1 Samuel 3

This chapter was originally written in Hebrew. It is divided into 21 verses. Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).^[7] Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls including 4Q51 (4QSam^a; 100–50 BCE) with extant verses 1–4, 18–21.^{[8][9][10][11]}

Extant ancient manuscripts of a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint (originally was made in the last few centuries BCE) include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$ ^B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$ ^A; 5th century).^[12][a]

• 1 Samuel 3:3: Exodus 27:20–21; Leviticus 24:2–4 (perpetual lamp)^[14]
• 1 Samuel 3:3: Exodus 25:10–22 (ark of God; ark of the Covenant)^[14]
• 1 Samuel 3:3: Exodus 26:34 (ark kept at worship center)^[14]

The event in this chapter occurred at the end of the era of biblical judges in Israel, about 1100 BC. Verse 1 treats this time as a period when divine visions were infrequent.^[15]

Chapter 3 is tied in many ways to chapter 2, with some terms and themes in chapter 2 are repeated or recapitulated in chapter 3:^[16]

This section on Samuel's calling is often classified as a "prophetic call narrative", within the tradition of the calling of major prophets (cf. Exodus 3–4; Isaiah 6; Jeremiah 1:4–10; Ezekiel 1:1–3:16).^[6][17] In a period when divine visions were infrequent, Samuel received his call-vision, which would remove the seat of power from Eli and his family. While Eli was still presiding for a short period, he instructed Samuel of the right words of response to God's calling (verses 9–10), but after Samuel received God's oracle (verses 11–14), Samuel became more powerful than Eli before the eyes of the people.^[6]

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days. There was no vision coming forth.^[18]

• "The boy": from Hebrew: נַּ֧עַר, na-‘ar,^[19] which refers to a "boy from the age of infancy to adolescence".^[20] According to Josephus, Samuel was twelve years old at this time.^[21]

Samuel's oracle of doom over Eli's house confirms the words of the man of God in 2:27-36: the house of Eli will fall because of the iniquity of his sons and his own inability to admonish them.^[6] Eli accepted God's verdict (verse 18) and that Samuel would become a 'powerful prophet whose words were fulfilled', not only in Shiloh, but throughout the land of Israel (verses 20–21).^[6][22]

So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.^[23]

Jones notes that this verse is indicative both of Samuel's own growth to maturity and his accession to power as a prophet.^[6]

And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.^[24]

• "From Dan even to Beer-sheba" is a phrase regularly used to denote 'the whole land of Israel', first mentioned in Judges 20:1, then becoming common in the books of Samuel and only appearing once more after the division of the Kingdoms, that is, after the fall of the northern kingdom (2 Chronicles 30:5).^[25]
• "Was established": can also be rendered as "was confirmed",^[26] "found faithful" or "approved"; from a Hebrew word which in 1 Samuel 2:35 is rendered as 'a faithful priest' and 'a sure house'.^[25]

• Jewish translations:
  • Shmuel I - I Samuel - Chapter 3 (Judaica Press). Hebrew text and English translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
• Christian translations:
  • Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
  • 1 Samuel chapter 3. Bible Gateway