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1 Samuel
Chapter Three
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 3
This
chapter gives an account of the Lord's calling to Samuel in the night season
which he first took for the voice of Eli
but being instructed by him
made
answer to the voice
1 Samuel 3:1
and
of a message sent from him by Samuel to Eli
foretelling the destruction of his
family
1 Samuel 3:11 and
of the delivery of it to him
which Samuel was first fearful of doing
but
encouraged by Eli
he delivered it to him
to which he patiently submitted
1 Samuel 3:15 and
the chapter is closed with the establishment of Samuel as a prophet of the
Lord
who continued to appear and reveal himself to him
1 Samuel 3:19.
1 Samuel 3:1 Now the boy
Samuel ministered to the Lord
before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there
was no widespread revelation.
YLT
1And the youth Samuel is
serving Jehovah before Eli
and the word of Jehovah hath been precious in those
days -- there is no vision broken forth.
And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli
.... Under his
direction and instruction; the Targum is
in the life of Eli
and in such parts
of service
relating to the tabernacle of the Lord
as he was capable of
such
as opening and shutting the doors of it
lighting the lamps
singing the
praises of God
&c. according to JosephusF14Antiqu. l. 5. c. 10.
sect. 4.
and others
he was now about twelve years of age:
and the word of the Lord was precious in those days; that is
a
word from the Lord in a dream or vision
directing
informing
instructing
or
reproving
this was very rarely had; of late there had been but very few
instances; and which accounts for it why not only the child Samuel knew not
that it was the voice of the Lord that called to him
but Eli himself thought
nothing of it until he had called a third time
so rare and scarce was any
instance of this kind; for which reason these words are premised in the
following narration: and as everything that is scarce and rare is generally
precious
so the word of God in this way also was; and so it is as considered
in every view of it; as the written word of God; when there was but little of
it penned
as at this time
and few or none to teach and instruct in it
Eli
being old
and his sons so vile; or when it is forbidden to be read
and the
copies of it destroyed
and become scarce
as in the times of Dioclesian; or
when there are but very few faithful evangelical ministers of the word; which
though it is always precious to them that have precious faith in it
the
promises of it being exceeding great and precious
and the truths of it more
precious than fine gold
and the grand subject of it a precious Saviour
who is
so in his person
offices
blood
righteousness
and sacrifice; yet is
generally more precious when there is a scarcity of it
when God makes a man
a
Gospel minister
more precious than fine gold
even than the golden wedge of
Ophir
see Isaiah 13:12 where
the word is used in the same sense as here:
there was no open vision; or prophecy
as the
Targum; no publicly known prophet raised up
to whom the people could apply for
counsel
direction
and instruction in divine things; in all the times of the
judges we read only of Deborah the prophetess
and one prophet more
Judges 4:14
excepting the man of God lately sent to Eli
1 Samuel 2:27
and
this want of prophecy served to set off with greater foil the glory of Samuel
as a prophet of the Lord
when he was an established one; there having been
none of that character in the memory of man
and therefore he is spoken of as
at the head of the prophets
Acts 3:24
for
though there might be some private visions to particular persons
or God might
appear in vision to private persons for their own special use and instruction;
yet there was no public vision
or what was for public good and general use:
some render it
"no broken up vision"F15נפרץ "perrupta"
Piscator; "fracta vel
rupta"
Drusius. ; it lay hid
concealed out of sight
as if it was
immured and shut up within walls
or like water pent up
that cannot break
through its fences
and spread itself; or "not multiplied"
as R.
Isaiah
not frequent and repeated
the instances of it few and rare; the sense
of this clause is much the same as the former.
1 Samuel 3:2 2 And
it came to pass at that time
while Eli was lying down in his place
and
when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see
YLT
2And it cometh to pass
at
that time
that Eli is lying down in his place
and his eyes have begun to be
dim -- he is not able to see.
And it came to pass at that time
.... When the word of the
Lord was scarce and precious
and there was no open vision; or
as Ben Gersom
the same day the man of God came to Eli at night
the following affair
happened:
when Eli was laid down in his place; on his bed to sleep
in
one of the chambers or apartments of the tabernacle; for as there were such in
the temple for the priests
so in that:
and his eyes began to wax dim
that he could not see; to help
himself to anything he might want when in bed; which seems to be the reason
Samuel lay near him
and why
when he heard his voice
he immediately ran to
him
supposing he needed his assistance. Some
as Kimchi and others
understand
this not of the eyes of his body
but of his mind; and that the Holy Spirit
as
a spirit of prophecy
was departing from him
because of his connivance at the
sins of his sons; and so the following prophecy came not to him
but to Samuel.
1 Samuel 3:3 3 and
before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle[a] of the Lord where the ark
of God was
and while Samuel was lying down
YLT
3And the lamp of God is not
yet extinguished
and Samuel is lying down in the temple of Jehovah
where the
ark of God [is]
And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord
.... The
tabernacle so called; lamp is put for the lamps in the candlestick in the
tabernacle
which were lighted every evening
and burnt till morning; by which
time some of them at least usually went out
only it is said the western lamp
never went out. Now the reason why this is observed is to show that it was in
the night
before morning
that the following transaction was: some by this
lamp understand the lamp of prophecy
that before that was quite extinct in
Eli
only began to depart
as his eyes are said to begin to wax dim
the spirit
of prophecy came to Samuel; so that
as the Jews express it
before one sun was
set another arose; thus before the sun of Moses set
the sun of Joshua arose;
and before the sun of Eli set
the sun of Samuel arose:
where the ark of God was; that is
in the temple
or tabernacle; not in that part of it where the lamps were burning in the
candlestick
that was in the holy place; but the ark was in the holy of holies
where the Lord dwelt
and was the symbol of his presence; and which is observed
to point out the place from whence the voice came
after mentioned; and which
the Targum expresses here
"and a voice was heard out of the temple of the
Lord
where the ark of the Lord was:'and Samuel was laid down to sleep; after
Eli was in bed
and Samuel had done all his business
he laid himself down to
sleep in his place; in the court of the Levites
as the Targum
with which the
Jewish commentators in general agree: it must be somewhere near to Eli
so that
he could quickly come at him
when he needed his assistance; though
according
to the MisnahF16Middot
c. 1. sect. 8.
the priests shut the doors
of the court within
and the Levites slept without. It is highly probable that
Samuel's apartment was near to Eli
or he could not have so readily come to
him
as it is plain he did. This circumstance is also observed
to show that it
was in the night
and before morning
that the following vision was; and
as
Kimchi thinks
about cock crowing; and it may be from hence StraboF17Geograph.
l. 16. p. 523. had the notion
that Moses ordered such to sleep (in the temple)
for themselves
and others
who were fit to receive good dreams
and who might
expect from God a good gift
who lived soberly and righteously; and because the
tabernacle was covered with skins
hence might spring the notion of others to
sleep in temples
for the above reason
under the skins of the sacrifices; see
Gill on
though they seem rather to have slept upon them
for the above
purposes
namely
to converse with their deities
and get knowledge from themF18Vid.
Virgil. Aeneid. 7. "huc dona Sacerdos"
&c. ver. 86-95. .
1 Samuel 3:4 4 that
the Lord
called Samuel. And he answered
“Here I am!”
YLT
4and Jehovah calleth unto
Samuel
and he saith
`Here [am] I.'
That the Lord called Samuel
.... By a voice which
came forth from the most holy place
from between the cherubim
the seat of the
divine Majesty:
and he answered
here am I; which was not intended
to declare the place where he was
but to express his readiness and
cheerfulness to do any thing that was required of him.
1 Samuel 3:5 5 So
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.
YLT
5And he runneth unto Eli
and saith
`Here [am] I
for thou hast called for me;' and he saith
`I called
not; turn back
lie down;' and he goeth and lieth down.
And he ran unto Eli
and said here am I
.... He got
out of his bed as fast as he could
and put on his clothes
and ran with all
haste to the apartment where Eli lay
supposing he wanted some immediate
assistance
which he was there ready to give him to the utmost of his ability;
and he made the more haste
as knowing his age and infirmities
and being
desirous
out of affection to him
to help him as soon as possible:
for thou calledst me; he took it to be the
voice of Eli
partly because there was no other man in the tabernacle
it being
in the middle of the night
or early in the morning
before the doors were opened
or any of the priests were come in to minister
and partly because the voice
might be very much like Eli's
and which was done to direct him to him:
and he said
I called not
lie down again; he signified
he wanted nothing
and so had no occasion to call him
nor had he
but bid him
go to bed again
and sleep quietly:
and he went and lay down; and very probably fell
asleep again.
1 Samuel 3:6 6 Then the Lord called yet
again
“Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli
and said
“Here I am
for you
called me.” He answered
“I did not call
my son; lie down again.”
YLT
6And Jehovah addeth to call
again Samuel
and Samuel riseth and goeth unto Eli
and saith
`Here [am] I
for thou hast called for me;' and he saith
`I have not called
my son
turn
back
lie down.'
And the Lord called yet again
Samuel
.... Called him a
second time by his name
with a like audible voice as before:
and Samuel arose
and went to Eli; did not run as before
being perhaps more thoughtful of this affair
that he should be called a second
time
and careful not to awake Eli
should he be mistaken again
and find him
asleep:
and said
here am I
for thou didst call me; perceiving
that he was awake
he desired to know what he wanted
and he was ready to help
him; for he was now certain of it that he did call him:
and he answered
I called not
my son
lie down again; by this
appellation
my son
he expresses his affection to him
and signifies he took
it kindly that he should show such readiness to do anything for him and would
not have him be discouraged and abashed
because he was mistaken
but return to
his bed and rest again.
1 Samuel 3:7 7 (Now Samuel did not yet
know the Lord
nor was the word of the Lord
yet revealed to him.)
YLT
7And Samuel hath not yet
known Jehovah
and the word of Jehovah is not yet revealed unto him.
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord
.... He knew
that Jehovah
the God of Israel
was the true God; he had spiritual knowledge
of him
and knew somewhat of his word and worship
ways and ordinances
in
which he had been instructed by Eli; wherefore
though the Targum
is
"Samuel had not yet learned to know doctrine from the Lord;'it can only
be understood
that he had not learnt it perfectly; somewhat he knew of it
but
in an imperfect manner
being a child: but the sense of the word is
that as
yet he was ignorant that God had used to speak with ordinary and familiar voice
to men
as Maimonides saysF19Moreh Nevochim
par. 2. c. 44. ; he
perhaps had never heard of any such thing
and much less was experimentally
acquainted with it
that God ever did speak after such a manner to men
and
could not distinguish between the voice of God and the voice of Eli:
neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him; what of the
written word that was in being he had
and read
as the law of Moses; but the
meaning is
that no word of prophecy of the Lord was revealed unto him
as the
Targum; he never had prophesied as yet
and knew not the form and manner of
prophecy
as the above writer observes
or what methods God took to reveal
himself
his mind and will
to men
at least not this by an audible voice.
1 Samuel 3:8 8 And the Lord called Samuel
again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli
and said
“Here I am
for
you did call me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the
boy.
YLT
8And Jehovah addeth to call
Samuel the third time
and he riseth and goeth unto Eli
and saith
`Here [am]
I
for thou hast called for me;' and Eli understandeth that Jehovah is calling
to the youth.
And the Lord called Samuel again the third time
.... In the
same manner he had done before
expressing his name no doubt:
and he arose and went to Eli
and said
here am I
for thou didst
call me; as if he should say
it must certainly be so
I cannot be
mistaken a third time:
and Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child; he was
satisfied now that Samuel must have heard a voice
and he knew there was no man
in the tabernacle but himself
and therefore it must be the voice of the Lord
out of the most holy place; and he had formerly been acquainted with such
voices
and used to them
and now called them to mind; and besides
as Aben
Ezra observes
he was the rather confirmed in this
that the Lord called
Samuel
because Samuel heard the voice
and not Eli
though Eli lay nearer the
most holy place than Samuel did; which showed that this must be the voice of
prophecy the Lord makes whom he pleases to hear; and that Eli might be fully
persuaded of this
before the matter of the prophecy was delivered to him
Samuel
was so often directed to him.
1 Samuel 3:9 9 Therefore Eli said to
Samuel
“Go
lie down; and it shall be
if He calls you
that you must say
‘Speak
Lord
for Your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
YLT
9And Eli saith to Samuel
`Go
lie down
and it hath been
if He doth call unto thee
that thou hast
said
Speak
Jehovah
for Thy servant is hearing;' and Samuel goeth and lieth
down in his place.
Therefore Eli said unto Samuel
go
lie down
.... Once
more:
and it shall be
if he call thee; the voice
or the Lord
by it:
that thou shalt say
speak
Lord
for thy servant heareth; his meaning
is
that he should not rise and come to him
as he had done
but continue on
his bed
on hearing the voice again
but desire the Lord to speak to him what
he had to say
to which he was ready to attend:
so Samuel went and lay down in his place; which
as
commonly understood
was in the court of the Levites; see Gill on 1 Samuel 3:3.
1 Samuel 3:10 10 Now the Lord came and stood
and called as at other times
“Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered
“Speak
for Your servant hears.”
YLT
10And Jehovah cometh
and
stationeth Himself
and calleth as time by time
`Samuel
Samuel;' and Samuel
saith
`Speak
for Thy servant if hearing.'
And the Lord came
and stood
.... At the place where
Samuel lay; either there was
as Kimchi
a form before his eyes in the vision
of prophecy
some visible corporeal shape assumed; or a bright splendour an
illustrious appearance of the glory of God; or it may be rather the voice
which before seemed to be at some distance whereabout Eli lay; it now seemed
nearer
and was as the voice of one just by him
that sounded in his ears:
and called as at other times
Samuel
Samuel: repeating his
name
in order the more to excite his attention:
then Samuel answered
speak
for thy servant heareth; he leaves out
the word Lord
which Eli bid him use; for he might be afraid as yet to make
mention of the name of the Lord in the vision of prophecy
as Kimchi speaks; or
lest it should be the voice of another
as Jarchi; as yet he might not be quite
certain whether it was the voice of the Lord
or the voice of a man; for that
he should have any mistrust of its being the voice of a demon or spectre
there
is no reason to believe.
1 Samuel 3:11 11 Then the Lord said to
Samuel: “Behold
I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone
who hears it will tingle.
YLT
11And Jehovah saith unto
Samuel
`Lo
I am doing a thing in Israel
at which the two ears of every one
hearing it do tingle.
And the Lord said to Samuel
.... The voice of the
Lord continued speaking to him: behold:
I will do a thing in Israel; which may be particularly
interpreted of the taking of the ark
and the slaying of the two sons of Eli;
and which is elsewhere represented as the Lord's doing
for the sins of Eli's
family
Psalm 78:61.
at which both the ears of everyone that heareth it shall tingle; be struck
with horror and amazement
and quite stunned
and know not what to think or
say
like persons surprised with a violent clap of thunder
which strikes their
ears so strongly
that the noise of it is not soon gone from them; this was
verified in Eli
and in his daughter-in-law particularly
who
at the news of
the above things
the one fell backwards and broke his neck
and the other fell
into labour and died; and all Israel were struck with astonishment at these
things.
1 Samuel 3:12 12 In that day I will perform
against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house
from beginning to end.
YLT
12In that day I establish
unto Eli all that I have spoken unto his house
beginning and completing;
In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have
spoken concerning his house
.... Or family
that is
by the man of God
1 Samuel 2:27 as
that he would cut off the strength of it
that there should not be an old man
in it; and such as remained should be reduced to the utmost poverty and
meanness; this shows that that prophecy was antecedent to this
contrary to the
sense of some:
when I begin
I will also make an end; not
immediately
and at once
but by degrees; he began in the death of Hophni and
Phinehas
and went on in the slaughter of Abimelech
and the eighty five
priests at Nob
in the times of Saul
and finished in the thrusting out of
Abiathar from the priesthood
in the times of Solomon
whereby that family was
brought to disgrace and poverty.
1 Samuel 3:13 13 For I have told him that I
will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows
because his sons
made themselves vile
and he did not restrain them.
YLT
13and I have declared to him
that I am judging his house -- to the age
for the iniquity which he hath
known
for his sons are making themselves vile
and he hath not restrained them
For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever
.... That is
bring his judgments upon them
which should continue on them to their utter
destruction; this
as to the substance
he said before by the man of God:
for the iniquity which he knoweth; for the iniquity of his
sons
which he thoroughly informed of
and fully acquainted with by others; and
somewhat of which he must have been sensible of
and seen with his own eyes
and therefore was inexcusable:
because his sons made themselves vile; mean and
contemptible in the sight of men
abhorred and accursed in the sight of God
by
taking the flesh of the sacrifices of the people
which did not belong to them
who came to sacrifice
and by debauching the women that came to the door of the
tabernacle for religious service. It is said this clause was originally
written
"because his sons made light of me"; or cursed the Lord
and
is one of the eighteen places called the correction of the Scribes
who
corrected it as we have it; and it may be observed
the Septuagint version is
"because his sons spake ill of God"; or cursed him; however
this
they did
they preferred their lusts
and the indulging of them
to the honour
and glory of God: this Eli knew:
and he restrained them not; from their evil practices;
he did not make use of his authority
neither as a father
and especially not
as high priest
and the judge of Israel
who ought not only to have sharply
reproved them
which he did not
but to have censured or punished them
and
turned them out of their office: "or did not frown upon them"F20ולא כחה בהם
"et non contraxit frontem"
Osiander; "non contraxit
rugas"
Belg. De Dieu.
as in the margin of our Bibles; he did not knit
his brows
or wrinkle up his face
and by his countenance show his displeasure
at their proceedings
but in an easy
smooth
gentle manner
expostulated with
them about them.
1 Samuel 3:14 14 And therefore I have sworn
to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by
sacrifice or offering forever.”
YLT
14and therefore I have sworn
to the house of Eli: the iniquity of the house of Eli is not atoned for
by
sacrifice
and by offering -- unto the age.'
And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli
.... Either
had done this before
which was signified to him by the man of God
or did swear
now for the confirmation of his threatenings
and to assure the certain
performance of them:
that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with
sacrifice nor offering for ever: not even typically
which was all that
legal sacrifice could do; and not so that the priesthood should ever return to
the family again
as the office of high priesthood never did; or
as Abarbinel
interprets it
because of sacrifice and offering
that the iniquity Eli's sons
were guilty of in taking the flesh of the sacrifices and offerings
which did
not belong to them
and before the Lord had his part
should never be expiated.
(There are some sins that are not covered in the atonement of Jesus Christ.
This is one of them and the sin against the Holy Ghost is another. Matthew 12:31.
Editor.)
1 Samuel 3:15 15 So Samuel lay down until
morning
[b] and opened
the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to
tell Eli the vision.
YLT
15And Samuel lieth till the
morning
and openeth the doors of the house of Jehovah
and Samuel is afraid of
declaring the vision unto Eli.
And Samuel lay until the morning
.... It is not said he
slept; it can hardly be thought he should
when it is considered what a new
strange
and uncommon thing had befallen him; what honour had been conferred on
him a child
that the Lord should vouchsafe to speak and communicate his mind
to him
and what dreadful things were said of Eli's family; all which must
greatly affect his mind
and keep him waking: however
he lay musing thereon
until morning
and then arose:
and opened the doors of the house of the Lord; as he had
used to do
and which was the business of the Levites; though he had been so
highly honoured
he was not elated with it
nor thought himself above so low
and mean an employment in the house of God; nor did he run to Eli or others
boasting of what he had met with that night
but modestly and carefully
attended to what was his common and constant employment every morning:
and Samuel feared to show Eli the vision; the vision of
prophecy
as the Targum; what God had foretold should befall him and his
family
lest he should be grieved on more accounts than one; partly because he
an old man
an high priest
and judge of Israel
was overlooked and neglected
and the prophecy was delivered to a child
and not to him; and partly because
of the sad things that should come upon his family.
1 Samuel 3:16 16 Then Eli called Samuel and
said
“Samuel
my son!” He answered
“Here I am.”
YLT
16And Eli calleth Samuel
and
saith
`Samuel
my son;' and he saith
`Here [am] I.'
Then Eli called Samuel
.... Perceiving he was
risen by the opening of the doors of the tabernacle
which he might hear; and
observing he did not come to him as usual
to know whether he wanted anything
and being impatient to hear what was said to him of the Lord:
and he said
Samuel
my son; called him by his name
and in a very tender and affectionate manner
the more to engage him to hasten
to him
and thereby also putting him in mind of his filial duty to obey him:
and he answered
here am I; ready to attend and
perform any service enjoined him.
1 Samuel 3:17 17 And he said
“What is
the word that the Lord spoke to you? Please 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.”
YLT
17And he saith
`What [is]
the word which He hath spoken unto thee? I pray thee
hide it not from me; so
doth God do to thee
and so doth He add
if thou hidest from me a word of all
the words that He hath spoken unto thee.'
And he said
what is the thing that the Lord hath said unto
thee?.... The word "Lord" is not in the text
but it is
"that it hath said"; the voice that had so often called him in the
night
and which yet Eli knew was the voice of the Lord; and as it was
he was
sensible there was something of importance said
and he had great reason to
believe it respected him and his family; and the rather he might conclude this
by what the man of God had lately said to him
whose words perhaps he had too
much slighted
questioning his authority; and therefore the Lord took this way
and method to assure him that what was said came from him; for hereby Eli was
fully convinced that this voice Samuel heard was of the Lord
and so what was
said must be from him
and this he was impatient to know:
I pray thee
hide it not from me; and he not only
beseeched and entreated him
but adjured him
as in the next clause:
God do so to thee
and more also
if thou hide anything from me of
all the things that said unto thee; it is the form of an
oath or curse
wishing that God would do some great evil to him
and more than
he chose to express
if he concealed anything from him that had been told him.
So Kimchi and Abarbinel take it to be an oath; and Josephus
F21Antiqu.
l. 5. c. 10. sect. 4. and Procopius Gazaeus on the place say
that Eli obliged
Samuel by oaths and curses to declare what had been said to him.
1 Samuel 3:18 18 Then Samuel told him
everything
and hid nothing from him. And he said
“It is the Lord. Let Him do
what seems good to Him.”
YLT
18And Samuel declareth to him
the whole of the words
and hath not hid from him; and he saith
`It [is]
Jehovah; that which is good in His eyes He doth.'
And Samuel told him every whit
and hid nothing from him
.... And so
approved himself to be a faithful prophet of God
and man of God
as he is
afterwards called; the whole counsel of God is to be declared by his servants
the prophets
and the ministers of his word; nothing is to be concealed
which
it is the will of God should be made known
whether it be pleasing or
displeasing to man:
and he said
it is the Lord; that has said it
and
there is nothing to be said against it
and that will do it; and there is no
resisting him: or "the Lord is he"F23יהוה
הוא κυριος αυτος
Sept. "Dominus ipse"
Montanus. ; who has a sovereign right to all
his creatures
and may dispose of them as he pleases; he is all wise
and does
all things well; he is holy and righteous in all his ways and works
and there
is no unrighteousness in him; he is faithful to his word
whether in a way of
promise or threatening; and all he does to his people is in love
mercy
and
kindness:
let him do what seemeth him good; not what seems good to
men
or is so in their esteem
but what seems good to the Lord
who knows what
is best for his people
and can do nothing but what is good; all is good he
does; there is nothing but goodness in him
and nothing but goodness comes from
him; he does good
and nothing else
and even when he afflicts his people; all
he does is well done in creation
providence
and grace: and Eli's desire is
that he would fulfil the good pleasure of his will; he appears to be in an
excellent temper
not surly and morose
taking it ill that such a message
should be sent him by a child; nor was he unaffected with the case of his
family
but humbly submitted to the will of God
and acquiesces in it as good
and neither arraigns his justice
nor murmurs at his providences.
1 Samuel 3:19 19 So Samuel grew
and the Lord was with him
and let none of his words fall to the ground.
YLT
19And Samuel groweth up
and
Jehovah hath been with him
and hath not let fall any of his words to the
earth;
And Samuel grew
.... Not only in years and stature
but in
grace and goodness
in wisdom
knowledge
and understanding
both with respect
to things natural and spiritual
and in esteem
credit
and reputation among
men:
and the Lord was with him; he was not only in
favour with men
but with God; and had fresh and repeated tokens of the grace
and good will of God towards him; he indulged him with his presence
and
assisted him in his service
and prospered and succeeded him in all things in
which he was engaged. The Targum is
"the Word of the Lord was his
help;'the essential Word of God
the Messiah:
and did let none of his words fall to the groundF24 χαμαιπετες επος
Pindar.
Pythia
Ode 6. ; in allusion either to water that falls to the ground
and
becomes useless
or to an arrow falling out of the bow
and to the ground
before it reaches the mark
and so unsuccessfulF25Vid. Homer. Iliad.
17. ver. 633. ; or to any weapon of war
sword or spear
falling out of the
hand of the soldier
whereby he is disarmed and rendered unserviceable: and
these words
according to Kimchi
and in which he is followed by Abarbinel
are
to be understood
not only of the words which he spake by the Holy Ghost under
a spirit of prophecy
and had their exact accomplishment; but his common words
which were spoken by weight and measure
as the last expresses it
and which
were delivered out according to the rules of justice
probity
and truth; and
so he failed not of performing that which he had said
or of doing what was
right
whereby Israel knew he was fit
prepared
and designed to be a prophet
of the Lord
as in the following verse; but it seems rather to have respect to the
things predicted by him under a spirit of prophecy concerning Eli and his
house
which soon began to be fulfilled.
1 Samuel 3:20 20 And all Israel from Dan to
Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the Lord.
YLT
20and all Israel know
from
Dan even unto Beer-Sheba
that Samuel is established for a prophet to Jehovah.
And all Israel
from Dan even unto Beersheba
.... That is
from the most northern border of the land of Israel
on which Dan lay
to the
utmost border of it southward
where Beersheba was
the fame of Samuel for his
piety
prudence
and prophecy
was spread abroad; so that all
knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord; or that he
was faithfulF26נאמן "fidelis"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
Tigurine version. to God and man
to be credited in
what he said; and so a fit man to be a prophet of the Lord
being eminently
qualified with gifts by him for that office; the Targum is
"that Samuel was
faithful in the words of the prophecy of the Lord
'in relating them.
1 Samuel 3:21 21 Then the Lord appeared again
in Shiloh. For the Lord
revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.
YLT
21And Jehovah addeth to
appear in Shiloh
for Jehovah hath been revealed unto Samuel
in Shiloh
by the
word of Jehovah.
And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh
.... In the
tabernacle there; he had appeared before to Samuel
when he called him
and
declared to him what he designed and resolved to do to Eli and his family
and
now appeared again to him in the same place before the battle of the Israelites
with the Philistines
of which there is an account in the following chapter.
Such appearances had not been usual in Shiloh for a long time
but were now
renewed and repeated:
for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel by the Word of the Lord; by Christ
the Word of the Lord
who appeared to him
it is probable
in an human form
as
he was wont to do to the patriarchs and prophets
and by whom the Lord revealed
his mind and will unto them
being the Angel of his presence
and the messenger
of his covenant; or by giving him a word of command to be delivered by him to
the children of Israel
and which is expressed and delivered
in the next
chapter.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)