1 Samuel 3:7 Commentary and Bible Study

‘Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.’ Samuel did not yet know the Lord in one particular sense: he had never heard a voice; he had never received a vision, a direct communication. But in the sense we use the term – of someone who has repented and believed – he surely did know the Lord. ‘Neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed.’ ‘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.’ It wasn't until the third time that Eli realised what was happening. Only then did he understand who was calling the child. For all his errors with his sons, Eli had experience of God. He perceived that the Lord had called the child. Possibly he perceived it from the beginning, but he couldn't face it, because it had already been intimated to him, we learn later, that his time and his ministry would soon be over, since he had allowed terrible things to come in. The Lord had not spoken to him but to Samuel, and this must have alarmed him, especially after the prophecy of judgment he had received from the other prophet regarding his sons. He must have thought, ‘The Lord is speaking to him. My judgement that has been prophesied has come. I am now going to be bypassed. Samuel is old enough to do the work. God is calling him.’ But now it breaks through to him; it is irresistible. He perceived that it is going to be Samuel's turn and Eli's ministry will be brought to a close. It was forced in on his understanding and he may have been very dismayed, but he graciously said ‘Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth.’ You could strengthen it a little further: ‘for thy servant obediently heareth.’ So Samuel went and lay down. He could only wait and see what the Lord said to Samuel. He could not prevent it or resist it, and it is to his credit that when he hears it he submits to the will of God entirely.