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| 1 Now, the boy Samuel, was ministering unto Yahweh, before Eli,–and, the word of Yahweh, had become rare in those days, there was no well-known vision. |
Was precious – Scarce. R4091:5
No open vision – Visions and revelations were not then given; the Urim and Thummim answers had ceased. R5615:5
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| 2 But it came to pass, at that time, when Eli was lying down in his place, his eyes, having begun to be dim, he could not see, |
Eyes began to wax dim – Eli was then about 70 to 80 years of age. R5615:5, R4091:5
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| 3 though, the lamp of God, was not yet to be put out, and, Samuel, was lying down in the temple of Yahweh, where was the ark of God, |
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| 4 that Yahweh called unto Samuel, and he said–Behold me! |
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| 5 So he ran unto Eli and said–Behold me! for thou calledst me. And he said–I called not, return–Its down. So he went, and lie down. |
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| 6 And again Yahweh called once there–Samuel! Then rose Samuel, and went unto Eli, and said–Behold me! for thou calledst me. And he said–I called not, my son, return–lie down. |
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| 7 Now, Samuel, as yet knew not Yahweh,–nor, as yet, had been revealed unto him, the word of Yahweh. |
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| 8 And again Yahweh called–Samuel! a third time. Then he arose, and went unto Eli, and said–Behold me! for thou calledst me. Then did Eli perceive, that, Yahweh, was calling the boy. |
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| 9 So Eli said to Samuel–Go, lie down, and it shall be, if he call unto thee, that thou shalt say–Speak, Yahweh, for thy servant is listening. And Samuel went, and lay down in his place. |
Speak, LORD – Indicating Samuel's readiness to do him service. R5297:1
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| 10 Then came Yahweh, and stood, and called as time after time–Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for thy servant is listening. |
Samuel answered – Blessed shall we be if, like Samuel, when we hear the Lord's message we respond promptly. R4092:5
Thy servant heareth – We should be willing to receive the truth in whatever way the Lord is pleased to send it, whether from the mouth of a little child or from unlearned men. R5297:2
How often the servant wants to do all the talking and to have the Lord hear him and perform his will. R1882:5
Some mistakenly interpret the Lord's voice directing them in accordance with their own wills. R4092:5
Eli showed no resentment against Samuel, the channel the Lord had used. R5297:1
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| 11 And Yahweh said unto Samuel, Lo! I am doing a thing, in Israel,–at which both ears of everyone that heareth it shall tingle. |
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| 12 In that day, will I confirm against Eli, all that I have spoken against his house,–beginning and finishing. |
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| 13 Therefore do I tell him, that I am about to judge his house unto times age-abiding, for the iniquity which he knoweth, in that his sons are cursing God, and he hath not rebuked them. |
I will judge – This was not the first time that the Lord had reproved Eli regarding the wrong course of his sons. R5615:6
Restrained them not – Hence he was a sharer in the penalty which came upon his sons. R5615:6
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| 14 And therefore have I sworn, respecting the house of Eli,–that the iniquity of the house of Eli shall receive no propitiatory-covering, by sacrifice or by present, unto times age-abiding. |
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| 15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and rose early in the morning, and opened the doors of the house of Yahweh,–but, Samuel, feared to tell the appearing, unto Eli. |
And Samuel – Samuel exhibited the spirit of meekness; so we should speak sympathetically when telling of the trouble coming on Babylon. R4092:4
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| 16 So Eli called Samuel, and said–Samuel! my son. And he said–Behold me!
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Eli – Seems to represent the Great Company. R5297:5
Samuel – Seems to represent the Little Flock. R5297:5
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| 17 And he said–What is the word, which he spake unto thee? I pray thee, do not hide it from me. So, let God do to thee, and, so, let him add, if thou hide from me a word, out of anything which he hath spoken unto thee. |
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| 18 So Samuel told him all the words, and hid nothing from him. And he said, Yahweh, he is; what is good in his own eyes, let him do. |
Told him every whit – It was a trial to Samuel to tell his friend and benefactor of the Lord's criticism and pronouncement of judgment. Sympathy and tenderness of heart must not prevent the Lord's faithful servants from speaking his message boldly. R5615:6
It is the LORD – Some in Nominal Christendom are not in sympathy with the trend of affairs. R5297:5
The Great Company are weak in standing forth, yet submissive in the time of trouble. R5297:5
Seemeth him good – If Eli was weak in some respects he was strong in others, as is shown in his humility and this beautiful example of absolute submission. R5297:2
We should all strive to have that attitude of mind that would be fully submissive to the divine decree. Q499:T
Eli should have trained his sons in righteousness, otherwise they should have ceased to be members of his household and should have come under certain restraints, which he as a lawgiver should have enforced. R5296:6
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| 19 And Samuel grew,–and, Yahweh, proved to he with him, and let none of all his words fall to the ground. |
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| 20 So all Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, came to know,–that Samuel had become confirmed as a prophet unto Yahweh. |
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| 21 Thus did Yahweh again appear in Shiloh,–for Yahweh had revealed himself unto Samuel in Shiloh, in the word of Yahweh. |
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