the men by whom the evils of the age were to be overcome, and truth and righteousness and love asserted as never before.

3. In definite periods of the Church’s history. The scholastic subtleties of the middle ages on the one side, the deplorable decay of morals and the prostitution of Church ordinances to gain on the other, caused the earth to mourn. Nevertheless, in the seraphic devotion of here and there a devout monk, in the inquiring spirit of Erasmus, the clear intelligence of Melancthon, and the courage and firm grip of truth by Luther, God had his chosen instruments for producing a wonderful advance in all that pertains to freedom, purity, and Christian knowledge.

4. In the midst of the evils indicated by modern antagonism to Christianity. Doubtless the principles advocated, logically wrought out, as they are sure to be when the mass embrace them, contain the seeds of immorality, anarchy, and decay of noblest sentiments; and often there is an eagerness in adopting them which may well cause some to tremble. But God is alive, not dead. He has his agencies, fitted, and, so to speak, under restraint. They will be found to consist in the practical futility of all endeavour to get substitutes for a holy religion; the hopeless miseries into which individuals will be plunged; the horror created by the very violence of vice; the natural, never-to-be-quenched instinct which compels man to “cry out for the living God;” the calling forth of wise men of saintly life who are masters in secular knowledge; the silent force of Christian lives in health, sickness, and sorrow; and the aroused prayerfulness of the Church. Men like Samuel are in existence

5. In the conflict of the individual Christian life. The dire evils of latent sin, weak resolutions, from stains of early years, seem to be a “body of sin and death from which there is no escape. But God has in reserve the truth, the afflictions, the tenderness, the quickening power of the Holy Spirit, by which all these shall pass away, and a restored life shall result.

II. The CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE INSTRUMENTS in working out God’s will are, SO FAR AS PERSONS ARE CONCERNED, WELL ASCERTAINED. There is great advantage in having the child life of Samuel sketched in contrast with the habits and principles of those no longer worthy to be the instruments for doing the highest work in the world. The qualities in Samuel that fitted him for his work were purity of life, deep love for God and his sanctuary, personal consecration to any service in which it might please God to employ him, and the humility that disdains not even menial work if God would thus have it. These qualities are really embraced in the one supreme qualityconformity of will to the Divine will. In this respect all human instruments are alike when thoroughly effective. In so far as it is our “meat and drink” to do the Father’s will, our nature becomes a fit channel for the Divine energy to work through for spiritual ends. The failure of moral agents lies in the condition of the will. The power of Christian life in prayer, in work, in silent influence, is in proportion as the consecration takes the form of, “Not my will, but thine be done.”

III. The EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INSTRUMENTS used lies essentially in THE POWER WHICH WORKS THROUGH THEM. The excellent qualities of Samuel no doubt exercised a power appropriate to their own nature; but the real work he did was more than the mere natural influence of what he was. It was God who worked, not only within him to will and to do, but also with and by him. Everywhere in Scripture stress is laid on the unseen energy of God acting on the visible and invisible elements of things, and at last bringing all into subjection. The reality of the Divine power in the human instrument is often conspicuous. The child Samuel did not secure of himself the submission of the people or the deference of Eli. God wrought on their spirits and made them willing to take him as prophet. Saul was the stronger map, but God used David to slay Goliath. God, in the case of apostles, had chosen the “weak things of the world to confound the mighty.” His grace was sufficient for them. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit.”

General lessons:

1. There is the most perfect ground for confidence that agencies will be found for doing any work really essential to the salvation of men.

2. It is important for all so to live and labour that they may be available for any service requisite in seasons of trial.

3. The fitness of each Christian for doing greatest possible good in the world rests with his own diligent self culture and entireness of consecration.

4. It is essentially necessary that in all effort God be recognised as the Author of all good.

Call to higher service.

The service of God is very wide and varied. Every true heart may find some employment therein. “They serve who wait,” as also those who simply exhibit a holy life. The weary Christian invalid conveys many an impressive lesson to the strong and vigorous. The patient endurance of adversity may do more good than the enjoyment of prosperity. In making distinctions in the value of service rendered, we are not always in a position to pass perfect judgment. In one respect a lowly Christian may be “greater than John the Baptist.” In reference to public functions there are gradations, and in this respect Samuel was called to a higher form of service.

I. There ARE CALLS TO A SERVICE RELATIVELY HIGHER. In the estimation of Hannah and Eli, the early occupation of Samuel in the tabernacle was the initiatory stage of a life work. Except so far as a pure, simple life in contrast with vileness can teach, Samuel’s service was confined to attendance on the venerable high priest. The position for which he was finally called was more conspicuous, of wider influence, and involving the display of superior qualities. The narrative relating the call to this higher service is a record in spirit of what has often transpired in the course of history, and is being realised every day. Abraham, Moses, and David served God, each in his own restricted sphere, when they obeyed the Divine call. As Christ once summoned fishermen to leave their occupation to be fishers of men, so now others hear his voice urging them to leave the ship, the desk, the farm, to do his will in preaching the gospel. To the attentive ear of the devout there are frequent calls to rise to more arduous positions in the Church, or to enter on some line of private Christian endeavour that shall more truly bless mankind. Let devout men not forget that the Divine call to higher work is not confined to public functionaries. All kinds of workers are engaged on the spiritual temple.

II. There is A SPECIAL FITNESS REQUIRED FOR HIGHER SERVICE. Obviously, only a Samuel trained by a devout mother, accustomed to the hallowed associations of the sanctuary, was suited for the work that had henceforth to be done. The chief elements that qualify for entrance on higher service are

1. Deep piety; for as piety is a requisite to all useful spiritual work, so deep piety is required for the more trying forms of usefulness.

2. Fidelity in lower forms. He that is faithful in that which is least becomes fitted for superior responsibilities. “Come up higher” is the voice which crowns earthly toil.

3. Natural aptitude for new emergencies. God never puts a man in a position for which natural powers when sanctified are unsuited. The wondrous adaptations in the material world find their analogies in the spiritual.

4. Readiness to endure what is unknown. God’s servants have to enter an untraversed ground, and their qualification for a call to this must embrace a spirit that says, “Here am I.” “Speak, Lord.” “What wouldst thou have me to do?” The representation given of Samuel, and of others in the Bible, shows that they were endowed with these qualifications. This, also, may be a test by which good men may now judge of themselves. No one ought to think of departing from any useful sphere of labour without severe scrutiny as to capabilities for heavier duties.

III. The FITNESS FOR HIGHER SERVICE IS, IN SOME INSTANCES, UNCONSCIOUSLY ACQUIRED. Growth is not felt while in process, and only when attention is called to it is the fact recognised. Samuel became month by month more pious and true; his aptitudes enlarged, and his courage rose with every discharge of inconvenient duty. He became spiritually wealthy without being aware of itsure evidence of vital godliness. The disposition sometimes found to complain of one’s lot, to hanker after some more showy occupation in God’s service, and to watch and plan for personal advancement, is not a good sign. The humble deeds of opening the door, lighting the lamps of the house of God, when done out of pure love for the Lord of the sanctuary, are means of raising the tone of the entire life. To do the smallest deed for Christ is blessed, and years of such fond service is an education, the results of which are only brought out to view when a perhaps sudden demand is made for some difficult duty. By his bitter repentance, and the all-absorbing love for Christ consequent on full restoration, Peter little knew that he was becoming the man to lead the Church on to great triumphs.

IV. The MEANS OF CALLING TO HIGHER SERVICE ARE WONDERFULLY SUITED TO THE CIRCUMSTANCE. The miraculous manifestation of the Divine Being was in harmony with the method by which, as Samuel knew from history of the past, God conveyed his will to men. No terror would arise in his spirit, for he was accustomed to reverence the house of God, and to feel that God was nigh. A pure, loving heart does not dread God. The more childlike the piety, the more welcome the thought and presence of the eternal Friend. If Samuel was to become a prophet, and the emergency required that a prophet should speak at that juncture; and if, for authentication, Eli must be used, it is difficult to conceive how these ends could be more naturally secured than by the manner in which the call was made. The objections men raise to what they call the anthropomorphism of such a portion of Scripture as this are utterly baseless. Does not God reveal himself in the material world by the visible things which are the outward expressions of his mind? Does it make any real difference to him whether he form them by a slow or by a more swift process? Was the first expression, in an act of creation, slow? Who, then, shall say that in expressing his moral purposes for men he must not and cannot adopt an ontward visible form, by which the mind to be taught shall be surely arrested? Given a revelation to be made, will men prescribe a priori and infallibly how God is to act in making it. If so, do they not draw on their human views, and create a God of their own? And what is this but anthropomorphism of deepest dye? All God’s acts are perfect. The call of his servants is by means suited to time, purpose, and condition. Abraham and others after him each heard the Divine voice differently, but naturally, so far as special conditions determine events. There are “diversities of operations,” but “one Spirit.” So now it may be by “still small voice,” or by suggestion of the wise, or by pressure of circumstances, that his servants receive the assurance that God would have them enter on enlarged responsibilities.

V. It is POSSIBLE THAT A CALL MAY NOT BE CLEARLY DISTINGUISHED AT FIRST. It was not wonderful that Samuel mistook the voice of God for the voice of man. It was Divine tenderness gradually to prepare his mind, through the suggestion of Eli, for a great event. God accommodates his voice of majesty to mortal ears. A spirit like Samuel’s, satisfied with the honour of doing anything in the house of God, would scarcely suppose that the greatest of honours was at hand. We are not sure that calls to higher service are in any case immediately clear. Scripture tells of the fact in many instances without reference to the mental history of the individuals. Abraham’s strong faith implies special difficulties, and possibly conflicts. Isaiah could scarcely believe that God would use him. Though the disciples knew that Jesus of Nazareth called them to be his servants, doubts subsequently came over them, for they “trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel.” Good men become so habituated to lines of action, ruling of impulses, and guidance of common events, that at first they cannot recognise a superior will in new openings, new gentle longings, and pressure from without. It is by the use of ordinary faculties and means that the call to duty is ascertained. Samuel inquired of Eli, and followed the suggestions of the experienced. The great lines of duty are close to all who will take the trouble to know them. Wise men, passing events, openness of spirit, willingness to be led, these are the means by which every perplexed Samuel will be sure to solve his doubts. To know the possibility that God has some unknown duty to indicate, to be saying in heart, when attention is aroused, “Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth”this is often the first step to a new career of usefulness.

1Sa 3:11-14

Privileges and cares.

The one great fact here set forth is that God reveals to Samuel

1. The judgment impending over the house of Eli, and its reasons.

2. That Eli had been already informed of its nature.

3. That the judgment when it comes will cause the most intense consternation in Israel.

I. An ENTRANCE ON SUPERIOR PRIVILEGES. Hitherto Samuel had waited on man. Now he is honoured to hear the voice of God, and wait directly on the Divine presence. His acquaintance with the history of his raceacquired from his mother, and the conversation of Eli, and possibly records in the tabernaclemust have caused him to know that, in being thus called to listen to the voice of God, he was about to take rank among the distinguished in Israel. The honour would be esteemed in proportion to the purity of his nature and sense of unworthiness in the sight of God. The question as to why God should raise a mere child to a position of such importance may admit of partial answer in this instance, though there is always in the Divine choice an element of wisdom which we cannot unfold. If the regular officials of Israel are unfaithful, God may teach men by using the feeblest of instruments, and out of the ordinary course. And it might be important for the new prophet to be properly installed and authenticated before the aged judge passed away, and the ark of God fell into the hand of the foe. It is always a season of solemn importance when a servant of God enters on higher privileges, and becomes a special medium for reaching the world with Divine truth. It may be, as in this case, in quietude, without the knowledge of the restless world. In any instance is it a marked era in a personal life.

II. An UNWELCOME DISCOVERY. Throughout the ten or twelve years of Samuel’s service in the sanctuary he had been to Eli as a loving, dutiful, reverent son. To his awakening piety and simple nature the aged high priest would be the most august personage in the world, the representative of the Most High. The quiet good nature of Eli in relation to himself would impress the youthful mind very favourably. There would be in Samuel’s deportment a tenderness and deference suited to age. It would therefore be a terrible discovery to learn from the mouth of God that this revered man was so guilty as to deserve chastisement most severe. The surface of life was removed, and the object of love and reverence stood condemned. The shock to a child’s sensibilities could not but be great at first. When honoured character is found to be blasted, the first impulse of the heart is to give up faith in men and things. But well balanced holy minds, as was Samuel’s, soon recover themselves. He felt that God must do right. His horror of sin was in proportion to his purity of life. Therefore, with all the awe, silent and loving, of a true child of God, he would grieve, yet feel that God was wise and good. In more ordinary forms the same discovery is sometimes made. Children have to learn now and then all at once that the father is discovered to have lived a life of secret sin. The Church is occasionally astounded by discoveries of character not suspected. Even the disciples were unaware of the presence of a thief and traitor as their friend and companion. How many characters have yet to be unveiled

III. A PREMONITION OF COMING CARES. If we search further for reasons why so terrible a revelation was made to the child prophet, one might be found in the preparation it gave him for future anxieties. It is well for youth and men to go forth to their career remembering that troubles will come. Samuel’s knowledge that disasters of most painful character were close at hand would be morally good and useful. For when cares gather around the soul flees more earnestly to God. The same thing occurred in the instance of the apostles. The honour conferred on them in receiving the truth was weighted with the knowledge that “in the world” they would “have tribulation.” Every one who enters on a new course of service must look for cares as part of the lot assigned; and the prospect will not daunt the true heart, but bring it more into contact with the Source of strength.

IV. A REVELATION OF DIVINE PROCEDURE. Samuel, if at all reflective, must have been struck with the exceeding deliberateness of the Divine judgments. Here was a case of vile conduct long manifested, and wicked irresolution to put it down; yet, instead of sudden and swift punishment coming on father and sons, there is first a declaration to the father that the judgment is coming, and that all is in train for it; then a lapse of some little time, and a declaration to Samuel that the judgment is fixed and sure; and after that a succession of events that must have occupied a considerable time before the execution of the judgment (1Sa 4:1-11). This calm deliberateness of God is an awful thing for the guilty, and may inspire the patience and hope of the righteous. It is to be seen in the predictions and preparations for the destruction of Jerusalem; in the steady wave of desolation and woe he in due time causes to sweep over apostate nations; in the slow and sure approach of disaster on all who make wealth by fraud, or barter his truth for gain; as, also, in the calm, orderly arrangement of laws by which all who have despised the only Saviour reap the fruit of their ways.

1Sa 3:15-21

Diverse experiences.

The principal facts are

1. Samuel, on entering upon his daily duties, fears to relate to Eli what had been told him.

2. Eli, under the action of conscience, and convinced that something important has been communicated, employs strong pressure to obtain it from Samuel.

3. Eli, hearing the account, recognises the righteousness of the judgment.

4. Samuel’s position as prophet is established through the land. Samuel rose a new youth. During one night events had transpired which gave him a new position, wrought a change in his views and feelings, and tinged his life with a great sorrow. Weary with nervous exhaustion, and haunted by the thought of a sad discovery, it was no wonder if he moved more languidly than usual. The brief narrative sets before us a group of facts resulting from the communications made to him during the night.

I. The TRIUMPH OF DUTY OVER FEELING. Samuel had an onerous duty to discharge. The old man, weak with weight of years and sorrowful in heart, has to be informed of the seal put on his doom. “No prophecy is of private interpretation” applies hero in the sense that Samuel’s increased knowledge was not intended as a mere secret for himself. Duties are real though not imposed in form of words, and the sensitive spirit quickly recognises them. The eagerness of Eli to learn all that had been communicated left Samuel no option. Thus duties spring up as soon as increased knowledge is a fact; and when God puts honour on us we must be prepared to face fresh obligations. But duty arising naturally out of new relations is sometimes counter to legitimate feelings. “Samuel feared to show Eli the vision.” His quick sense saw, as soon as he awoke that day, that he would have to relate a painful story. The natural shrinking of a kindly heart from the infliction of a wound would become more marked as an eager request was made for information. He knew that Eli would be filled with anguish, both because of the coming doom and the present virtual substitution of another in his place as medium of Divine communication. It .is human to dread the infliction of humiliation and pain. There is a lawful sympathy with suffering and pity for disgrace. The judge may weep in passing sentence of death, and yet be a perfect judge. A parent’s heart may righteously bleed at the thought of administering severe chastisement. Duty is not confronted by feeling as a foe. Even Christ shrank from taking the cup which a Father’s will ordained. But disagreeable duty is met fully by the supremacy of sense of right. Feeling is suppressed, regard for truth is strung, and immediate and future consequences are left to God. Samuel kept nothing back. Herein lies the triumph of duty. The moral victories of life may be won by the young and inexperienced; for the secret lies not in vast knowledge and critical skill, but in a sound heart, swayed by supreme regard for God.

II. The BODINGS OF A RESTLESS CONSCIENCE. It was more than curiosity that induced the inquiry of Eli. His strong language, almost amounting to a threat, revealed an internal conflict. Conscience is quick in arousing suspicions. Did the aged man half hope that some relaxation of the sentence already passed would come? Did the alternate feeling arise that the specific hour of punishment had been announced? The presence of an uneasy conscience is a fearful bane in life. No age, no past reputation, no external honours, no orificial dignity, no formal employment in religious duties, can give exemption from it where sin has been deliberately indulged. It is as an enemy in the home, a spoiler in a city, a ghost along one’s pathway. What a power for misery lies in some men! How easily it is aroused by passing events! How it makes men quiver even in the presence of children! How possible it is for even good men to embitter old age by pangs which God will not assuage on this side the grave! How unspeakably blessed they who keep a clean conscience, or have found cleansing and rest in Christ!

III. SUBMISSION TO THE INEVITABLE. If Eli had now and then cherished a faint hope that the execution of the sentence against him, already deferred, would be either set aside or modified, all hope vanished as he listened to the simple narrative of Samuel. The terrible tension of his spirit was at once relaxed, and with a reverence and awe which revealed that the religious life, though sadly injured, was true, he could only say, “It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good.” Poor old man! A study for others in responsible positions in the Church of God. It was well for him that he could thus speak, and give to the saints of all time a form of words exactly suited to them when adversity falls and the heart sinks within. God is merciful even in the chastisement of his erring people, giving them grace to bow submissively to his righteous will. Well is it when men can kiss the rod that smites them! There are, at least, four characteristics in a true submission to the inevitable.

1. A distinct recognition of God’s acts. “It is the Lord.” No mere blind working of laws, though forces do sweep on bringing desolation to the soul. The true spirit sees God in all the trouble.

2. An absence of all complaint. “It is the Lord.” That is enough. “The Lord” known in Israel, who made all things, who is the same in all ages, who visited Lot for his covetousness, who kept Moses out of the promised land for his rashness; “the Lord” who raises to honour and crowns life with good, and has only been known as faithful, holy, just, and good. Not a murmur, not a bitter word or resentful feeling, finds place in true submission.

3. Conformity to the stroke. “Let him do.” The back is bared to the rod. It is duty and privilege to wish none other than the execution of his purpose.

4. Belief that all is for good. “Let him do what seemeth him good.” “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him.” Chastisement of the good, and also direct punishment of the wicked, are in the judgment of God good. True submission acquiesces in that judgment. Such has been the submission of the saints in ancient and modern times; and pre-eminently, and with reference to special sorrows, of him who, when bearing a burden which others deserved: said, “Father, not my will, but thine be done.”

IV. A GROWING REPUTATION. Samuel’s fidelity in discharging a painful duty was a good beginning of an official life. He was furnished with the special knowledge requisite to the emergency of the time. The repeated secret vision in Shiloh, and the outward confirmation of his words before the people, gave him courage, and secured his recognition in the place of Eli. Thus three elements enter into the gradual acquisition of a reputation.

1. Fidelity in discharge of known duty. This gives power to the soul for any further duty, however unpleasant. Temptations overcome in one instance lose force afterwards. Sense of right gains energy in action by each exercise. The basis of substantial character is laid in acts of righteousness.

2. Continuous help from God. We cannot go on to new conquests by the mere force of what we have become by previous deeds. As Samuel needed and enjoyed aid from God for his position in life, so every one can only acquire a solid reputation by looking for and using such aid as God may see fit to bestow day by day.

3. Continued verification of profession by deeds corresponding thereto. A character attained to by faithful deeds in the past, aided by Divine grace, becomes practically a profession. It is the exponent of principles supposed to be dominant in the life, and men give a certain value to it. But if reputation is to grow and become broader in its base and wider in its influence, the profession of principles of conduct must be verified constantly by actions appropriate to them.

Practical lessons:

1. It is of extreme importance for young and old to cultivate a rigid regard for truth, combined with a tender consideration of human feeling.

2. The discharge of disagreeable duties is greatly helped by the remembrance that they arise out of the circumstances in which God himself has placed us.

3. We should distinguish between wise submission to what God lays on us for discipline, and indolent acquiescence in circumstances self-created, and largely removable by our efforts.

HOMILIES BY D. FRASER

1Sa 3:1-18

The old priest and the child prophet.

Every imagination must be struck by the contrast between the old man and the child. The more so, that the natural order of things is reversed. Instead of admonition to the child coming through the lips of age, admonition to the aged came through the lips of childhood.

1. THE CHARACTER OF ELI ILLUSTRATED.

1. His good points. The Lord had ceased to speak to or by Eli; but when the old priest perceived that the Lord had spoken to the child, he showed no personal or official jealousy. On the contrary, he kindly encouraged Samuel, and directed him how to receive the heavenly message. He did not attempt to interpose on the ground that he, as the chief priest, was the official organ of Divine communications, but bade the child lie still and hearken to the voice. Nor did he claim any preference on the ground of his venerable age. It is not easy to look with complacency on one much younger than ourselves who is evidently on the way to excel us in our own special province. But Eli did so, and threw no hindrance whatever in the way of the young child. Let God use as his seer or prophet whom he would. Eli was anxious to know the truth, and the whole truth, from the mouth of the child. He had been previously warned by a man of God of the disaster which his own weakness and his sons’ wickedness would bring on the priestly line (1Sa 2:27-36). But the evil of the time was too strong for him; and having effected no reform in consequence of that previous warning, the old man must have foreboded some message of reproof and judgment when the voice in the night came not to himself, but to the child. Yet he was not false to God, and would not shrink from hearing truth, however painful. “I pray thee hide it not from me.” He meekly acquiesced in the condemnation of his house. Eli had no sufficient force of character or vigour of purpose to put away the evil which had grown to such enormity under his indulgent rule, but he was ready with a sort of plaintive surrender to Divine justice. It was not a high style of character, but at all events it was vastly better than a self-justifying, God-resisting mood of mind.

2. His faults. No meek language, no pious acquiescence in his sentence, can extenuate the grievous injury which, through indecision and infirmity, Eli had brought on Israel at large, and on the priestly order in particular. His virtues may almost be said to have sprung out of his faults. He was benevolent, submissive, and free from jealousy because he had no force, no intensity. He could lament and suffer well because he had no energy. So he commanded little respect because, instead of checking evil, he had connived at it for a quiet life. “There are persons who go through life sinning and sorrowing, sorrowing and sinning. No experience teaches them. Torrents of tears flow from their eyes. They are full of eloquent regrets. But all in vain. When they have done wrong once they do wrong again. What are such persons to be in the next life? Where will the Elis of this world be? God only knows “(Robertson).

II. THE CHILD CALLED TO BE A PROPHET. We may discern even in “little Samuel” the beginnings of a great character, prognostics of an illustrious career. The child was courageous, not afraid to sleep in one of the priest’s chambers alone, no father or mother near. And he was dutiful to the aged Eli, hastening to him when he thought that he had called in the night; and considerate to his feelings, reluctant to tell him in the morning the heavy judgments of which God had spoken. From that night he began to be a prophet. Very soon were the hopes of Hannah for her son fulfilled, nay, surpassed. “Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.” The nature of the first communication made through Samuel gave some indication of the future strain of his prophetic life and testimony. He was not to be one of those, like Isaiah, Daniel, and Zechariah, whose prophecies and visions reached far forward into future times. His function was more like that of Moses, Elijah, or Jeremiah, as a teacher of private and public righteousness. He was destined to maintain the law and authority of God, to rebuke iniquity, to check and even sentence transgressors in high places, to withstand the current of national degeneracy, and insist on the separation of Israel from the heathen nations and their customs. The pith of his life ministry lay in his urgency for moral obedience.

III. LIGHT THROWN ON THE EARLY TRAINING OF GOD‘S PUBLIC SERVANTS. It is acknowledged that some who have been eminently useful in Christian times have been converted in manhood, and their earlier life may seem to have been lost. Paul was so converted. So was Augustine. But these really form no exception to the rule that God directs the training of his servants from childhood. Paul had a good Jewish Rabbinical education, and, besides this, an acquaintance with Greek literature and forms of thought. Having been brought up a Pharisee, he was the more fitted after his conversion to estimate at its full force that Jewish resistance to Christianity on the ground of law righteousness which he above all men combatted. At the same time, knowing the world, and being from his youth up cultivated and intelligent according to the Greek standard, he was prepared to be, after his conversion, a most suitable apostle of Christ to the Gentiles. A similar process of preparation may be traced in Augustine. His early studies in logic and rhetoric prepared him, though he knew it not, to become a great Christian dialectician; and even the years in which he served his own youthful passions were not without yielding some profit, inasmuch as they intensified his knowledge of the power of sin, and ultimately of the sin vanquishing power of grace. By far the greater number of those who have served the Lord as prophets, preachers, or pastors of his flock, have been nourished up for such service from early years, though they knew it not. Some of them went first to other callings. John Chrysostom was at the bar; Ambrose in the civil service, rising to be prefect of Liguria; Cyprian was a teacher of rhetoric; Melancthon, a professor of Greek. Moses himself grew up a scholar and a soldier, and no one who saw him in the court of Egypt could have guessed his future career. But in such cases God guided his servants in youth through paths of knowledge and experience which were of utmost value to them when they found at last their real life work for his name. There is danger, however, in sudden transitions from one walk of life to another, and from one mould of character to another. It is the danger of extravagance. There is a proverb about the excessive zeal of sudden converts; and there is this measure of truth in it, that persons who rapidly change their views or their position need some lapse of time, and some inward discipline, before they learn calmness, religious self-possession, and meekness of wisdom. It is therefore worthy of our notice that God gave Moses a long pause in the land of Midian, and Paul also in Arabia. We return to the fact that the great majority of God’s servants in the gospel have grown up with religious sentiments and desires from their very childhood. So it was with John the Baptist, with Timothy, with Basil, with Jerome, with Bernard of Clairvaux, with Columba, with Usher, with Zinzendorf, with Bengel, and many more. So it was with Samuel. His first lessons were from the devout and gifted Hannah in the quiet home at Ramah. From his earliest consciousness he knew that he was to be the Lord’s, and a specially consecrated servant or Nazarite. Then he was taken to Shiloh, and his special training for a grand and difficult career began. Early in his life he had to see evil among those who ought to have shown the best example. He had to see what mischief is wrought by relaxation of morals among the rulers of what we should call Church and State, so that an abhorrence of such misconduct might be deeply engraved on his untainted soul. But at the same time Samuel grew up in daily contact with holy things. The sacred ritual, which was no more than a form to the wicked priests, had an elevating and purifying influence on the serious spirit of this child. And so it was that Samuel, conversant day by day with holy names and symbols, took a mould of character in harmony with thesetook it gradually, firmly, unalterably. It gave steadiness to his future ministry; for he was to retrieve losses, assuage excitements, re-establish justice, reprove, rebuke, and exhort the people and their first king. Such a ministry needed a character of steady growth, and the personal influence which attends a consistent life. So the Lord called Samuel when a child, and he answered, “Speak; for thy servant heareth.” May God raise up young children among us to quit themselves hereafter as mento redress wrongs, establish truth and right, heal divisions, reform the Church, and pave the way for the coming King and the kingdom!F.

HOMILIES BY B. DALE

1Sa 3:1-18. (SHILOH.)

Samuel’s call to the prophetic office.

“The Lord called Samuel” (1Sa 3:4).

“In Israel’s fane, by silent night,
The lamp of God was burning bright;
And there, by viewless angels kept,
Samuel, the child, securely slept.
A voice unknown the stillness broke,
‘Samuel!’ it called, and thrice it spoke.
He rosehe asked whence came the word.
From Eli? No; it was the Lord.
Thus early called to serve his God,
In paths of righteousness he trod;
Prophetic visions fired his breast,
And all the chosen tribes were blessed”

(Cawood).

Introductory.

1. This call to the prophetic office took place at a time of great moral and spiritual darkness. “The word of the Lord” (the revelation of his mind and will to men) “was rare in those days; for” (therefore, as the effect; or because, as the evidence of the absence of such revelation) “there was no vision” (prophetic communication) “spread abroad” among the people (1Sa 3:1; 2Ch 31:5).

(1) The word of God is needed by man because of his ignorance of the highest truths, and his inability to attain the knowledge of them by his own efforts.

(2) Its possession is hindered by prevailing indifference and corruption.

(3) Its absence is worse than a famine of bread (Psa 74:9; Amo 8:11), and most destructive (Pro 29:18).

2. It was the commencement of a fresh series of Divine communications, which culminated in the teaching of the great Prophet, “who spake as never man spake” (Act 3:24; Heb 1:1). This is the chief general significance of the event. “The call of Samuel to be the prophet and judge of Israel formed a turning point in the history of the Old Testament kingdom of God.”

3. It was given to one who was very young (twelve years old, according to Josephus, when childhood merges into youth; Luk 2:42), and who held the lowest place in the tabernacle, where Eli held the highest, but who was specially prepared for the work to which he was called. “Shadows of impenitent guilt were the dark background of the picture from which the beams of Divine love which guided that child of grace shone forth in brighter relief” (Anderson).

4. It came in a manner most adapted to convince Eli and Samuel that it was indeed from the Lord (1Sa 3:8), and to answer its immediate purpose in regard to both. Notice

I. THE VOICE of the Lord.

1. It was heard in the temple (1Sa 3:2, 1Sa 3:3), or palace of the invisible King of Israel, proceeding from his throne in the innermost sanctuary (Exo 25:22; 1Sa 4:4; Heb 9:5); not now, however, addressing the high priest, but a child, as a more loyal subject, and more susceptible to Divine teaching (Mat 11:25, Mat 11:26).

2. It broke suddenly on the silence and slumbers of the night; “ere the lamp of God went out,” i.e. toward the morninga season suitable todeep and solemn impression. “Untroubled night, they say, gives counsel best.” The light of Israel before God, represented by the golden candelabrum, with its “seven lamps of fire,” was burning dimly, and the dawn of a new day was at hand.

3. It called Samuel by name, not merely as a means of arousing him, but as indicating the Lord’s intimate knowledge of his history and character (Joh 10:3), and his claims upon his special service. The All-seeing has a perfect knowledge of each individual soul, and deals with it accordingly.

4. It was often relocated, with ever increasing impressiveness. Natural dulness in the discernment of spiritual things renders necessary the repetition of God’s call to men, and his patience is wonderfully shown in such repetition.

5. It was in the last instance accompanied by an appearance. “Jehovah came, and stood, and called” (1Sa 3:10). Probably in glorious human form, as in former days. “Allied to our nature by engagement and anticipation, the eternal Word occasionally assumed its prophetic semblance before he dwelt on earth in actual incarnate life.” There could now be no doubt whence the voice proceeded; and even the delay which had occurred must have served to waken up all the faculties of the child into greater activity, and prepare him for the main communication he was about to receive.

II. THE RESPONSE of Samuel.

1. He did not at first recognise the voice as God’s, but thought it was Eli’s (1Sa 3:4-6). For “he did not yet know the Lord” by direct and conscious revelation, “neither was the Word of the Lord revealed to him” (literally, made bare, disclosed; as a secret told in the ear, which has been uncovered by turning back the hairGen 25:7; 1Sa 9:15; Job 33:16) as it was afterwards (1Sa 3:21). “We must not think that Samuel was then ignorant of the true God, but that he knew not the manner of that voice by which the prophetical spirit was wont to awaken the attention of the prophets”. “God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not” (Job 33:14). How often is his voice deemed to be only the voice of man!

2. He acted up to the light he had (1Sa 3:7, 1Sa 3:8). Three times his rest was broken by what he thought was the voice of Eli; three times he ran to him obediently, uncomplainingly, promptly; and three times he “went and lay down in his place” as he was bidden. The spirit which he thus displayed prepared him for higher instruction.

3. He obeyed the direction given him by the high priest (1Sa 3:9). Although Eli could not himself hear the voice, yet he perceived that it was heard by another, showed no indignation or envy at the preference shown toward him, and taught him to listen to the Lord for himself, and what be should say in response. “He showed himself a better tutor than he was a parent” (Hall).

4. He responded in a spirit of reverence, humility, and obedience to the voice that now uttered his name twice (1Sa 3:10). “Speak; for thy servant heareth.” His omission of the name “Jehovah” was perhaps due to his overwhelming astonishment and reverence But be confessed himself to be his servant, virtually ratifying of his own accord his dedication to his service, and testified his readiness to “hear and obey.” Oh, what an hour is that in which the presence of the Lord is first manifested in living force to the soul! and what a change does it produce in all the prospects and purposes of life! (Gen 28:16, Gen 28:17). “We were like them that sleep, them that dream, before we entered into communion with God.”

III. THE COMMUNICATION of God to Samuel.

1. It differed from the message of the “man of God,” which had come some time previously, in that it was more brief, simple, and severe; and was given to Samuel alone, without any express direction to make it known to Eli, who seems to have paid no regard to the warning he previously received.

2. It was an announcement of judgment on the house of Eli which would be

(1) Very startling and horrifying to men (1Sa 3:11).

(2) The fulfilment of the word which had been already spoken (1Sa 3:12).

(3) Complete. “When I begin, I will also make an end.”

(4) Righteously deserved, inasmuch as his sons had grievously sinned, and he knew it as well as the approaching judgment, and restrained them not (1Sa 3:13; Jas 4:17). “Sinners make themselves vile (literally, curse themselves), and those who do not reprove them make themselves accessaries” (M. Henry).

(5) Permanent and irrevocable. “Forever.” “I have sworn,” etc. (1Sa 3:14).

3. It was very painful to Samuel because it was directed “against Eli” (1Sa 3:12as well as his house), for whom he entertained a deep and tender affection. The “burden of the Lord” was heavy for a child to bear. It was his first experience of the prophet’s cross, but it prepared him for his future work. “Woe to the man who receives a message from the gods.”

4. It put his character to a severe test, by leaving to his discretion the use which he should make of so terrible a communication. Wisdom and grace are as much needed in using God’s communications as in receiving and responding to his voice.

IV. THE DISCLOSURE by Samuel to Eli.

1. It was not made hastily or rashly (1Sa 3:15). “He lay down till the morning,” pondering the communication; he suffered it not to interfere with the duty that lay immediately before him, but rose and “opened the doors of the house” as usual, though with a heavy heart; and exhibited great calmness, self-control, discretion, and considerate reserve. He “feared to show Eli the vision” lest he should be grieved, or take it in a wrong manner.

2. It was only made under strong pressure (1Sa 3:16, 1Sa 3:17). “Samuel, my son” (B’ni), said Eli; and “how much is expressed by this one word!” (Thenius). He asked, he demanded, he adjured.

3. It was made truthfully, faithfully, and without any reserve (1Sa 3:18).

4. It was followed by a beneficial effect. Not, indeed, in rousing the high priest to strenuous efforts for the reformation of his house, which he probably deemed impossible, but in leading him to acknowledge that it was the Lord who had spoken, and to resign himself to his will. No such effect followed the warning previously addressed to him. A similar spirit was shown by Aaron (Le 1Sa 10:3), by Job 1:21, by David (2Sa 18:14, 2Sa 18:15, 2Sa 18:32, 2Sa 18:33), by Hezekiah (2Ki 20:19), and, above all, by the great High Priest himself (Mat 26:42). No other Divine message came apparently to Eli or his house. Henceforth there was only the silence that precedes the thunderstorm and the earthquake.D.

1Sa 3:10

The faithful servant.

“Speak; for thy servant heareth.” The wellknown picture by Sir Joshua Reynolds, representing the child Samuel in the attitude of prayer, aptly expresses the spirit of his whole life. His own language in response to the call of God does this still more perfectly, and “contains the secret of his strength.” It also teaches us how we should respond to the Divine call which is addressed to us, and what is the spirit which we ought ever to possess. For God speaks to us as truly as he spoke to Samuel, though in a somewhat different manner. He speaks to us often, and calls each of us to special service for him; and there cannot be a nobler aim than that of possessing the mind, disposition, and character of a “faithful servant” (Mat 25:21) here portrayed. This implies

I. CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE MASTER‘S PRESENCE.

1. Peculiar; not merely a general belief in his omnipresence, such as most persons have, but a realisation of his presence here; not as in a dream, but in full waking thought; not as if he were at a distance from us, but “face to face.” “Thou God seest me.”

2. Intense; filling the soul with the light of his glory and with profound reverence (Job 42:6).

3. Habitual; abiding with us at all times, carried with us into every place, and pervading and influencing all our thoughts, words, and actions.

II. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE MASTER‘S CLAIMS. “Thy servant.” His claims are

1. Just; because of

(1) What he has done for us. He has given us our being, and all that makes it a blessing (1Sa 1:11). He has purchased us at a great price (1Pe 1:18). “Ye are not your own” (1Co 6:19, 1Co 6:20).

(2) Our consecration, to him (1Sa 1:28). “I am the Lord’s” (Isa 44:5).

(3) Our acceptance by him.

2. Supreme. All other claims are inferior to his, and must be regarded as subordinate to them.

3. Universal; extending to all our faculties, possessions, etc.

“My gracious Lord, I own thy right
To every service I can pay,
And call it my supreme delight
To hear thy dictates and obey.
What is my being but for thee,
Its sure support, its noblest end;
Thy ever-smiling face to see,
And serve the cause of such a Friend?”

(Doddridge).

III. LISTENING TO THE MASTER‘S DIRECTIONS. “Speak.” “I am waiting to hear thy commands, and desire to know thy will.” “What saith my Lord unto his servant?” (Jos 5:14). “What wilt thou have me to do?” (Act 9:6). His directions are given by

1. His word, in the law and the gospel.

2. His providence, in the various events of life, affording fresh opportunities, bringing new responsibilities, indicating special methods of service. “New occasions teach new duties.” “There are so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification” (1Co 14:10).

3. His Spirit; teaching the meaning and application of the word, suggesting thoughts and activities in accordance with his revealed will, filling the heart with holy and benevolent impulses. “It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God” (Joh 6:45). “Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters” (watching with the utmost attention forevery indication of their will), “so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God” (Psa 85:8; Psa 123:2; Hab 2:1).

IV. READINESS FOR THE MASTER‘S WORK. “Thy servant heareth;” stands ready to obey

1. Whatever thou mayest direct.

2. With my utmost strength.

3. Promptly; without delay.

“When it pleased God to reveal his Son in me, immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood, but went” (Gal 1:15-17). When Ledyard (whose life was the first of many sacrificed to African discovery) closed with the proposal of the Association for Promoting the Discovery of the Inland Parts of Africa to undertake a journey in that region, and was asked how soon he would be ready to set out, he replied, “Tomorrow morning.” The like promptitude should be exhibited by every “good and faithful servant.”D.

1Sa 3:13

Parental restraint.

“And he restrained them not.” The parental relation was universally regarded in ancient times as one which involved a closer identity between parents and children, and a more absolute authority on the part of the former over the latter, than would now be deemed just. This fact explains many occurrences in the sacred history. It also makes more apparent the inexcusable conduct of Eli in omitting to restrain his sons from their evil way. To every head of a family, however, belongs a certain measure of authority, and he is responsible for its exercise in “commanding his children and his household” (Gen 18:19) to do what is right, and restraining them from doing what is wrong. Concerning PARENTAL RESTRAINT, observe that

I. ITS NEED IS URGENT.

1. Because of the strong tendency to evil which exists in children. However it may be accounted for or explained, there can be no doubt of the fact. If it be simply, as some say, a desire of self-gratification, and dislike of everything that hinders itself-will, it is necessary that it should be checked; for those who are trained to deny themselves in very early life, and submit to the will of their parents, are far more likely than others to accept and submit to the will of God when they become conscious of it. “In order to form the minds of children, the first thing to be done is to conquer their will and bring them to an obedient temper. This is the only strong and rational foundation of a religious education, without which both precept and example will be ineffectual. As self-will is the root of all sin and misery, so whatever cherishes this in children insures their after wretc.hedness and irreligion; whatever checks and mortifies it promotes their future happiness and piety” (The mother of the Wesleys).

2. Because of the evil examples by which they are surrounded, and which act so powerfully on their susceptibility to impression and their propensity to imitation.

3. Because of the manifold temptations to which they are exposed. However guarded, they cannot be altogether kept from their influence.

II. ITS OBLIGATION IS IMPERATIVE.

1. It is obviously a part of parental duty.

2. It is often enjoined in the word of God (Deu 21:15-21; Pro 19:18; Pro 23:13, Pro 23:14; Pro 29:15, Pro 29:17).

3. It is clearly adapted to accomplish beneficial results (Pro 22:6). It is thus a duty which parents owe not only to their children, but also to the great Parent of all, who, by the manner in which he deals with his earthly children, has himself set them an example.

II. ITS METHOD IS IMPORTANT. It should be

1. Timely; commenced at an early age (Pro 13:24).

2. Firm and just.

3. With consideration, kindness, and patience (Eph 6:4; Col 3:21).

“O’er wayward childhood wouldst thou hold firm rule,

And sun thee in the light of happy faces,
Love, hope, and patience, these must be thy graces,

And in thine own heart let them first keep school;

For as old Atlas on his broad neck places

Heaven’s starry globe, and there sustains it; so
Do these bear up the little world below

Of educationpatience, love, and hope”
(Coleridge).

IV. ITS OMISSION IS RUINOUS.

1. To children (1Sa 4:11).

2. To parents (1Sa 4:18).

3. To the nation (1Sa 4:22).

“Indulgent parents are cruel to themselves and their posterity” (Hall). How numerous are the facts which justify these statements! “As in inviduals, so in nations, unbridled indulgence of the passions must produce, and does produce, frivolity, effeminacy, slavery to the appetite of the moment; a brutalised and reckless temper, before which prudence, energy, national feeling, any and every feeling which is not centred in self, perishes utterly. The old French noblesse gave a proof of this law which will last as a warning beacon to the end of time. The Spanish population of America, I am told, gives now a fearful proof of this same terrible penalty. Has not Italy proved it likewise for centuries past? It must be so. For national life is grounded on, is the development of, the life of the family. And where the root is corrupt the tree must be corrupt likewise” (Kingsley, ‘The Roman and the Teuton,’ Lect. 2). Therefore

(1) let parents exercise due restraint over their children; and

(2) let children submit to the restraint of their parents (Exo 20:12; Le Exo 19:3; Pro 30:17; Jer 35:18, Jer 35:19).D.

1Sa 3:18

Resignation.

“It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good.” The sentence which was pronounced on Eli and his house was almost as severe as can be conceived. But the manner in which it was received by him shows that, notwithstanding the defects of his character, he possessed the “spirit of faith,” which shone like a spark of fire amidst the ashes and gloom of his closing days. He did not refuse to admit its Divine Author, did not question its justice, did not rebel against it and seek to reverse it, did not fret and murmur and give himself up to despair. His language expresses a spirit the exact opposite of all this. “When Samuel had told him every whit, Eli replied, It is the Lord. The highest religion could say no more. What more can there be than surrender to the will of God? In that one brave sentence you forget all Eli’s vacillation. Free from envy, free from priestcraft, earnest, humbly submissive; that is the bright side of Eli’s character, and the side least known or thought of” (F.W. Robertson).

I. HE RECOGNISES THE APPOINTMENT OF GOD. “It is the Lord,” or “he is the Lord,” who has spoken. He believed that the voice was really his, notwithstanding

(1) it came to him indirectlythrough the agency of another;

(2) it came in an unexpected manner; and

(3) it announced what he naturally disliked to hear, and what was most grievous. These things sometimes dispose men to doubt “the word of the Lord,” and are made excuses for rejecting it. It is not, in its mode of communication or in its contents, “according to their mind.” But the spirit of faith ventures not to dictate to God how or what he shall say, and it perceives the Divine voice when those who are destitute of it perceive only what is purely natural and human.

II. HE JUSTIFIES THE RECTITUDE OF GOD. Such justification (Psa 51:4)

1. Is implied in the acknowledgment that it comes from Jehovah, who alone is holy (1Sa 2:2). “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen 18:25).

2. Proceeds from the conviction that it is deserved on account of the iniquity of his sons, and his own sins of omission (Lam 3:39; Mic 7:9). They who have a due sense of the evil of sin are not disposed to complain of the severity of the sentence pronounced against it.

3. Is not the less real because not fully expressed, for silence itself is often the most genuine testimony to the perfect equity of the Divine procedure. “Aaron held his peace” (Le 1Sa 10:3; Psa 39:9, Psa 39:11).

III. HE SUBMITS TO THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD. “Let him do what seemeth him good.”

1. Very reverently and humbly (1Pe 5:6). It is vain to contend against him.

2. Freely and cheerfully; not because he cannot be effectually resisted, but because what he does is right and good; the spontaneous surrender and sacrifice of the will.

3. Entirely. “The will of the Lord be done” (Act 21:14).

IV. HE CONFIDES IN THE GOODNESS OF GOD. “Good.” “Good is the word of the Lord” (2Ki 20:19). Eli could not have spoken as he did unless he believed that

(1) God is merciful and gracious;

(2) in wrath remembers mercy, mitigating the force of the storm to all who seek shelter in his bosom; and

(3) “out of evil still educes good” (Rom 8:28). Let us be thankful for the surpassing motives and influences afforded to us under the gospel (2Co 4:17; Heb 4:15; Heb 12:10, Heb 12:11; Rev 21:4; Rev 22:3).D.

Verse 19-4:1. (SHILOH)

Samuel the prophet.

“A prophet of the Lord” (1Sa 4:20). “A prophet was a man who drew aside the curtain from the secret counsels of Heaven. He declared or made public the previously hidden truths of God; and, because future events might chance to involve Divine truth, therefore a revealer of future events might happen to be a prophet. Yet, still, small was the part of a prophet’s functions which contained the foreshadowing of events, and not necessarily any part of it”. The greatest of prophets, and more than a prophet, was Moses (Num 12:6-8; Deu 18:15; Deu 34:9). After him a prophet arose at rare intervals. With Samuel, who was second only to Moses, a new prophetic era began. He was called to a permanent prophetic work; a type of the future line of the prophets which he virtually founded, and “set for all time the great example of the office of a prophet of the Lord.” “In SamuelLevite, Nazarite, at the sanctuary of Shiloh, prophet, and destined founder of a mightier prophetic powerwere united from the first all spiritual gifts most potent for the welfare of the people, and under his powerful control stood the wheels on which the age revolved He was truly the father of all the great prophets who worked such wonders in the ensuing centuries” (Ewald. See ‘Davison on Prophecy;’ ‘Fairbairn on Prophecy;’ ‘Prophecy a Preparation for Christ,’ by the Dean of Canterbury). The summary of his prophetic activity here given leads us to consider

I. HIS QUALIFICATION. “And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him” (1Sa 4:19). “And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh (1Sa 4:10): for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord (1Sa 4:21).

1. The possession of a holy character, which was the general condition of prophetic endowment. At the time of his call Samuel entered into a higher knowledge of God, and a closer fellowship with him than he had before; he gradually advanced therein, and his character became more and more perfect. “Equable progression from the beginning to the end was the special characteristic of his life.” “The qualifications which the Jewish doctors suppose necessarily antecedent to render any one habilem ad prophetandum are truly probity and piety; and this was the constant sense and opinion of them all universally, not excluding the vulgar themselves”.

2. The revelation to him of the Divine wordby voices, visions, insight, intuition, inspiration (1Sa 4:7). “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved (borne along as a ship by the wind) by the Holy Ghost” (2Pe 1:21). The communications of God to men have been made in many ways (by dreams, by Urim, by prophecy), and one communication faithfully received and used has prepared the way for another. How long after the Lord first appeared to Samuel he “apeared again” to him is not stated.

3. The conviction of its Divine origin, amounting to absolute certainty, and impelling him to speak and act in accordance with the revelation he received.

II. HIS VOCATION. “And the word of Samuel came to all Israel” (1Sa 4:1). He had not only to receive the word from God, but also to utter it to men. He was a spokesman for God, a messenger or interpreter of the Divine will.

1. The nature and purpose of his vocation were

(1) The communication of doctrine; the teaching of moral and spiritual truth; the declaration of the mind and will of the invisible and eternal King, with special reference to the requirements of the time in which he lived. He was a witness of the presence and government of Jehovah, his nature and character, his hatred of sin and love of righteousness, his dissatisfaction with merely formal and ceremonial services, his opposition to idolatry, his gifts, claims, and purposes with respect to his people. “The prophetic order in its highest signification was nothing else than a living witness for those eternal principles of righteous ness which previous revelation had implanted in the Hebrew race, and through them in the life of humanity” (Tulloch).

(2) The enforcement of practice, by urgent appeals to the conscience, and presenting powerful motives of gratitude for past benefits, hope of future good, and fear of future evil. “The prophets, beside their communication of doctrine, had another and a direct office to discharge as pastors and ministerial monitors of the people of God. Their work was to admonish and reprove, to arraign forevery ruling sin, to blow the trumpet of repentance, and shake the terrors of the Divine judgment over a guilty land. Often they bore the message of consolation or pardon; rarely, if ever, of public approbation or praise” (Davison).

(3) The prediction of things to come; not simply general results of good or evil con duct, but specific events that could not have been known except by Divine inspiration (1Sa 7:4; 1Sa 10:2; 1Sa 12:17; 1Sa 13:14); an element which became more prominent in subsequent timesthe things to come having relation to the setting up of a kingdom of heaven on earth. We need not here dwell upon other matters connected with and growing out of the prophetic vocation of Samuel, viz.,

(4) his offering sacrifice;

(5) his civil magistracy;

(6) his presiding over the “school of the prophets;”

(7) his recording the events of his time (1Ch 29:29).

2. The persons whom his vocation immediately concerned.

(1) The people and the elders of Israeldirecting them what to do, exhorting them to forsake their sins, sometimes opposing and condemning their wishes. “His business was to keep all Israel true to the Divine purpose for which they had been made a nation”.

(2) The priesthood, as in the case of Eli and his sons.

(3) The kingteaching him that he was a servant of Jehovah, appointed by him, and bound to obey his laws, and when he departed from them denouncing his disobedience. “Under the protection generally, though not always effectual, of their sacred character the prophets were a power in the nation often more than a match for kings and priests, and kept up in that little corner in the earth the antagonism of influences which is the only real security for continued progress The remark of a distinguished Hebrew, that the prophets were in Church and State equivalent to the modern liberty of the press, gives a just but not an inadequate conception of the part fulfilled in national and universal history by this great element of Jewish life”.

3. The manner in which it was fulfilled: diligently (Jer 23:28; Jer 48:10 = negligently): faithfully (not according to his own natural wishes, but God’s will); fearlessly; established = found trustworthyNum 12:7; 1Sa 2:35), fully.

III. HIS CONFIRMATION. “The Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground”. He attested, sealed him as his messenger

1. By bringing to pass the good or evil foretold by him (Num 22:6).

2. By providential and even miraculous occurrences, indicating his approval (1Sa 7:10; 1Sa 12:18).

3. By clothing his word with power, so that it was felt by those to whom it was addressed to be the word of the Lord; for there is something Divine within which responds to the Divine without, and every one who is truthful perceives and obeys the voice of eternal truth (Joh 18:37).

IV. HIS RECOGNITION. “And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord” (1Sa 2:20). The Divine word was no more rare (1Sa 3:1).

1. His authority was universally admitted. It was familiarly known throughout the land that he had been appointed as a regular medium of communication between Jehovah and his people.

2. His utterances were widely disseminated, and regarded with reverence. “The word of Samuel came to all Israel.”

3. His work thereby became highly effective. Its full effect appeared long afterwards. But even before the blow of judgment, which he predicted, fell (some ten years after his call), he doubtless laboured not in vain; and during the succeeding twenty years (1Sa 7:2) he “spent his time in a slow but resolute work of kindling the almost extinguished flame of a higher life in Israel.”D.

Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary

1Sa 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 1Sa 3:21. In the whole Book of Judges we have mention but of two prophets, Jdg 4:4; Jdg 6:8.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

SECOND SECTION
Samuels Call

1Sa 3:1 to 1Sa 4:1 a

1And 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 God was [om. in the templewas6] and Samuel was laid down [lying down4] to sleep [om. to sleep, ins. in 4the temple of Jehovah where the ark of God7 was], That [And] the Lord [Jehovah] 5called [ins. to] Samuel, and he answered [said], Here am I. And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; 6[ins. go back and] lie down again [om. again]. And he went and lay down. And the Lord [Jehovah] called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou didst call [calledst] me. And he answered [said], I 7called not, my son, [ins. go back and] lie down again [om. again]. Now Samuel did not yet know8 the Lord [Jehovah], neither was the word of the Lord yet [and 8the word of Jehovah was not yet] revealed unto him. And the Lord [Jehovah] called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou didst9 call [calledst] me. And Eli perceived that the Lord [Jehovah] 9had called [was calling] the child. Therefore, [And] Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down, and it shall be, if he [one10] call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord [Jehovah], for thy servant heareth. So [And] Samuel went and lay down 10in his place. And the Lord [Jehovah] came, and stood,11 and called as at other times [as before], Samuel, Samuel. Then [And] Samuel answered [said], Speak, 11for thy servant heareth. And the Lord [Jehovah] said to Samuel, Behold, I will [om, will] do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it 12shall tingle [the which whosoever heareth, both his ears shall tingle]. In that day I will perform against Eli all things [om. things] which [that] I have spoken concerning his house, when I begin, I will also make an end [from beginning to end]. 13For [And] I have told [I announced to] him that I will [would] judge his house for ever for the iniquity12 [sin] which he knoweth, because [that he knew that] his sons made themselves vile [brought a curse on themselves13], and he restrained them 14not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Elis house shall not be purged [expiated] with sacrifice [ins. of blood] nor [ins. unbloody14] 15offering forever. And Samuel lay until the morning,15 and opened the doors of the house of the Lord [Jehovah]. And Samuel feared to show Eli the 16vision. Then [And] Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered 17[said], Here am I. And he said, What is the thing that the Lord [om. the Lord, ins. he] hath [om. hath] said unto thee? I pray thee [om. I pray thee16] hide it not from me. God do so to thee and more also, if thou hide anything from 18me of all the things [om. the things] that he said unto thee. And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the Lord [He is Jehovah]; let him do what seemeth him good.

19And Samuel grew; And the Lord [Jehovah] was with him, and did let none of 20his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew 21that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord [Jehovah]. And the Lord [Jehovah] appeared again [continued to appear] in Shiloh; for the Lord [Jehovah] revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by [in] the word of the Lord [Jehovah].17

1Sa 4:1 a And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

1Sa 3:1. The history of Samuels call to be prophet is introduced (1Sa 3:1) by a brief statement of what it presupposed, and what led to it in Samuel himself and in the condition of the Israelitish theocratic life. As to the first point, the connection shows that the boy Samuel had grown to be a youth, and was therefore intellectually capable of receiving the revelation of the Lord; his character as servant of the Lord in the Sanctuary is again stated (comp. 1Sa 2:11; 1Sa 2:18), and his relation to Eli as his guardian and guide is anew affirmed by the words before Eli. (1Sa 2:11). The call which Samuel receives supposes the fact that he belongs to the Lord as a gift from his parents, and, as servant in the Sanctuary, is, in this priestly life under the guidance of the High-priest, prepared to be a special instrument of Gods for His people.As to the second point, the condition of the theocratical life, the religious character of the times is marked by a twofold expression: 1) the word of the Lord was precious (), that is, the word was rare that came directly from the Lord by prophetic announcement to the people; the proper organs were lacking, persons who were filled with the Spirit of the Lord, that they might be witnesses of His word; there was lacking also in the people the living desire for the direct revelations of God in His word, and receptivity in religious feeling for the living declaration,and this was true even in the highest planes of theocratical life; 2) There was no vision spread abroad. break through, thence spread out from within, become known outwards, become public, Ps. 3:10; 2Ch 31:5.Hazon () [vision] is the feeling or perception which corresponds to a direct real divine revelation made to the imagination of the prophet.18 This vision is the means of the reception of the word to be announced. Little was heard of such revelations of the Lord by visions, they were not spread abroad. Therefore the word of the Lord was precious. The second fact had its ground in the first. In the theocratical life there was lacking both a truly God-fearing, living priesthood, and a proclamation of Gods word that should extricate the people from their religious-moral depravation, the vitalizing power of the divine Spirit through prophetic organs.

1Sa 3:2-10. The circumstances and individual elements of the calling. In 1Sa 3:2 the and it came to pass and the statement of time are so connected with 1Sa 3:4 that all the intermediate from and Eli to the end of 1Sa 3:3 is explanatory parenthesis.19

Samuel might have supposed, when he was awaked by hearing his name called, that he had to render some service to the half-blind Eli; and so it is expressly mentioned at the beginning of these descriptive sentences that Eli was growing blind. The word began shows that the statement afterwards made, he could not see, is by no means to be understood as meaning complete blindness.20To the chronological datum in the beginning of 1Sa 3:2 is added in 1Sa 3:3 an exacter and more definite statement in the words: And the lamp of God was not yet gone out;no doubt this indicates night-time, near the morning, since the seven-lamped candelabrum in the Sanctuary before the curtain, which (Exo 27:20-21; Exo 30:7-8) was furnished with oil every morning and evening, after having burnt throughout the night and consumed its oil, usually, no doubt, got feebler or went out towards morning (comp. Lev 24:2-3). The words and S. was sleeping are not to be regarded, as the Athnach under the last requires, as a parenthesis separated from in the temple (as is usually done), if the latter expression is understood to mean sanctuary in distinction from the most holy place; for we cannot suppose that Samuel slept in this Sanctuary. But hekal () is here, as in 1Sa 1:9; Psa 11:4, the whole sanctuary, the entire space of the tabernacle, as the palace of God, the King of His people, who has His throne there. This throne is the ark of God, for above the ark was the symbol of the presence, yea, of the royal dwelling and enthronement of God in the midst of His people (1Sa 4:4). Samuels sleeping-place was in one of the rooms, which were built in the court for the priests and Levites on service (Keil). The name Jehovah stands after temple, because it is the Covenant-God, who descends to His people and dwells with them, that is brought before us. On the other hand, in connection with the lamp and the ark Elohim is used in the sense of the divine in general, (Then.), that is, God is viewed in His loftiness and power over the whole world, as He who is to be feared and venerated, as lofty majesty (which conception is made clear by the plural).

In 1Sa 3:2-3, is described the situation in which Samuel received the call of the Lord,it is night, the High-priest lies in his place in the sanctuary, the lamps of the candelabrum are still burning,21 the morning is near, it is the time when dream-life rises to its height; near Samuel was the ark of God, whence the revelations of God came.

1Sa 3:4-10 give the whole history of the call, with the attendant circumstances, in its individual elements.Samuel hears the call of a voice, which has awakened him from sleep, but takes it to be not the call of a divine voice, as it was, but a call from Eli. Eli, to whom he hastens, sends him back to his couch with the answer: I did not call thee. This is repeated in 1Sa 3:6.

1Sa 3:7 gives the reason why Samuel thought he heard not Gods voice, but Elis.22 Knowing God means here not the general knowledge of God which every Israelite of necessity had, but the special knowledge of God, which was given by extraordinary revelation of God. The experience which now comes to Samuel is marked as the first of the sort. The word of God had not yet been revealed to him. He had not yet received such a special revelation of God through His word; therefore he did not yet know the God who revealed Himself in this way.It was a gloomy time, poor in revelation, as in exemplary religious life. For Eli, the High-priest, was weak, his sons defiled the sanctuary, the people served idols (1Sa 7:3 sq.), and the Philistines ruled oppressively. Hence it came that Samuel did not yet know how the Lord was used to reveal Himself to the prophets, the announcer of His word to men (1Sa 3:1; 1Sa 3:7) (Ngelsbach, Herz. R.-E. XIII. 395 sq.). After the third repetition of the call (1Sa 3:8), Eli observed the divine origin of the call, and showed Samuel (1Sa 3:9) how he should deport himself towards the divine voice. His answer was to be: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.Up to this point the medium of the divine revelation was the thrice repeated call of a voice, which so strongly impressed Samuels hearing, that he was awakened out of sleep. This is the meaning of the narrative; it does not mean a voice, which he thought he heard in a dream merely. In 1Sa 3:10 a new factor is introduced: the divine revelation by means of a voice becomes a vision: Jehovah came and stood, that is, before Samuel. That an objective real appearance is here meant is clear from 1Sa 3:15, the vision (). Three factors are to be combined: the dream-state of Samuels soul (the internal sense), the hearing a voice on awakening, the seeing an appearance.

1Sa 3:11-14. Here follows the divine announcement of the judgment on Israel and the house of Eli. The Pres. ( partcp.) brings the act, though still in the future, before us as near, immediately and surely impending.23 The tingling of both ears is the mark of dread and horror, which comes suddenly on a man, so that he well nigh loses his senses. Clericus reference to the Lat. attonitus is excellent, comp. Jer 19:3. The unheard of horror which was to make both ears tingle was (chap. 4) the frightful defeat of Israel in battle with the Philistines, and the loss of the ark to this heathen people.As in 1Sa 3:11 the horror, which is to come upon Israel, is announced, so in 1Sa 3:12-14 is declared the judgment of the house of Eli. In 1Sa 3:12 the Infs. Abs. ( ) serve to explain and define the verb fin., beginning and ending, that is, from beginning to end, fully, entirely. Not one word of the minatory prophecy (1Sa 2:27 sq.) is to remain unfulfilled. (See Ew. 280, 3 a).In 1Sa 3:13 this announcement is recapitulated. The declaration was a threat, no longer a warning. Judging is in sense (comp. Gen 15:14) identical with punishing. This punishment will be inflicted on Elis house for ever; the judgment will never again be removed from it. In what did Elis sin consist? In the neglect of the duty which he ought to have performed to his sons as father, high-priest and judge, by the employment of severe chastisement and punishment.He knew their crimes, but let them go unpunished. cursed themselves is very hard to explain, unless with Sept. and Then., we read for , and translate they brought God into contempt, the Pi. being taken as causative, and Qal=to come into contempt. Certainly this rendering would agree with 1Sa 2:17; butaside from the untrustworthiness of the Sept. in relation to the Heb. text, which also may here have been arbitrarily treated on account of this difficultyagainst this reading is the fact that God Himself here speaks. The conjecture adduced by Grotius, (the Hebrews wrote that for themselves formerly stood me,) must be rejected on account of the difference in the letters. There remains no other course than to translate cursing, bringing a curse on, themselves, according to the usual explanation.24 Luther gives the correct sense: that his sons behaved shamefully. [So Eng. A. V. made themselves vile, but this is not exactly correct. See translation and textual note.Tr.]

1Sa 3:14. The announcement that the punishment is imposed for ever (1Sa 3:13) is here marked by the divine oath as irrevocable. (, in view of the ellipsis, with negative force, Ges. 155, 2 sq.). The transgression of Elis house is here spoken of because not only did Elis sins of omission and his sons sins of commission prove them personally worthy of punishment before God, but the religious depravation that issued from them affected the whole family, even their posterity. ( Pass. for the usual ). Because the guilt can never be expiated, therefore the sentence will never be recalled, but, agreeably to the Lords true word, will be carried out on Elis house. The double for ever at the end of the two declarations (1Sa 3:13-14) expresses the terrible earnestness of the divine justice. [As to the relation between this announcement (1Sa 3:11-14) and the other (1Sa 2:27-36), the latter is founded on and supposes the earlier, but does not exactly repeat it. The first message seems (strangely enough) not to have produced the desired effect, namely to rouse Eli and save his house; for, though it is expressed absolutely, we have to suppose that the doom might be averted by repentance and obedience, as in the case of Nineveh. But the old man was too weak, and his sons (who must have heard of the prophets threatened punishment) too far gone in sin. No moral change occurs to remove the implied moral condition of the doom, and the sentence is to be executed. Still God will not leave His old servant without another appeal; He sends another message by Samuel. The first prophecy (chap. 2) reviewed, the history of the sacerdotal house of Eli, exposed its unfaithfulness, announced its deposition, and looked beyond to the glory of a new and faithful priestly house. The second prophecy, given through Samuel, reaffirms the punishment, emphasizes Elis personal guilt, and declares the sentence on the priestly house to be irrevocable. Its object, then, would seem to be two-fold: 1) to rouse Eli and his sons to repentance and quickening into spiritual life, (see Elis response in verse 18, whereas no answer of his to the first threat is recorded); 2) to accredit Samuel as a prophet by making him the bearer of a message that the whole nation would hear of, and to develop his spiritual-prophetic earnestness and faithfulness by bringing him into personal contact with the most serious events. It is hardly to be supposed that the conduct of Eli and his sons had been unobserved by Samuel. Rather they must have occasioned him (in connection with the man of Gods announcement) much serious thought, so that his message to Eli was not something apart from his own intellectual and spiritual life. We must notice, also, the difference in breadth and maturity between the declaration committed to the (doubtless) full-grown man of God, and that delivered through the youth Samuel.Tr.].

1Sa 3:15-18. Samuel before Eli as called prophet of the Lord in his first prophetic function. Although Eli had already received from the man of God (1Sa 2:27) the prediction of punishment, yet his conduct gives occasion to the repetition (through Samuel who had a direct call from the Lord) of the prophetic announcement of judgment on his house as a word of immediate revelation from the Lord.

1Sa 3:15 sq. describe with such psychological and historical minuteness, such clearness and truth to life Samuels external situation and tone of mind after the revelation and appearance, and the conduct of Eli who was roused to earnest interest25 by the thrice-occurring call to Samuel, that neither here nor in the preceding description (1Sa 3:1-14) is there any ground for Ewalds opinion that this is not an original tradition. After this revelation Samuel sleeps in his bed till morning. Opening the doors of Gods house was a part of his duty in the sanctuary. By the doors we are not to understand the curtains, but real doors, which belonged, however, not to the cells which were perhaps built around, but to the house of God itself. Originally, indeed, the Tabernacle, being a tent, had no doors, but, after it was fixed in Shiloh with a solid enclosure, it might somehow have been provided with them. Perhaps it stood within a larger frame, or a solid temple-space of stone built for its protection” (Leyrer in Herzogs R.-E. XV. 116.)Samuel is afraid to tell Eli the vision, the appearance () which had presented itself to his internal sense, in which Gods revelation concerning the house of Eli had been set forth before himpartly from awe at the divine word which formed the content of the revelation, partly on account of the dreadful significance it had for Eli, partly by reason of the sorrow of which, in his reverence and filial piety towards Eli, he could not rid himself. But Eli compels him to tell what he had so wondrously learned.On my son, 1Sa 3:16, Thenius admirably remarks: How much is expressed by this one word! In 1Sa 3:17 observe the climax in the words with which, in three sentences, Eli demands information from Samuel; it expresses the excitement of Elis soul. He asks for the word of the Lord; he demands an exact and complete statement; he adjures Samuel to conceal nothing from him. God do so to thee and more also, if, etc., is a frequent form of adjuration,26 which threatens punishment from God, if the request is not complied with, comp. 1Sa 14:44; 1Sa 20:18.

1Sa 3:18. And Samuel told him every whit. His fear was overpowered by Elis demand. In obeying Eli he was at the same time obeying the Lord, whose command to enter on his prophetic calling before Eli he must have recognized in the latters demand. And he (Eli) said. Two things Eli says: It is the Lord! This is the utterance of submission to the Lord. He sees confirmed what the man of God announced to him, and recognizes the indubitable revelation of the Lord. Let Him do what seemeth Him good. This is the expression of resignation to the unchangeable will of the Lord. To the overwhelming declaration of God Eli shows a complete resignation, giving himself and his house into Gods hands, without trying to excuse or justify himself, but also, it is true, without exhibiting thorough penitence.

1Sa 3:19-21. The result of Samuels call to the prophetic office, and, at the same time, transition to the description of his prophetical work in Israel. 1) In 1Sa 3:19 a the divine principle in his development into a man of God in his prophetic office is expressly emphasized, his growth from youth to manhood () being set forth under the highest theocratic point of view, which is marked by the words: And the Lord was with him.To him were imparted Gods revelations for Israel, because he was a man after Gods heart, who, amid the temptations to evil that surrounded him in Shiloh, was now as a youth mature and tried in true fear of God and sincere fellowship with God; and his growth rested on a childhood consecrated to the Lord. The Lord was with him. This refers not merely to the general proofs of Gods goodness and mercy, to the blessing which he received from the Lord throughout his life, but also to the special revelations and gifts of the Spirit which the Lord imparted to him as His chosen instrument. For 2) in 1Sa 3:19 b in the words And he let none of his words fall to the ground is emphasized the divine demonstration of Samuels prophetic character by Gods fulfilment of what he prophetically announced as the word revealed to him. The expression did not let fall indicates that the word was not spoken in vain, but was fulfilled,27 comp. Jos 21:45; Jos 23:14; 1Ki 8:56; 2Ki 10:10. 3) 1Sa 3:20 exhibits his general recognition in Israel as a tried instrument for the Lord in the prophetic office. The geographical indication of the extent of this recognition supposes that Samuel was made known to the whole people from Dan on the north to Beersheba on the south (Jdg 20:1) as a prophet of the Lord by his declaration of the word of God. (, found trustworthy, tried, Num 12:7). From this it is evident that the people of Israel, in spite of their disruption, yet formed religiously a unit. In spite of the general lack of the declaration of Gods word, there was still altogether a receptivity for it; notwithstanding the decline of the religious-moral life there was not lacking a sense for the self-revelation of the living God through His chosen instrument, the prophet Samuel. It is no doubt intimated in 1Sa 3:20 that Samuel, in contrast with the hitherto isolated appearances of prophets, was known as a man called to a permanent prophetic work (Ngelsbach, Herz. R.-E. XIII. 26). For the factual ground of 1Sa 3:20 is given in the closely connected v. 21, where 4) are stated the continued direct revelations of God to Samuel in Shiloh. Jehovah continued to appear in Shiloh. This points to visions as the form of revelation for the internal sense, and as the continuation of the mode of appearance which is set forth in 1Sa 3:10; 1Sa 3:15 as vision. The words for the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord leave no doubt that that revelation in visions also was made to Samuel, and that the word was the heart and the guiding star of these revelations of the Lord made to him that they might be imparted to the people. As the people had hitherto had its centre in Shiloh in the Tabernacle with the ark as the symbol of Gods indwelling and presence, so now it found in the same place a new centre in the continued revelations of the Lord to Samuel through His word. From now on God made known His will to the people by the revelation of His word to Samuel, the first representative of the permanent prophetic order.28 Thus, then, the beginning of the fourth chapter: And the word of Samuel came to all Israelis closely connected with the preceding. The word of Samuel is in content, the word of the Lord, which was directly revealed to him, he being from now on favored with this revelation (1Sa 3:21) in the form of the vision (); thus the declaration God revealed Himself to Samuel is by no means superfluous (Then.); for it is not the revelation mentioned above” which is here meant, but that which was constantly repeated in vision, by virtue of which Samuel was the Roeh (), seer. In form the word of Samuel was prophetic announcement, as organ of which he was Nabi (), Gods spokesman, interpreter.29 His word came to all Israel. In these words is comprised 5) his prophetic work in all Israel, and the permanent effect of his call to the prophetic office (made by the first revelation) is indicated. The word which came to him from God went by him to the whole people. This close connection of these words with the preceding context, and their closing and comprehensive character shows plainly how incorrect is the ordinary view which connects them with the following, and regards them as a call by Samuel to battle with the Philistines. They are the summary description of his prophetic work, on which his judicial labors rested, the transition to these latter being made in the following narration of Israels public national calamity.

HISTORICAL AND THEOLOGICAL

1. Samuels person and labors as prophet. So the Lords training had borne its fruits. Samuel had been preserved amid the temptations of Shiloh. He had grown up to be a consecrated man and faithful prophet of the Lorda man of God in the midst of an apostate racea light in the darkness, and much was gained when Gods word was once more to be found in the land. (Schlier, Die Knige in Isr., 1865, 2 ed., p. 5.)

The vigorous and connected ministry of the prophets begins with Samuel, who is therefore to be regarded as the true founder of the Old Testament prophetic order (comp. Act 3:24). It was that extraordinary time when, with the removal of the ark, the Tabernacle had lost its significance as centre, the high-priests functions were suspended, and now the mediatorship between God and the people rested altogether in the inspired prophet. While the limits of the old ordinances of worship are broken through, Israel learns that Jehovah has not restricted His saving presence to the ancient symbol of His indwelling among the people, rather is to be found everywhere, where He is earnestly sought, as God of salvation. Oehler in Herz. R.-E. s. v. Prophet-enthum des A. T. XII. 214.

2. The time of Samuels appearance in Israel as prophet was the time of an internal judgment of God, which consisted in the preciousness of Gods word, that is, in the lack of intercourse of God with His people by revelation. It was a theocratic interdict30 incurred by the continued apostasy of the people from their God, and inflicted by Gods justice. It had the disciplinary aim to lead their hearts back to the Lord, who had long kept silence, had long suspended His revelations. Such a judgment of the cessation of all revelation-intercourse of God with man came upon Saul, 1Sa 28:6; 1Sa 28:15; comp. the complaint in Psa 74:9, there is no longer any prophet, and the wail in Amo 7:11 sq. over the famine of Gods word. The same law presents itself in all periods of the kingdom of God; men lose the source of life, Gods revealed word, by a divine judgment, when they withdraw from intercourse with the living God, and will not accept His holy word as the truth which controls their whole life.

3. The form of Gods revelation in prophecy is, as we see in Samuel, internal sight, the vision, to which the original appellation Roeh ( or )31 (according to 1Sa 9:9, the earlier usual designation of the prophet) points. Vision and word of God are in 1Sa 3:1 parallel expressions for prophecy. The vision is nothing but the inner incorporation, and therefore also symbolizatioii of what is felt in the mindwhether it be in visible shape for the inner eye, or vocally for the inner ear. (Tholuck, Die Propheten und ihre Weissa-gungen, 1861, p. 54.) The internal sight, by means of which the prophet knows that the content of the prophecy, the matter of the announcement to be made, has been imparted to him by God directly, altogether independently of his own activity, is the vision in the wider sense. For this reason Samuel, like all other prophets, is called a Seer. After his soul, detached from the outer world of sense through the medium of the dream, has thus been brought into a state of more concentrated receptivity for the revelation of God, he sees with the internal sense the matter of the prophetic declaration directly imparted to him by God. But when the revelation presents its content in visible shape before the prophets soul, there results the vision in the stricter sense. (Oehler, Herz. R.-E. XVII. 637.)

4. In the history of Samuels call to the prophetic office are united prototypically all essential momenta32 of theocratic prophecy: 1) the ethical condition of the absolute consecration of the person and the whole life to Gods service on the basis of sincere life-communion with Him, and of mutual intercourse between God and the prophet(Speak, Lord, thy servant heareth; comp. Jer 33:2 sq.: call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not); 2) the definite, direct, clearly recognized and irresistible call of God to be the instrument of His revelation, the declarer of His word which is to be imparted to him, connected with the gift of inspiration and capacity therefor by the controlling power of the Spirit of God; 3) the reception of Gods special revelation by word independently of human teaching and instruction and his own investigation and meditation, together with the consciousness of having been favored with a disclosure of Gods objective thoughts; 4) the internal sight as the subjective medium of the reception of the revelation of God, the psychical form of prophecy; 5) the declaration of the revelation received, with the certainty and confidence (produced by the Spirit) that the announced word will be confirmed by the corresponding divine deed. Comp. Oehler, Weissagung, Herz. R.-E. XVII. 627 sqq.33

5. The triple repetition of the divine call to Samuel betokens Gods holy arrangement for preparing His inner life, that he might become an exclusive organ of divine revelation (comp. 1Sa 3:7-8), freed from human authority, his soul open only to the utterances of the living God, as is shown by Samuels answer to the divine voice: Speak, Lord, thy servant heareth (1Sa 3:9-10); for by this answer Samuel assumes the position of one who has direct converse with the Lord, that he may, as his servant, hear what the Lord will say to him by His revelations, and thereby the end of the threefold preparative call is fulfilled.

6. That the light of the divine word may illuminate the inner life, the latter must be open to this light, as it is given by divine revelation. The humble readiness to hear and accept Gods counsels with the ear of faith is called forth by the awakening call of Gods voice, and leads to the clear knowledge of His word. The way to fellowship with the living God and service in His kingdom is opened and prepared only by Gods act of grace in calling men by the voice of His word; and so living and abiding continually in fellowship with the Lord is conditioned on the word of revelation, in which the Lord speaks to the soul that stands fast in the obedience of faith. Thus the individual elements of this history of Samuels call present a picture of the grace of God that calls us, as all they learn or experience, who, like Samuel, occupy such a position towards Gods word, that to Gods call they answer with him: Speak, Lord, thy servant heareth.

7. Pardoning grace34 (1Sa 3:14) is open to every sinner, and is denied by God for no sin, if there be, on the mans part, honest, hearty repentance for sin as enmity against God and violation of His holy will, and confident trust in His grace and mercy, that is, if there be a thorough conversion to the Lord. In Elis house, in spite of the preceding divine warnings and threatenings, there was continued, persistent sin, and Eli did not summon the resolution to make an energetic cleansing of his house and thoroughly to remove his sons wickedness, which he ought to have felt especially bound to do as high-priest; such sin makes it impossible that Gods grace should be shown in the forgiveness of sin, puts a limit to Gods patience and long-suffering, and draws down on itself His punitive judgments as necessary proofs of His holiness and justice. [The Mosaic Law had no offering for presumptuous sins; but underneath the Law (which was civil-political in its outward form) lay the fundamental principle of the forgiveness of the penitent sinner, developed, for example, in Psalms 51 and others. This principle, however, though doubtless part of the spiritual thought of ancient Israel, did not find full expression till it was announced that the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin. But in the New Testament, as in the Old Testament, there is no pardon without repentance.Tr.]

8. The true permanent unity of Israel, dismembered, as the nation was, during the Period of the Judges, was established by Samuel by means of the word of God which, in his prophetic proclamation, embraced all Israel. Even in times when the national, political and religious-ecclesiastical life is most sadly shattered and disrupted, the divine word, if it is only preached lovingly by preachers that live in it, shows its purifying and unifying power, the receptivity for it being present, and only needing to be called forth.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

1Sa 3:1. Cramer: That is the greatest and most perilous scarcity, when God causes a dearth, not of bread but of His word.Wuert. Bible: God does not give His holy word to every one and at every time in great abundance, but causes at certain times also a scarcity therein to be suffered, Eze 3:26; Amo 8:11-12.

[1Sa 3:3-14. Stanley: The stillness of the nightthe sudden voicethe childlike misconceptionthe venerable Elithe contrast between the terrible doom and the gentle creature who has to announce itgive to this portion of the narrative a universal interest. It is this side of Samuels career that has been so well caught in the well-known pictures by Sir Joshua Reynolds.Tr.]

1Sa 3:3-10. Steinmeyer (Testimonies to the glory of Christ, Berlin, 1847): The call of Samuel the Prophet, as an image of our entering into communion with the Lord; 1) How the occasion for this communion is given on the part of God, 2) How the condition of it is fulfilled on the part of Samuel, and 3) How this communion itself was begun.Awaking from sleep! What a striking designation of the turning point between the old and the new in our life also. We were like them that sleep, them that dream, before we entered into communion with God. It is, however, certainly no arbitrary pre-supposition, that this pure, simple, upright nature had definite presentiments that he must be in what was his Gods, and that he was moved by a longing, even though not understood, after the hour which now struck; and even this position of heart appears to find in the image of sleep its beautiful, exactly-corresponding expression. More or less, however, the comparison will also be applicable to us all. If the grace of the Lord caused us to grow up in the temple of His church, as Samuel in the sanctuary at Shiloh, if we were, like him, from childhood nourished with the sincere milk of the word, then there will always in our awaking be a definite recollection that already long before we found ourselves unawares in this sphere, only that hitherto our eyes were holden, while now we are allowed to look freely and without hindrance into the riches of His grace and His truth.

[How far this sort of analogical preaching may be carried, is a question of opinion. There are many who will think it has been carried quite too far in this paragraph.Tr.]

1Sa 3:8-9. The fact that Samuel, notwithstanding the old mans assurance that he had not called him, appeared again, and came the third time, without consulting with flesh and blood, was a proof of his simplicity and uprightness. This is indeed the same uprightness which the Redeemer commends in Nathaniel, and here we have certainly a striking example of the Scripture saying: The Lord makes the upright prosper.That the youth was ready without fretting to present himself three times for the service of his fatherly teacherwhat else is it than his obedience towards him to whose discipline and service he had now devoted himself, so firmly grounded in obedience that he did not allow himself to be turned away from his simple, quiet path, not even by the most wonderful testimonies, by perfectly incomprehensible directions. And so with us too, if in any relation whatever we have only learned true obedience, if the position and state of our heart has become that of full and humble subjection, then we are no longer far from the Kingdom of God, which demands blind, unshakable obedience, within which one cannot maintain himself without giving himself up unconditionally to the one authority of Christ in faith as well as in life, and which utterly excludes all selfishness, in whatever form it may come up, all self-will, all entering upon a self-chosen path. [The analogy here and in what follows is extremely remote, and such a use of the passage would seem injudicious.Tr.]If we too have only first reached in general the point of being able to believe without seeingfor faith too must be learnedable to believe in the first place the human teaching, rebuking, consoling word,well, then we are on the way, since the voice of the divine word is believingly received by us.

[Henry: There was a special Providence in it, that Samuel should go thus often to Eli; for hereby, at length, Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child, 1Sa 3:8. (1) This would be a mortification to him, and he would apprehend it to be a step toward his familys being degraded, that when God had something to say he should choose to say it to the child Samuel, his servant that waited on him, and not to him. (2) This would put him upon inquiring what it was that God said to Samuel, and would abundantly satisfy him of the truth and certainty of what should be delivered, and no room would be left for him to suggest that it was but a fancy of Samuels.Tr.]

1Sa 3:10. So then for the first time Samuel stands with consciousness in the presence of the majesty of Godand immediately all the riddles of life begin to be solved for him, and the meaning of his own life to become clear. What he says bears the clearest stamp of a really begun communion with the Lord. Is it not the resolve to say and to do all that the Lord might show him of his lofty thoughts and waysis it not this, and nothing but this, that is expressed in Samuels words: Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth? Has he not thereby once for all renounced self-knowing and self-will? That was the faithfulness as a prophet, which all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba recognized in him (1Sa 3:20). And that which thus first established a true communion with the Lord could also alone be the power that maintained it. The constant prayer, Speak, Lord, and the constant vow, Thy servant heareth,that is the hand which takes hold of Gods right hand, to be held fast by it with everlasting life.

1Sa 3:10. Speak, Lord, thy servant heareth, a testimony of unconditional devotion to the Lord: 1) How such a testimony is reached, (a) through the Lords awakening call, (b) through receptivity of heart for Gods word, and (c) through the deed of self-denial in the renunciation of all self-knowing and self-will; 2) What is therein testified and praised before the Lord: (a) humble subjection (Speak, Lord), (b) steadfast dependence on the Lord in free love (thy servant), (c) unconditional, joyful obedience to His will (thy servant heareth.)Conditions of a blessed fulfillment of ones calling for the Kingdom of God: 1) The experience of the power of the divine word: I have called thee by thy name; 2) The repeated call in prayer, Speak, Lord! and 3) The fulfillment of the vow: thy servant heareth.

1Sa 3:11. Lange: It is Gods design that when He causes great judgments to occur, men shall with holy terror accept them as a warning. God begins in good time to bring into holy fear the hearts of those whom he wishes to make special and great instruments of advancing His honor. 1Sa 3:12. Starke : The Lords word is true; Psa 33:4 [in German; Eng. Ver. correctly: right.Tr.] Let men therefore not mock at Gods word and threatenings.Calvin: The guilt becomes so much the greater, when God warns sinners of their transgressions, and they notwithstanding persevere in them. 1Sa 3:13. Elis guilt becomes so much the greater from the fact that it was known to him how shamefully his sons behaved, and he did nothing to remove this abomination from his house and from the sanctuary. Calvin: Those who are set for the purpose of chastising the wicked make themselves partakers of a like guilt with them, and go quite over to their side, when at most they express censure with words, and so give themselves the appearance of strictness and earnestness, but do not use the power conferred on them to interfere with the godlessness by deeds.

1Sa 3:14. If the sons of Eli had earnestly repented, they would have obtained grace. But as they were given up to their godless disposition, they must of necessity be hardened in their sins, and in spite of the offerings they presented, which were an abomination in the sight of the Lord, must suffer judgment.

[1Sa 3:11-14. Compare this warning with that previously sent to Eli (1Sa 2:27-36). 1) It is simpler, as was appropriate when given through a youth. 2) It is mainly a repetition of what he had been told before, as are so many of Gods messages to men;the sin mentioned is the iniquity which he knoweth (1Sa 3:13), and the punishment is all, that I have spoken (1Sa 3:12). 3) It contains a still more severe threatening, as the former had not led to repentance; (a) an unknown horror is predicted, (b) a punishment of his family that shall never cease. 4) It arouses Eli to enough of spiritual life for submission (1Sa 3:18), but not enough for amendment. (Comp. addition by Tr. to Exegetical on 1Sa 3:14).Tr.]

1Sa 3:18. We should never venture to dispute with God nor wish to speak against and oppose His purpose, but must, even when we do not recognize the ground of His judgments, yea, when we think we are suffering unjustly, adore the righteousness and holiness of His judgments. Eli bowed himself, it is true, in humility and reverence before the Divine Majesty, but we do not see that he stirred himself up to fulfil his duty towards his godless sons, whereby he would have made known by action the earnestness of his own conversion from the slackness and yielding compliance, which made him the sharer of his sons guilt. We should therefore lay it earnestly to heart, not merely with the mouth to give God the honor for His wisdom and righteousness, but upon His call to repentance to subject our own life to an earnest self-examination, in order that then we may beseech God to forgive our sins, and may with our whole heart avoid and flee from evil.

1Sa 3:19. The word of God does not return void, whether it promises or threatens, and preachers of the word of God learn with Samuel that none of their words fall to the ground, and this just in proportion as they are diligent to preach nothing else than Gods word.

[1Sa 3:15-18. Evil Tidings. 1) Samuel shrinks from telling them, as a painful duty. 2) Eli is anxious to be told, (a) He apprehends ill news for himselfaccusing consciencereminded of the warning given through the prophet (1Sa 2:27 sqq.) (b) But he desires to know the worstearnestly conjures Samuel to tell him all. 3) Eli hears evil tidings with submission, (a) He is Jehovahthe sovereign Godthe covenant Godtoo wise to err, too good to be unkind. (b) Let him do, etc. He submits humbly, trustfully, lovingly. Hall: If Eli have been an ill father to his sons, yet he is a good son to God, and is ready to kiss the very rod he shall smart withal.)Tr.]

1Sa 3:20. Samuel a true prophet of the Lord; 1) Whereby he was such. 2) How he proved himself such before the whole people. 3) How he was recognized as such by them. 4) How he is an example for the faithful in the ministry of Gods word.

Cramer: Not only of the whole church in general, but of every Christian hearer in particular is it demanded, that with reference to the doctrine taught he shall perceive whether it is right and true or not, and stand his ground. In the case of Samuel the word did not hold good: The prophet has no honor in his own country. He comes before us here as a prophet who has much honor in his own country, 1) Because he was a faithful prophet of God, 2) Because he was counted worthy by God of continual revelations through his word, and 3) God confirmed his proclamations by the publicly manifested fulfillment of them as a fulfillment of his word.

[1Sa 3:19-21. Henry: The honor done Samuel as a prophet: 1) God did him honor (a) By further manifestations of Himself to him. (b) By fulfilling what He spake by him. 2) Israel did him honor. (a) He grew famous. (b) He grew useful and very serviceable to his generation. He that began betimes to be good, soon came to do good.Tr.]

Footnotes

[1][1Sa 3:1. = rare, see Isa 13:12; Chald. renders hidden.Tr.]

[2][1Sa 3:1. This word () is variously rendered: Sept. , distinguishing, explaining, whence some would (without ground) change the text to (which perhaps the Alex. translator read, the Nun omitted from preceding Nun); Chald. revealed = broken open; Syr. as Heb.; Arab., the Lord had deprived the children of Israel of revelation in those days, and there was no revelation, to any one of them, and nothing appeared to him; Vulg. manifesta; others, broken, diffused, multiplied; the Jewish interpreters (Rashi, Kimchi, Ralbag) follow the Targ.: Luther, wenig weissagung, little prophecy; Erdmann, verbreitet, spread abroad; Cahen, repandu. This last is probably the correct sense, see 1Ch 13:2; 2Ch 31:5.Tr.]

[3][1Sa 3:2. Erdmann renders when (as Eng. A. V.) in order to show that the description from this point is introductory to 1Sa 3:4; but the literal translation, given above, clearly indicates the connection of thought, and avoids the interpretation of a construction into the text.Tr.]

[4][1Sa 3:2 and 1Sa 3:4, Or, was sleeping.Tr.]

[5][1Sa 3:3. with Impf. following the subject = not yet.Tr.]

[6][1Sa 3:3. The Eng. A. V. in making this unwarranted inversion of clauses, was probably controlled by the same motive which led the Masorites to separate (was lying) from (in the temple) by the Athnach, namely, to avoid the seeming assertion that Samuel was sleeping in the sacred building. The Targum accordingly renders was sleeping in the Court of the Levites, borrowing this term apparently from Herods temple. For explanation see Exeg. Notes, in loco.Tr.]

[7][1Sa 3:3. This is the only place where (God) in the phrase (the ark of God) occurs without the Art.; often occurs with the force of a proper name, but no reason is apparent why the Art. is omitted here in this standing phrase. For discussion of the difference between and see Quarrys Genesis and its authorship, pp. 270 sqq.Tr.]

[8][1Sa 3:7. Erdmann: had not yet learned to know, which is substantially the same as Eng. A. V. On pointing of see Exeg Notes, in loco.Tr.]

[9][1Sa 3:8. The didst might now suggest an emphasis not given by the Heb.Tr.]

[10][1Sa 3:9. The impersonal subject is proper, as Samuel did not know who the caller was.Tr.]

[11][1Sa 3:10. Chald. softens this anthropomorphism into revealed himself, and the Rabbis add, by a voice from the Holy of Holies.Tr.]

[12][1Sa 3:13. is difficult. It can be understood here only as in stat. const. with the following clause: Elis sin was that he knew, etc. So the Vulg. The Targ. and Syr. render as Eng. A. V.; Sept. gives the iniquities of his sons, and omits that he knew; Wellhausen omits .Tr.]

[13][1Sa 3:13. is here taken as reflexive. The true reading here is not clear; the old translators and critics treated it variously. Sept. has as if it read , which Geiger (Urschrift, p. 271) and others adopt. See Erdmanns remark on this in Exeg. Notes, in loco. Chald. reads as the Heb. (Targ. renders by here and elsewhere); Syr. has his sons brought ignominy on the people, reading apparently . This is one of the eighteen cases of the correction of the Scribes (see Buxtorfs Lex. s. v. ), who are said to have changed the original reading me to themselves, to avoid the blasphemy, for which reason also Geiger holds that God was changed. Others suggest that the stood for Jehovah. But it is hard to say how much reliance is to be put on these alleged corrections of the old Jewish critics, and here (as Wellhausen remarks) we expect the Acc. not after . The external critical evidence is in favor of the reading God, but, the objection to this urged by Erdmann being strong, we can only, with him, retain the present text.Tr.]

[14][1Sa 3:14. It seems desirable to express in an Eng. translation the difference between and .Tr.]

[15][1Sa 3:15. Sept. here adds and rose in the morning, which Thenius and Wellhausen think stood originally in the text, and fell out by similar ending. On the other hand, it is a natural filling out of a terse account, quite in the manner of the Sept.Tr.]

[16][1Sa 3:17. The Eng. I pray thee is too strong for the Heb. , for which we have no good equivalent.Tr.]

[17][1Sa 3:21. On the addition of the Sept. here see Thenius and Wellhausen.Tr.]

[18][Hazon, which is used chiefly in the later books of O. T., Isaiah 1) the picture presented to the mind in the ecstatic prophetic state; 2) the body of truth thus given to the prophet. It is the technical word for divine revelation (so contrasted with ).Tr.]

[19][See the remark of Tr. under Textual and Grammatical.Tr.]

[20] is either verbal adj. , which forms a single conception with the preceding fin. verb (they began dim, i.e., began to become dim)as in Gen 9:20 the same verb is connected with a subst., Ges., 142, 4, Rem.or Inf. Qal (comp., Isa 3:7; Gen 27:1; Deu 34:7 : Job 16:8; Zec 11:17), which the punctuators avoided only because they had not elsewhere met with it (Bttch.). [This whole note, quoted by Erdmann and Thenius from Bttcher, is somewhat unclear. The passages cited for the Inf. hardly bear on the question. Wellhausen declares the Inf. here without impossible; but see Deu 2:25; Deu 2:31. Winer makes it Piel. Inf.Tr.]

[21][The Sept. has before the lamp was prepared, which may point to the custom of keeping one light burning during the day, and thus indicate the late night or early morning.Tr.].

[22] is seldom used, as here, with the Perf. of past time; comp. Psa 90:2; Ew. 337, 3, c. We might however point also with Bttcher, and thus read, in accordance with the following , a Fiens [Impf.] with , as is usual.

[23]On the intrans. see Ew. 196 d [comp. Greens Heb. Gr. 141, 2.Tr.].

[24] Pi. here trans. to make faint, weak, frighten by threatening, terrifying conduct, as elsewhere with , increpare aliquem.

[25][The words Eli who was roused to earnest interest have been supplied by the translator, something amounting to this having fallen out of the text, probably by typographical error.Tr.]

[26][This means not, may God do to you as you do to me, but may God visit your refusal with appropriate punishment.Tr.]

[27][The origin of the figure has been sought for in various occurrences, as the spilling of water, the fall of an arrow, or any weapon of war, or of a house, but it is better understood in a general way as signifying failures, in contrast with a firm, upright position.Tr.]

[28][It is an old opinion that there is here a reference to the personal Word, the second Person of the Trinity. The Targ. has the word of Jehovah was his help, and so some modern commentators, as Gill. But plainly there is no ground for this.Tr.]

[29][On Roeh and Nabi see on 1Sa 9:9.Tr.]

[30][The Papal Interdict forbids the celebration of divine service, the administration of the sacraments, ecclesiastical burial and marriage (by Romish ministers), and enjoins fasting and prayer.Tr.]

[31][On the relation between and see below, 1Sa 9:9.Tr.]

[32][Momentum, translation of Germ. moment, essential or important element.Tr.]

[33][See also Fairbairn on Prophecy, Chap. 1, and Lee on Inspiration.Tr.]

[34][In the Germ. vershnungs-gnadegrace of expiation.Tr.]

Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange

CONTENTS

In this Chapter we have related to us the call of Samuel, in an extraordinary manifestation of the Lord to him by night in the temple. What the Lord said to him; his fear of communicating it to Eli: Eli’s demand of Samuel to be informed of it: Samuel’s faithful relation of it: Eli’s solemn resignation in consequence thereof to God’s will. Samuel in the close of the Chapter is said to be established in the Prophetical office.

1Sa 3:1

(1) And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

Reader! do not fail to remark, that while the sons of Eli were so worthless, this child, unconnected with Eli, attended diligently in his service. How often have we seen, and still see, in life, that while those who have all the advantages of a pious education, and pious examples, nevertheless neglect and despise the whole; others, without such advantages, come forward and improve. Oh! Reader! learn to value grace above all accomplishments. Rather, blessed Jesus, would I have thy favour in the lowest station, than without it to dwell in the palace of the great. How precious must have been, in those days, the slightest tokens of God’s favour in his holy word. And ought not that blessed word of God to be very precious now? Lord! give me grace to esteem it more than my necessary food. May it be my study all the day. And may my eyes prevent the night watches that I may meditate therein. Psa 119:148Psa 119:148 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

The Word of the Lord

1Sa 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, God the Son, the second person in the Blessed Trinity, the Word of God Who was God. That revelation is given to you and to me, it is spoken to us in these later days the revelation of Jesus Christ. God speaks to us in various ways by the circumstances of our lives, through our consciences, through Holy Scripture; and we know not God, we do not recognize His voice, and so we do not hear the message which He has for each soul. Let us consider how that message comes to each one.

I. God’s Voice in the Circumstances of Our Lives. First of all in the circumstances of our lives, as it was in the circumstances of the life of Samuel. We were placed in the same position near to God when we were brought to Him in our baptism. The circumstances of our lives are very much those of Samuel, hedged around, guarded from evil, from temptation, being taught from earliest infancy the will of God, even as he was. We can see all through our lives that God is continually near us, speaking to us, calling to us in the circumstances of those lives. What does He require us to do? If He sends us temptation, He calls us to face that temptation. If He saves us from temptation, He calls us to higher things still that we may advance in holiness. Each one of us can look into our lives and see how God speaks to us in the circumstances of those lives.

II. God’s Voice in Conscience. Then further, God speaks in our conscience if we do not pay attention to that voice as it speaks to us, if we do not listen for it, then that voice will grow dimmer and dimmer. If we do not act on what that voice tells us, we shall not hear any voice at all in the end. A hardened sinner or a confirmed criminal will commit a sin which you and I would call a deadly and awful sin. Why? His conscience is dead, he cannot hear through it the voice of the Holy Spirit. Let us take care that as the word of the Lord comes to us through the voice of conscience, that we listen to that voice and act upon it.

III. God’s Voice in the Bible. Then there is taking the more literal meaning of the word of the Lord God’s voice speaking to us through the Bible. As we listen to the lessons in church, as we read our chapter day by day, does it bring to us a message from God? Or do we hear or read the words just as a story, interesting, nothing more.

As we listen for the voice of God, either through the circumstances of our life, or our conscience, or the Bible, let us be ready with Samuel to say, ‘Speak, Lord; for Thy servant heareth’. Speak, Lord, into our innermost being, not only to our outward ears but to our very soul. Speak, Lord, that we may hear, and do Thy will, that we may go on assured that what we do is done under Thy guidance, that we are trying to carry out Thy will, and are in the end bound to come to that everlasting home which Thou, even now, art preparing for us in the heaven above.

The Divine Call

1Sa 3:1-10

Nothing is more certain in matter of fact, than that some men do feel themselves called to high duties and works to which others are not called. Why this is we do not know; whether it be that those who are not called forfeit the call from having failed in former trials, or have been called and have not followed; or that though God gives baptismal grace to all, yet He really does call some men by His free grace to higher things than others; but so it is; this man sees sights which that man does not see, has a larger faith, a more ardent love, and a more spiritual understanding…. The more men aim at high things, the more sensitive perception they have of their own shortcomings; and this again is adapted to humble them specially. We need not fear spiritual pride, then, on following Christ’s call, if we follow it as men in earnest. Earnestness has no time to compare itself with the state of other men; earnestness has too vivid a feeling of its own infirmities to be elated at itself.

J. H. Newman.

1Sa 3:10

One of the most delightful and fascinating personalities of the Old Testament is the child Samuel. The charm, among other things, consists in this: we find in him what we long to see in all our boys and what is beautiful when we do see it. What is that? Why, this: there is nothing so gracious or so graceful in all creation as real religion in a young boy’s heart. The fresh, simple, unaffected goodness of a pure-minded boy who fears God and loves his mother is charming and delightful.

I. The Personality and Circumstances of Samuel. He had many advantages which are not given to every boy.

( a ) He was blessed in his start in life. He was blessed with good parents, the greatest blessing that a boy or a girl can possibly have. Unfortunately you cannot arrange this before you come into the world, but God arranges it for you, so the greater is the gift if when you come you find that you are the child of godly people.

( b ) He was associated with religious people and religions work. That is the greatest possible point. Get your boys interested in the attractiveness of religious worship and work as soon as you possibly can. Throw them as soon as it is possible into a happy, busy, religious atmosphere. You knew how to do that most effectively. Throw yourselves into it and they will follow, for your boys are like sheep without their stupidity. They have a great capacity for following where you lead. Throw yourselves into it, be keenly and deeply and increasingly interested in the work of God and in the work of the parish church to which you belong. Samuel’s people were, and the consequence was that the little fellow when he grew up was as much at home in the Church of God as in his own sitting-room with his parents.

II. But He Knew Not the Lord. He worshipped, he prayed, he heard the Word of God such as there was in those days, he loved the service of the Tabernacle, he mixed with the people of God, but as yet anything like conscious spiritual communion with the living God was a thing altogether unknown to him. There may be great religious privilege and much religious instruction, but no real personal saving knowledge of Christ. There may be in a boy or a girl, or a man or a woman, a sweet and pure and holy goodness, but he may not yet consciously know the Lord Jesus Christ. Do not be disheartened if you feel that is your case, that you are loving the service of God and enjoying it and looking forward to it and delighting in God’s work, and yet somehow you are conscious that you have not spiritual fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. I say, do not be disheartened. Samuel did not yet know the Lord, but the Lord knew him. That was better; and He knows you. And as in Samuel’s case, so in yours, there will one day be an awakening to what was there all the time, but you did not know it. Your eyes will be opened perhaps in a moment, perhaps only by degrees, to a conscious spiritual fellowship with the living God.

III. The Divine Call. When the Lord called him he did not recognize His voice. How like he was to ourselves who are older and better taught! We do not always recognize God’s voice when we hear it. He speaks, but there is none to answer. Some go farther than this, and will not recognize it. We refuse to, we do not want to. God calls us by His Word, as perhaps He is calling some now; God calls us by His providence, and we say, ‘How strange that it should happen so, what a remarkable occurrence, what a remarkable coincidence!’ It was not an occurrence or a coincidence, it was God breaking the silence of your life. So often there is One standing among us Whom we know not. Samuel did not recognize God’s voice when he did hear it. It was so human. God talks so humanly, so intelligently, so sympathetically, just as we can bear it, almost in our own language, so that we think it is our own. Sometimes something occurs in our life which forces us to stop and take steps either for or against Christ. At first we thought it was a mere nothing, till it dawned upon us it is the Lord wanting to speak to our heart. Or God has thrown you into the company of somebody who has been a blessing to your life and completely altered it. It was the Lord. Or you have been in the habit of reading your daily portion of Holy Scripture, often only just running over the syllables and shutting the Book, till one day somehow all these syllables burst into beauty and life. It was there before, but you did not see it. All became clear, and we said, ‘How strange, I never read it before’. It was not strange, it was the Lord speaking to us in His Word. Keep yours ears open from this time forth. Be listeners, be receivers, be where the Voice is likely to be sounding, be where the blessing is. I do not know what you will hear if you wait long enough. Samuel’s entire course was probably determined by his immediate response to God’s first call. Yours and mine may be. Neglect that call when it comes, and the Voice may never speak again. Respond to it, and the music of God will follow you to the end.

1Sa 3:10

This passage is quoted by Pre Gratry in his Life of Henri Perreyve, who consecrated himself at the age of twelve to the service of Christ. Pre Gratry points out that many teachers are disposed to turn children aside from early consecration, saying, as Eli said to Samuel: ‘It is nothing, child; sleep on!’ (‘ Enfant, ce n’est rien; dormez toujours !’), or as our version gives the words: ‘I called not; lie down again’.

The Call of Samuel

1Sa 3:10

Is it not a great thought that God knows the name of every child? I have read that the shepherds of Helvellyn know the face of every sheep, and can recognize the lambs by their likeness to their mothers. ‘Every shepherd kens his ain.’ This is the confidence of every endeavourer. God knows his name, and has therefore some particular work for him to do. Whom God calls, God appoints to service.

In the spring, with the earliest green of the fields and the coming of the first flowers, larks fill the air with song, as though the freshness of life beneath must be accompanied by the freshness of praise above. And so should the dreams and joys and playtime of childhood have its song of piety, its morning hymns of praise to Jesus Christ. The mind’s early flowering is all the surer for the heart’s early praying and obedience.

Vision and Duty

1Sa 3:15

I. Our duties are in strange contrast to our missions. Yesterday Samuel was a child, and lived in a childish world. But his little world had grown during the night. It had widened out to embrace the eternal God. And in that vaster universe and under that exaltation of the soul that every widening of outlook brings, it was almost incongruous to be opening doors. So marked indeed is this contrast between task and vision that the sweet illusions which we never realize seem almost to be a ministry of God. When Abraham went out, not knowing whither he went, turning his back upon his father’s country, what made him strong? It was the vision of Canaan that his God had promised him. When I see him fighting the kings there, and herding his flocks and haggling for a tomb, I feel what a gulf there was between his vision and the actual duties laid to his hand to do. Yet the little he did he never could have done but for the light that cheered him on.

II. Our visions must never keep us from our duties. I always honour Samuel as I read this verse. I find here something of that faithfulness, and something of that self-restraint that were to make Samuel a king of men. In the morning after the greatest moment in his life Samuel is at his post. Vision or no vision, voice or no voice, his duty must be done, and he will do it.

III. Vision and duty are true Christianity. The man who has only vision is a visionary. He builds his castle in the air, he dreams and dies. But the poor world goes staggering on in darkness, and the mere vision is powerless to save. The man who has only duties is a moralist. And if nineteen centuries have demonstrated anything it is the powerlessness of mere morality to save. But in between these two, embracing both, there stands the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ

G. H. Morrison, Flood Tide, p. 53.

The League of Christians

1Sa 3:21 ; 1Sa 4:1

The call of Samuel is inseparably connected with what Mrs. Browning called our ‘childhood’s faith’.

I. It is not too much to say that the book presents to us two distinct Samuels according to the authorities which the inspired writer happened to be following. One Samuel is the quiet, unobtrusive wiseacre of a small town, where he conducts the worship of Jehovah at a local shrine and dispenses advice all round the district, but is no leader of the nation, no statesman, no prophet of the Lord to an entire people; the other Samuel is at once ruler and judge and prophet so obviously moved by the Word of the Lord that he puts down one and sets up another, so splendid in his governance of Israel that they feared him as they feared Moses all the days of his long life and were saved in that they feared.

II. But the Lord did not reveal Himself to Samuel in Shiloh, and the word of Samuel did not come to all Israel, merely because his ministry was honest, incorruptible, self-denying; and the apostolic devotion of the modern episcopate will not by itself avail to command the doctrine of Christ our Saviour in all things, even when it is splendidly backed by the labours of the ‘inferior clergy, the priest and deacons,’ and responded to by a willing and obedient laity. For the call of Samuel was a summons to Eli to realize that a family connexion with the priesthood, and a more or less direct ecclesiastical descent are no magical preservatives against a terrible ‘example of life’ and an appalling ‘instruction of manners’. The correlative of the call of Samuel and of the rejection of the House of Eli is the discovery that in other lines of descent and in other systems of ministry there is scope for the worship of God and for the pastorate of sinful souls, and it was Eli himself who perceived that the Lord had called the child.

III. It is impossible for us who name the Name of Christ to quench our desire that all who do so in our land may be joined together in unity of spirit and in the bond of peace as well as in righteousness of life. That is only another way of saying that we long for the day when the word of the Samuels of our Church may really come to all Israel, not merely to a few men and women in every hundred. True, we should think lightly of a Church and more lightly of leaders that were ready to purchase unity at the price of truth or at the peril of faith. But truth is not compromised and faith is not wrecked, and purity is not smirched if at this time our fathers in God make a courageous effort to see the historic episcopate in its historical aspect as a slow development into the system which God has put it into the heart of man to conceive for shepherding the sheep that are scattered abroad, not a ready-made ring fence enclosing the sheep and dividing the goats.

E. H. Pearce, Church Family Newspaper, September 25, 1908, p. 816.

References. III. 21. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. iv. No; 186. IV. 3-5. J. M. Neale, Sermons on the Blessed Sacrament, p. 76. IV. 7. H. L. Paget, Sermons for the People, vol. i. p. 160. V. 2-4. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxiii. No. 1342.

Fuente: Expositor’s Dictionary of Text by Robertson

“… the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli..” 1Sa 3:1 .

Have children been recognised properly by the Church? Have we not supposed that wisdom, experience, great maturity of character were all necessary for the ministration of the sanctuary? There is a sense, of course, in which that is perfectly true: there is, however, another aspect which ought not to be disregarded by those who would assist in the organisation of a complete and effective Church. Where are the children? Is not the service of God made a weariness to them? Are they not placed in the most awkward and undesirable positions in religious buildings? Is one definite thought given to them, or one special prayer offered for them, or are they called to any form of service in the Church? It is vain to say that children do not understand, for who really can understand all the word of the Lord in its proper range and meaning? Understanding, in any case, is a relative term. We have no right to put too much upon a child, and we have no right to withhold from a child whatever duty it can execute. The child who cannot turn a millstone may pluck a flower. The little one who cannot enter into grammatical controversies may repeat its own sweet verse or hymn, and out of the mouths of babes and sucklings God may ordain praise. Never are children spoken to in a congregation in a loving and intelligent manner without adults being also profited. Whoever can simplify the truth, so as to bring any portion of it within the comprehension of a child does an essential benefit even to men of advanced years. There is no lovelier picture on all the earth than a ministering child whether it minister in things distinctively religious, whether it take its place in the Christian choir, or whether it be called upon to do some deed of love in the family; its very littleness, youthfulness, weakness, entitle it to attention, and constrain the heart so as to affect the whole soul with the purest emotions. Whilst children ought not to be unduly urged forward, they should be lovingly recognised as having some part in the utterance of the music which alone can express the love of God.

Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker

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 shows us all the glory of his personal presence and all the wonderfulness of his irresistible power. We are glad when he retires, for no man can see God and live. Better to have the ministry of the most inexorable, faithful prophet, who never spares the word of judgment or the stroke of the rod, then stand in the unclouded and blinding blaze of the divine glory. Men prefer sunshine to lightning. They are both, indeed, rays of the divine glory; yet we feel safer under the ordinary daylight than under bolts of electric fire. Let us be thankful, then, that God comes to us through Eli, through human priests, and through man’s ministry, being tempered, as it must be, by human limitations, rather than by bringing us face to face with himself, and pronouncing the word to us without minister or medium. At the same time we are made stronger, we are made tremblingly glad by occasional glimpses of his personality. Yet we are thankful that he puts a veil over his face, and communes with us by voices with which we are familiar. Hophni and Phinehas were evil-minded men; Eli was afflicted with weakness which dipped down sharply towards wickedness; and therefore God came out of his hiding-place to vindicate righteousness, to sweep the floor of his Church, and to use his great winnowing-fan.

Eli might have excited pity but for the misdirection of his amiability. There is nothing wrong in amiability, in paternal kindness, in fatherly forbearance and gentleness, within the limits of the household. Contrariwise, there is much that is beautiful and impressive and educational about such paternal administration. But no man may be amiable towards wickedness. The whole doctrine is found in that one sentence. Be amiable, kind, forbearing towards infirmity, natural defect, towards things that are of little or no consequence when compared with the verities of the eternal God. But when a man winks at an evil deed, he deserves the condemnation and wrath of God. When a man is tolerant of evil he himself becomes wicked. This is a doctrine which sometimes has severe application, and exposes a man to terrible reprisals; because people who look at comparative virtue, and not at holiness itself, always have the tu quoque ready for any faithful prophet, for any light-speaking and rod-using minister of God. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord! If we can keep our garments unspotted from the world we shall have proportionate power over men; though even then there will not be wanting censorious critics who will be quick with their malicious repartee, pointing at a speck as though it were a blot which even God himself could never wash out of our life. Eli was an easy-going indulgent old man; he was more than that. Tell us that at his own fireside his children could trifle with him, mock him, and could turn him into a family joke. Well, it was a very naughty thing for them to do. But Eli was a priest, Eli was the high-priest of the Lord; and when a man’s character sinks below his office, he involves himself in complications of evil which ultimately ruin his life. The office requiring strength and character, which is distinguished by nothing but the most senile weakness, when they get together you have a contradiction which involves terrible moral consequences.

In dwelling upon the overthrow of the house of Eli, we will look at the subject under two divisions, personality and doctrine. There were two persons employed in connection with this communication of terrible intelligence to the old high-priest. The first is merely described as “a man of God.” So far as the page before us goes we have to deal with an anonymous communicant. Here is no great historic name; here is no illustrious reputation to sustain the man’s words. He steps out of obscurity, as it were, and is known by the imperishable name, “a man of God.” That is the one name that will do for all worlds, through all ages. You need not have “a man of God” described, ticketed, and detailed. When a man of God confronts you, he brings with him atmosphere and light and moral credentials which instantly show that he has been with Jesus and learned of him. There may be teachers who can analyse the character of a man of God. We prefer not to attempt any such analysis. Better let the character stand there, hear all he says, listen to his overpowering speech, and we shall soon know whether he hath learned his accent in the court of heaven. He was a terrible speaker! Did ever mortal speech exceed in massiveness, in thunderous force, in terrific all-cleaving might, the speech which this anonymous messenger delivered to Eli:

“Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house. And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever. And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age” ( 1Sa 2:30-33 ).

The next messenger that came was a little child. This is how God educates us, by putting tutors on both sides, behind and before. You hear a man who tells you what to you may be evil tidings, sharp, startling messages to your judgment and to your conscience, and you say, “The man is a fanatic.” You walk away, and before you have got a mile further a little child gets up and smiles at you the same message, says it in smiles, in tender looks, in trembling childlike tones, and you begin to think there is something in it. You go further, and the atmosphere seems to be charged with divine reproaches and divine messages. So you go on, until the oldest, best, and stateliest men tremble under subtle, impalpable, all-encompassing, irresistible influences. There are some testimonies which are so terrible that they cannot be believed on the spot. Some men have such a way of speaking piercing, crushing that when they are heard the auditor says, “This cannot be so; it is an exaggeration.” So God hath appointed elsewhere child-priests, little prophets, young ministers, unexpected interpreters of his heart and will. When the thunder and the gentle breeze unite in speaking the same message men begin to open their ears to it to cause their hearts to listen to the strange, the bitter, yet the most needful word. Very beautiful is this part of the story detailed, the part, namely, which relates to Samuel, the little child about the holy place who did not know the Lord. Samuel had no acquaintance with God. That is a most important point to observe. Read the exact words of the narrative:

“Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him” ( 1Sa 3:7 ).

This incident brings before us some of the most solemn moments of life. Life is not one long holiday. Life is not to be spent upon one continuous level. There are some single moments in our life which make us old. There are some visions, which are but the flash of an eye, yet they make us old men. Look at Samuel, for the first time hearing of God. Is it not a solemn moment when we get our first notion of the infinite? Can you recall your mental sensations or spiritual condition when you first began to feel that yonder distant, dim horizon was but a trembling, almost transparent curtain, and that just behind it, so to speak, lied God’s eternity? After such a moment as that, a man can never, if he has made right use of it, fall back into the littleness and contemptibleness of the life that thinks the world a nutshell, that calls time all duration. Some have had these solemn moments in life; when they have heard a Voice they did not know, and from that moment have never ceased to hear it; it has been the sub-tone of all that has reached the ear, it has been in the hum of all nature, it has been softer than softest zephyr of the spring. A man is never great until he knows all about this solemnity. The child who hears a voice, naturally thinks it is a human voice. Can any voice be so human as God’s? Thou canst not thunder with a voice like his; thou canst not speak in so fatherly or motherly a tone either. Herein is the incarnation mystery, God always showing his power to talk humanly, and to shoot out the lightning of his word from human lips. God has always during the history of the world been incarnating himself.

Samuel is taught that there is a voice other than Eli’s. The old man has still force enough left in him to speak this wondrously beautiful word to the bewildered child, groping about in the darkness, “When thou hearest the voice again say, Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.” That is what we are called upon to do; to be listeners, receivers, mediums of God. Do we ever see beyond our own limited circle? Do we know that there is a world larger than our England: that over that little thimbleful of water, which we call the sea, there are other countries? It is a difficult thing for some Englishmen to believe that there is any other land; very difficult for an islander to believe in a continent. Yet really we know that there are other places besides England. Are there no other spheres than the world which we call “the great globe itself”? There may be. Why then should we be compressing ourselves, minifying ourselves, and getting into the most microscopic compass? Why not pray for larger life, larger intellectual dominion, higher, sublimer moral sympathies? Why not, having infinitude around us, set ourselves as if we meant to take in as Guest and King the whole God? We shall never know what life is until we have passed this solemn moment which occurred in the history of Samuel, at the point to which we have now come. The non-religious man is not alive. How many are prepared to testify that they never knew what greatness was, what immeasurableness was, and what majesty was, until through Christ’s life they had one peep into the incomprehensible eternity and infinity of God!

Now we can believe the man of God, who speaks the keen, cleaving word, or we can believe the gentle little Samuel, who comes and puts into monosyllables the thunders of the divine will. They are both the same; only some men cannot endure the man of God he crushes them, he is a tyrant an imperial, dominating man, in the way of whose arm there is death! Let such be thankful that they can hear the same message not in a less noble music or more tender strain, so far as the man’s intent is concerned from children, from other ministers and interpreters of God.

With regard to the doctrine brought out in connection with these events, it is plain in the first place, that God requires holiness in all who serve him. Why were Hophni and Phinehas dismissed with divine reproaches? Because they were wanting in original thought? We now dismiss our ministers because they are not very original, We do not learn that Hophni and Phinehas were dismissed from the priest’s office because they were wanting in vitality and freshness of brain power. Why were they dismissed? Because they were behind the age? The age! Oh, what a ghost that age is to some people. We do not read that Hophni and Phinehas were dismissed because they were behind the age, but because they were corrupt men. Corruptness cannot be atoned for by genius. Gifts are no substitute for grace. Better be the poorest, slowest, dullest thinker; better be a man of stammering tongue, than be the most brilliant and gifted man who does not know what it is to be under the power of divine grace. Holiness, then, is the fundamental requirement in all persons who would interpret God and serve him in any department of the great ministry of his kingdom. Holiness is genius. Holiness hath keen, piercing eyes that see every filament of divine truth and holy communication to men. When the ministry is holy, when the Church is holy, when every man, high-priest and doorkeeper, is holy, then the world will begin to feel that there is something in it that is not of its own nature.

It is evident, also, in the second place, that all the covenants of God are founded upon a moral basis. “I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever.” There is the bond, there is the covenant of God repeated by a servant. How, then, can Eli be overthrown? How can Hophni and Phinehas be dismissed from their office? “But now the Lord saith, Be it far from me.” Is then the Lord fickle? Is he man that he should change, or is he the son of man that he should repent? “Be it far from me.” Why? “For them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” Where is God’s unchangeableness in the shape of trees and plants, in the order of the stars and the worlds, in any outside appointments, arrangements, and adaptations? Where do we find the unchangeableness of God? Only along the line of righteousness. When he speaks, he speaks upon a moral basis; all that he says is conditioned upon moral purposes. Hath he promised thee, O man, and art thou living upon that promise? Know thou, that the promise is always secondary; the character is primary righteousness first. If the first archangel whom God summoned into his own solitude were to sin against him, he would dethrone him and banish him into outer darkness! Let us look at details, at outside arrangements, and see if this is fickleness on the part of Providence, or changeableness of disposition on the part of God. Go to the first line the great line on which all true things are built, all lasting empires and monarchies are founded and you will find that along the line of righteousness God never moves to the right hand or to the left, on from eternity to eternity, never a break or a deflection in the line of infinite righteousness!

In the third place, it is evident that some of the communications of God are at first very startling and terrible. Think of little Samuel making his acquaintance with the Lord through a speech like this! Understand that at the beginning Samuel did not know the Lord; that he received from Eli instruction as to his position; that having assumed that position, the introductory words of the divine communication are these:

“And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle” ( 1Sa 3:11 ).

We have spoken of holiness, a word we can but dimly understand upon the earth. One day we shall recollect the sun as a poor pale beam that we could just see with, by using our eyes very sharply and putting our hands before us lest we should fall over something. One day we shall think of our professed sanctification as a poor morality. But as to holiness, the question is asked by many anxious hearts, How is this holiness to be had? In one way. “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.” There is “a fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleanness.” “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thought, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will abundantly pardon.” That is the only answer. Some ministers of Christ have been saying that for twenty-five years, for forty years, and they can find no better thing to say. It is the same in every ministry, to whatsoever part of the great universe of truth we may go. If any man asks how to get up there, we have to point to the old way, the Cross of Christ; to Christ, who tasted death for every man; to the atonement made by the Lamb of God! We want no other way. We never feel the need of any other way. When we have tried any other path, we have only had to be brought into some deeper sorrow and more bitter agony to call out after the living God to help us back again to the old way of the cross. He who walks that road finds his way to heaven!

Prayer

Almighty God, we have trangressed gainst thy covenant, and thy commandments have often been of none effect in our lives. We have forgotten God. We have lived in ourselves; we have been our own law; we have been our own gods. Truly, thou hast been angry with us. Thou hast scourged us until our life has become a daily pain. Thou hast impoverished us until we have seen the emptiness and vanity of our own resources. Now take us to thine heart again. Come through the dark cloud of thy judgment, and in answer to our penitence speak comfortably to our souls. We seek thee only through the covenant which thou didst make with thy dear Son. We stand behind him. Our hearts are safe in the infinite security of his righteousness and compassion. Give us joy in thy presence, yea, fill us with the peace of God! Amen.

Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker

II

THE EARLY LIFE OF SAMUEL

1Sa 1:1-4:1 a and Harmony pages 62-66.

We omit Part I of the textbook, since that first part is devoted to genealogical tables taken from 1 Chronicles. That part of Chronicles is not an introduction to Samuel or Kings, but an introduction to the Old Testament books written after the Babylonian captivity. To put that in now would be out of place.

We need to emphasize the supplemental character of Chronicles. Our Harmony indeed will show from time to time in successive details the very important contributions of that nature in Chronicles not found in any form in the histories of Samuel and Kings, nor elsewhere in the Old Testament; but to appreciate the magnitude of this new matter we need to glance at it in bulk, not in detail, as its parts will come up later.

There are twenty whole chapters and parts of twenty-four other chapters in Chronicles occupied with matter not found in other books of the Bible. This is a considerable amount of new material, and is valuable on that account but it is still more valuable because it presents a new aspect of Hebrew history after the captivity. The following passages in Chronicles contain new matter: 1Ch 2:18-55 ; 1Ch 3:19-24 ; 1Ch 4:9 ; 1Ch 11:41-47 ; 1Ch 11:12 ; 1Ch 15:1-26 ; 2Ch 6:40-42 ; 2Ch 11:5-23 ; 2Ch 12:4-8 ; 2Ch 13:3-21 ; 2Ch 14:3-15 ; Ch_15:1-15; 2Ch 16:7-10 ; 2Ch 2 Chronicles 17-19; 2Ch 20:1-30 ; 2Ch 21:2-4 ; 2Ch 21:11-19 ; 2Ch 24:15-22 ; 2Ch 25:5-10 ; 2Ch 25:12-16 ; 2Ch 26:5-20 ; 2Ch 27:4-6 ; 2Ch 28:5-25 ; 2Ch 29:3-36 ; 2Ch 29:30-31 ; 2Ch 32:22-23 ; 2Ch 32:26-31 ; 2Ch 33:11-19 ; 2Ch 34:3-7 ; 2Ch 35:2-17 ; 2Ch 35:25 ; 2Ch 36:11-23 .

Whoever supposed that there was that much material in the book of Chronicles that could not be found anywhere else? One can study Chronicles as a part of a Harmony with Samuel and Kings, but if that were the only way it could be studied he would never get the true significance of it, as it is an introduction to all of the later Old Testament books. In the light of these important new additions, we not only see the introduction of all subsequent Old Testament books and also inter-Biblical books by Jews, but must note the transition in thought from a secular Jewish kingdom to an approaching spiritual messianic kingdom.

We thus learn that Old Testament prophecy is not limited to distinct utterances foretelling future events, but that the whole history of the Jewish people is prophetic; not merely in its narrative, but in its legislation, in its types, feasts, sabbaths, sacrifices, offerings; in its tabernacle and Temple, with all of their divinely appointed worship and ritual, and this explains why the historical books are classed as prophetic, not merely because prophets wrote them, which is true, but also because the history is prophetic.

In this fact lies one of the strongest proofs of the inspiration of the Old Testament books in all of their parts. The things selected for record, and the things not recorded, are equally forcible. The silence equals the utterance. This is characteristic of no other literature, and shows divine supervision which not only makes necessary every part recorded, but so correlates and adapts the parts as to make perfect literary and spiritual structure which demands a New Testament as a culmination.

Moreover, we are blind if we cannot see a special Providence preparing a leader for every transition in Jewish history. Just as Moses was prepared for deliverance from Egypt, and for the disposition of the law, so Samuel is prepared, not only to guide from a government by judges to a government by kings, but, what is very much more important, to establish a School of the Prophets a theological seminary.

These prophets were to be the mouthpieces of God in speaking to kingly and national conscience, and for 500 years afterward, become the orators, poets, historians, and reformers of the nation, and so, for centuries, avert, postpone, or remedy, national disasters provoked by public corruption of morals and religion.

Counting great men as peaks of a mountain range, and sighting backward from Samuel to Abraham, only one peak, Moses, comes into the line of vision.

There are other peaks, but they don’t come up high enough to rank with Abraham, Moses, and Samuel. A list of the twelve best and greatest men in the world’s history must include the name of Samuel. When we come, at his death, to analyze his character and posit him among the great, other things will be said. Just now we are to find in his early life that such a man did not merely happen; that neither heredity, environment, nor chance produced him.

Samuel was born at Ramah, lived at Ramah, died at Ramah, and was buried at Ramah. Ramah is a little village in the mountains of Ephraim, somewhat north of the city of Jerusalem. It is right hard to locate Ramah on any present map of the Holy Land. Some would put it south, some north. It is not easy to locate like Bethlehem and Shiloh.

Samuel belonged to the tribe of Levi, but was not a descendant of Aaron. If he had been he would have been either a high priest or a priest. Only Aaron’s descendants could be high priests, or priests, but Samuel belonged to the tribe of Levi, and from 1Ch 6 we may trace his descent. The tribe of Levi had no continuous landed territory like the other tribes, but was distributed among the other tribes. That tribe belonged to God, and they had no land assigned them except the villages in which they lived and the cities of the refuge, of which they had charge, and so Samuel’s father could be called an Ephrathite and yet be a descendant of the tribe of Levi that is, he was a Levite living in the territory of Ephraim.

The bigamy of Samuel’s father produced the usual bitter fruit. The first and favorite wife had no children, so in order to perpetuate his name he took a second wife, and when that second wife bore him a large brood of children she gloried over the first wife, and provoked her and mocked at her for having no children, and it produced a great bitterness in Hannah’s soul. The history of the Mormons demonstrates that bitterness always accompanies a plurality of wives. I don’t see bow a woman can share a home or husband with any other woman.

We will now consider the attitude of the Mosaic law toward a plurality of wives, divorce, etc. In Deu 21:15-17 we see that the Mosaic law did permit an existing custom. It did not originate it nor command it, but it tolerated the universal custom of the times, a plurality of wives. From Deu 24:1-4 , we learn that the law permitted a husband to get rid of a wife, but commanded him to give her a bill of divorcement. That law was not made to encourage divorcement, but to limit the evil and to protect the woman who would suffer under divorce. Why the law even permitted these things we see from Mat 19:7-8 . Our Saviour there tells us that Moses, on account of the hardness of their hearts, permitted a man to put away his wife. That is to say, that nation had just emerged from slavery, and the prevalent custom all around them permitted something like that, and because they were not prepared for an ideal law on the subject on account of the hardness of their hearts, Moses tolerated, without commending a plurality of wives or commanding divorce both in a way to mitigate the evil, but when Jesus comes to give his statute on the subject he speaks out and says, “Whosoever shall put away his wife except for marital infidelity and marries again committeth adultery, and whosoever shall marry her that is put away committeth adultery.” A preacher in a recent sermon, as reported, discredited that part of Matthew because not found also in Mark. I have no respect for the radical criticism which makes Mark the only credible Gospel, or even the norm of the others. Nor can any man show one shred of evidence that it is so. I have a facsimile of the three oldest New Testament manuscripts. What Matthew says is there, and may not be eliminated on such principles of criticism.

The radical critics say that the Levitical part of the Mosaic law was not written by Moses, but by a priest in Ezekiel’s time, and that Israel had no central place of worship in the period of the judges, but this section shows that they did have a central place of worship at Shiloh, and the book of Joshua shows when Shiloh became the central place of worship. The text shows that they did come up yearly to this central place of worship, and that they did offer, as in the case of Hannah and Elkanah, the sacrifices required in Leviticus.

In Jos 18:1 we learn that when the conquest was finished Joshua, himself, placed the ark of the covenant and the tabernacle at Shiloh, and constituted it the central place of worship. In this section we learn what disaster ended Shiloh as the central place of worship. The ark was captured, and subsequently the tabernacle was removed, and that ark and that tabernacle never got together again. In Jer 7:12 we read: “But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I caused my name to dwell at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.” Jeremiah is using that history as a threat against Jerusalem, which in Jeremiah’s time was the central place of worship. His lesson was, “If you repeat the wickedness done in Samuel’s time God will do to your city and your home what he did to Shiloh.” It is important to know the subsequent separate history of the ark and the tabernacle, and when and where another permanent central place and house of worship were established. The Bible tells us every move that ark and that tabernacle made, and when, where, and by whom the permanent central place and house of worship were established.

Eli was high priest at Samuel’s birth. In those genealogical tables that we omitted from 1 Chronicles we see that Eli was a descendant of Aaron, but not of Eleazar, the eldest son; therefore, according to the Mosaic law, he ought never to have been high priest, but he was, and I will have something to say about that when the true line is established later. 1Sa 4 , which comes in the next chapter, distinctly states that Eli judged Israel forty years, and he was likely a contemporary of Samson. But Eli, at the time we know him, is ninety-eight years old, and nearly blind. He was what we call a goodhearted man, but weak. That combination in a ruler makes him a curse. Diplomats tell us “a blunder is worse than a crime,” in a ruler. He shows his weakness in allowing his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, to degrade the worship of God. They were acting for him, as he was too old for active service. The most awful reports came to him about the infamous character of these sons, who occupied the highest and holiest office in a nation that belonged to God.

This section tells us that he only remonstrated in his weak way: “My sons, it is not a good report that I hear about you,” but that is all he did. As he was judge and high priest, why should he prefer his sons to the honor of God? Why did he not remove them from positions of trust and influence? His doom is announced in this section, and it is an awful one. God sent a special prophet to him and this is the doom. You will find it in 1Sa 2 , commencing at 1Sa 2:30 : “Wherefore the Lord, the God of Israel, saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me forever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house. And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation (Shiloh), in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man among thy descendants forever. And the descendants of thine, whom I do not cut off from mine altar, shall live to consume thine eyes and grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.”

Or as Samuel puts it to him, we read in 1Sa 3 , commencing at verse 1Sa 3:11 : “And the Lord said unto Samuel, Behold I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I shall perform against Eli all things that I have spoken against his house: when I begin I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knoweth, because his sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not; therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever.”

What was the sign of his doom? The same passage answers: “And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die both of them. And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed forever. And it shall come to pass, that everyone that is left in thy house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread.” That was the sign. In the time of Solomon the priesthood goes back to the true line, in fulfilment of the declaration in that sign. The priesthood passes away from Eli’s descendants and goes back where it belongs, to Zadok who is a descendant of Aaron’s eldest son.

The Philistine nation at this time dominated Israel. The word, “Philistines,” means emigrant people that go out from their native land, and it is of the same derivation as the word “Palestine.” That Holy Land, strangely enough, takes its name from the Philistines. The Philistines were descended from Mizraim, a child of Ham, and their place was in Egypt.

Leaving Egypt they became “Philistines,” that is, emigrants, and occupied all of that splendid lowland on the western and southwestern part of the Jewish territory, next to the Mediterranean Sea, which was as level as a plain, and as fertile as the Nile Valley. There they established five independent cities, which, like the Swiss Cantons, formed a confederacy. While each was independent for local affairs, they united in offensive and defensive alliances against other nations, and they had complete control of Southern Judea at this time. Joshua had overpowered them, but the conquest was not complete. They rose up from under his power, even in his time, and in the time of Samson and Eli they brought Israel into a pitiable subjection. They were not allowed to have even a grindstone. If they wanted to sharpen an ax they had to go and borrow a Philistine’s grindstone, and what a good text for a sermon! Woe to the man that has to sharpen the implement with which he works in the shop of an enemy! Woe to the Southern preacher that goes to a radical critic’s Seminary in order to sharpen his theological ax!

Speaking of the evils of a plurality of wives, we found Hannah in great bitterness of heart because she had no child, and we saw her lingering at the central place of worship, and without saying words out loud, her lips were moving, and her face was as one entranced, so that Eli thinks she is drunk. The New Testament tells us of a certain likeness between intoxication with ardent spirits and intoxication of the Holy Spirit. She told him that she was praying. When her child was born she came back and said to him, “I am the woman that you thought was drunk, but I was praying,” and then she uses this language: “I prayed for this child,” holding the little fellow up in her hands, “and I vowed that if God would give him to me I would lend him to the Lord all the days of his life,” and therefore she brings him to be consecrated perpetually to God’s service. The scripture brings all that out beautifully.

So the text speaks of the woes pronounced on a parent who put off praying for and restraining his children until they were grown. Like Hannah we should commence praying for them before they are born; pray for them in the cradle, and if we make any promise or vow to God for them, we should keep the vow.

I know a woman who had many children and kept praying that God would send her one preacher child, promising to do everything in her power to make him a great preacher. The Lord gave her two. One of my deacons used to send for me when a new baby was born, to pray for it. Oliver Wendell Holmes says a child’s education should commence with his grandmother. Paul tells us that this was so with Timothy. The Mosaic law required every male to appear before the Lord at the central place of worship three times a year. The text says that Elkanah went up yearly, but does not state how many times a year. The inference is fairly drawn that he strictly kept the Mosaic law.

Samuel had certain duties in the tabernacle. He slept in the Lord’s house and tended to the lights. It is a great pity when a child of darkness attends to the lights in God’s house. I heard a preacher say to a sexton, “How is it that you ring the bell to call others to heaven and you, yourself, seem going right down to hell?” And that same preacher said to a surveyor, “You survey land for other people to have a home, and have no home yourself.” So some preachers point out the boundaries of the home in heaven and make their own bed in hell.

Samuel’s call from God, his first prophecy, and his recognition by the people as a prophet are facts of great interest, and the lesson from his own failure to recognize at once the call is of great value. In the night he heard a voice saying, “Samuel! Samuel!” He thought it was Eli, and he went to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called me.” “No, I didn’t call you, my son; go back to bed.” The voice came again, “Samuel, Samuel,” and he got up and went to Eli and said, “You did call me. What do you want with me?” “No, my son, I did not call you; go back and lie down,” and the third time the voice came, “Samuel, Samuel,” and he went again to Eli. Then Eli knew that it was God who called him, and he said, “My son, it is the Lord. You go back and when the voice comes again, say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth,” and so God spoke and the first burden of prophecy that he put upon the boy’s heart was to tell the doom of the house of Eli. Very soon after that all Israel recognized Samuel as a prophet of God.

The value of the lesson is this: We don’t always recognize the divine touch at first. Many a man under conviction does not at first understand its source and nature. Others, even after they are converted, are not sure they are converted. It is like the mover’s chickens that, after their legs were untied, would lie still, not realizing that they were free. The ligatures around their legs had cut off the circulation, and they felt as if they were tied after they were loose. There is always an interval between an event and the cognition of it. For example, when a shot is fired it precedes our recognition of it by either the sight of smoke or the sound of the explosion, for it takes both sound and sight some time to travel over the intervening space. I heard Major Penn say that the worst puzzle in his life was the experiences whereby God called him to quit his law work and become an evangelist. He didn’t understand it. It was like Samuel going to Eli.

I now will give an analysis of that gem of Hebrew poetry, Hannah’s song, showing its conception of God, and the reason of its imitation in the New Testament. The idea of Hannah’s conception of God thus appears:

There is none besides God; he stands alone. There is none holy but God. There is none that abaseth the proud and exalteth the lowly, feedeth the hungry, and maketh the full hungry, except God; and there is none but God that killeth and maketh alive. There is none but God who establisheth this earth; none but God who keepeth the feet of his saints; none but God that has true strength; none but God that judgeth the ends of the earth, and the chief excellency of it is the last: “He shall give strength unto his king and exalt the horn of His Anointed.” That is the first place in the Bible where the kingly office is mentioned in connection with the name “Anointed.” The name, “Anointed,” means Christ, the Messiah.

It is true that it was prophesied to Abraham that kings should be his descendants. It is true that Moses made provision for a king. It is true that in the book of Judges anointing is shown to be the method of setting apart to kingly office, but this is the first place in the Bible where the one anointed gets the name of the “Anointed One,” a king. Because of this messianic characteristic, Mary, when it was announced to her that she should be the mother of the Anointed King, pours out her soul in the Magnificat, imitating Hannah’s song.

The state of religion at this time was very low. We see from the closing of the book of Judges that at the feast of Shiloh they had irreligious dances. We see from the text here that Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of religion, were not only as corrupt as anybody, but leaders in corruption. We see it declared that there is no open vision, and it is further declared that the Word of God was precious rare.

I will now explain these two phrases in the texts, 1Sa 1:16 (A. V.), where Hannah says, “Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial,” and in 1Sa 2:12 (A. V.), where Hophni and Phinehas are said to be the “sons of Belial.” The common version makes Belial a proper name; the revised version does not, and the revised version is at fault. If you will turn to 2Co 6:15 , you will see that Belial is shown to be the name of Satan: “What concord hath Christ with Belial?” Get Milton’s Paradise Lost, First Book, and read the reference to Hophni and Phinehas as sons of Belial, and see that he correctly makes it a proper name.

Samuel was not a descendant of Aaron. He was merely a Levite, but he subsequently, as we shall learn, officiated in sacrifices as if he were a priest or high priest. It will be remember-ed that the priesthood was under the curse pronounced on Eli, and Samuel was a special exceptional appointee of God, as Moses was.

Dr. Burleson, a great Texas preacher, and a president of Baylor University, preached all over Texas a sermon on family government, taking his text from 1Sa 2:31 .

There are some passages and quotations from Geikie’s Hours With the Bible on the evils of a plurality of wives that are pertinent. Commenting on Elkanah’s double marriage he says, “But, as might have been expected, this double marriage a thing even then uncommon did not add to his happiness, for even among the Orientals the misery of polygamy is proverbial. ‘From what I know,’ says one, ‘it is easier to live with two tigresses than with two wives.’ And a Persian poet is of well-nigh the same opinion: “Be that man’s life immersed in gloom Who needs more wives than one: With one his cheeks retain their bloom, His voice a cheerful tone: These speak his honest heart at rest, And he and she are always blest. But when with two he seeks for joy, Together they his soul annoy; With two no sunbeam of delight Can make his day of misery bright.” An old Eastern Drama is no less explicit: “Wretch I would’st thou have another wedded slave? Another? What? Another? At thy peril Presume to try the experiment: would’st thou not For that unconscionable, foul desire Be linked to misery? Sleepless nights, and days Of endless torment still recurring sorrow Would be thy lot. Two wives! O never! Never! Thou hast not power to please two rival queens; Their tempers would destroy thee; sear thy brain; Thou canst not, Sultan, manage more than one. Even one may be beyond thy government!”

QUESTIONS

1. Why omit Part I of the textbook?

2. What, in bulk, is the supplemental matter in Chronicles, and what its importance?

3. What and where is the place of Samuel’s birth, residence, and burial?

4. What is his ancestry and tribe?

5. If he belonged to the tribe of Levi, why then is he called an Ephraimite, or Ephrathite, which in this place is equivalent?

6. Show that the bigamy of Samuel’s father produced the usual bitter fruit.

7. What was the attitude of the Mosaic law toward a plurality of wives, and divorce, and why?

8. Why did the law ever permit these things?

9. What is the bearing of this section of the contention of the radical critics that the Levitical part of the Mosaic law was not written by Moses, but by a priest in Ezekiel’s time, and that Israel had no central place of worship in the period of the Judges?

10. When did Shiloh become the central place of worship, how long did it so remain, and what use did Jeremiah make of its desolation?

11. Trace the subsequent and separate history of the ark of the covenant and the tabernacle, and show when and where another permanent central place and house of worship were established.

12. Who was high priest at Samuel’s birth, how was he descended from Aaron, and what the proof that he also judged Israel?

13. With which of the judges named in the book of Judges was he likely a contemporary?

14. What was Eli’s character, sin, doom, sign of the doom, and who announced it to him?

15. What nation at this time dominated Israel?

16. Give a brief and clear account of these people.

17. Show how Samuel was a child of prayer, the subject of a vow, a Nazarite, how consecrated to service, and the lessons therefrom.

18. How often did the Mosaic law require every male to appear before the Lord at the central place of worship, and to what extent was this law fulfilled by Samuel’s father and mother?

19. What were the duties of the child Samuel in the tabernacle?

20. Give an account of Samuel’s call from God, his first prophecy, his recognition by the people as a prophet, and the lesson from his own failure, for a while, to recognize the call.

21. Analyze that gem of Hebrew poetry, Hannah’s song, showing its conception of God, and give the reason of its imitation in the New Testament.

22. What was the state of religion at this time?

23. Explain the references to Belial in 1Sa 1:16 ; 1Sa 2:12 .

24. As Samuel was not a descendant of Aaron, but merely a Levite, why does he subsequently, as we shall learn, officiate in sacrifices as if he were a priest or high priest?

25. What great Texas preacher preached all over Texas a sermon on family government, taking his text from 1Sa 2:31 ?

26. Cite the passages and quotations from Geikie’s Hours With the Bible on the evils of a plurality of wives.

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

1Sa 3:1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; [there was] no open vision.

Ver. 1. And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. ] Praemonstrante et instruente eum Eli. Eli being his tutor and teacher, he was tractable and officious, faithful in a little, and therefore intrusted with more, being the next famous prophet to Moses, and called the first. Act 3:24 2Ch 35:18

The word of the Lord was precious in those days. ] Heb., Rare. The Hebrews put rarum pro charo: as Pro 25:17 , “Let thy feet be precious in thy neighbour’s house,” that is, let them seldom come there. See Psa 74:9 Isa 13:12 . A prophet was a rare bird; so was once a preacher in this land, and then much more set by. Diaconos paucitas honorabiles fecit. a

There was no open vision. ] Heb., Broken. See Jdg 7:15 , with the note. Prophecy was very scarce.

a Jer., Epist.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)