1 Samuel 3:2

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;

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

1 Samuel 3:2-4. At that time — After the man of God, mentioned in the foregoing chapter, (1 Samuel 2:27,) had been with Eli; perhaps the very night after he had delivered his message: when Eli was laid down in his place — In the court of the tabernacle, where there were divers rooms for several uses of the priests, as there were afterward at the temple. That he could not see — Clearly to do his duty, after it became duskish. This, it is likely, made him go to bed betimes, and leave directions with Samuel what to do, till it was time for him also to repose himself. Ere the lamp of God went out — Before the lights of the gold en candlestick were put out in the morning. It has been inferred by some, from Exodus 27:20-21, that the lamp in the great shaft of this candlestick, which bent toward the most holy place, never went out. Some others of them, however, did go out, or were put out when it was morning. The meaning, therefore, here is, that ere it was day the Lord called Samuel, which, it appears, he did, out of the most holy place. So the Targum, A voice was heard out of the temple of the Lord. He answered, Here am I — It is likely Eli lay nearer the tabernacle than Samuel did. It appears, however, he heard nothing, the voice passing by him to Samuel, to whom it was directed, and who alone heard it.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

3:1-10 The call which Divine grace designs shall be made effectual; will be repeated till it is so, till we come to the call. Eli, perceiving that it was the voice of God that Samuel heard, instructed him what to say. Though it was a disgrace to Eli, for God's call to be directed to Samuel, yet he told him how to meet it. Thus the elder should do their utmost to assist and improve the younger that are rising up. Let us never fail to teach those who are coming after us, even such as will soon be preferred before us, Joh 1:30. Good words should be put into children's mouths betimes, by which they may be prepared to learn Divine things, and be trained up to regard them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The passage should be rendered thus: "And it came to pass at that time that Eli was sleeping in his place; and his eyes had begun to grow dim; he could not see. And the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was; and the Lord called Samuel, etc." Eli's old age and dimness of sight is probably mentioned as the reason why Samuel thought Eli had called him. Being a blind and feeble old man, he was likely to do so if he wanted anything, either for himself, or for the service of the temple.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 3

1Sa 3:1-10. The Lord Appears to Samuel in a Vision.

1. the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli—His ministry consisted, of course, of such duties in or about the sanctuary as were suited to his age, which is supposed now to have been about twelve years. Whether the office had been specially assigned him, or it arose from the interest inspired by the story of his birth, Eli kept him as his immediate attendant; and he resided not in the sanctuary, but in one of the tents or apartments around it, assigned for the accommodation of the priests and Levites, his being near to that of the high priest.

the word of the Lord was precious in those days—It was very rarely known to the Israelites; and in point of fact only two prophets are mentioned as having appeared during the whole administration of the judges (Jud 4:4; 6:8).

there was no open vision—no publicly recognized prophet whom the people could consult, and from whom they might learn the will of God. There must have been certain indubitable evidences by which a communication from heaven could be distinguished. Eli knew them, for he may have received them, though not so frequently as is implied in the idea of an "open vision."

Matthew Poole's Commentary

In his place; in the court of the tabernacle.

He could not see, to wit, clearly and distinctly. This is added as an evidence of his old age, partly to show God’s contempt of him, notwithstanding his venerable age, and his preferring the child Samuel before him in this vision; and partly as the reason why Samuel so readily ran to him upon the first call, because his great age made him more to need his servants’ help.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

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.

Geneva Study Bible

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

(c) In the court next to the tabernacle.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. at that time] This rendering is possible, but the Heb. literally means on that day, the memorable day which left such a deep mark upon Samuel’s life. So the LXX. and Vulg.

The words from ‘when Eli’ to ‘was laid down to sleep’ form a parenthesis, describing the circumstances under which Samuel’s call took place. (1) Eli was lying down in his place. (2) His eyes had begun to grow dim so that he could not see. These clauses serve to explain why Samuel ran to Eli when he heard the Voice. He would naturally suppose that the infirm and half-blind old man required some assistance. (3) The lamp of God was not yet extinguished. This marks the time of night as shortly before daybreak, when the sacred light in the Sanctuary would burn dim or be put out. (4) Samuel was lying down in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God was. The order of the Hebrew requires this translation. The term ‘temple’ includes the buildings round the Tabernacle (see note on 1 Samuel 1:9), in some of the chambers of which Eli and Samuel were sleeping, not of course in the Tabernacle itself. The Ark is expressly mentioned because it was the visible symbol of the Presence of Him from whom the Voice proceeded.

to wax] i.e. to grow, from A. S. weaxan, Germ. wachsen. The word has passed out of general use in modern English. Wiclif has ‘Biholde ye the lilies of the feeld hou thei wexen.’

the lamp of God] The seven-branched golden candlestick, now mentioned for the last time, stood on the south side of the Holy Place, opposite the Table of Shewbread (Exodus 25:31-37). It was lighted every evening (Exodus 27:20-21; Exodus 30:7-8), and was extinguished in the morning. In Solomon’s temple it was superseded by ten separate candlesticks, but in the second temple the single candlestick was restored. It was carried to Rome by Titus after the capture of Jerusalem, and figures conspicuously among the trophies sculptured on his triumphal arch, from which the familiar representation of it is derived.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 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.,' 5:10, 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 1 Samuel 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 ver. 3 the lamp is mentioned as fixing the exact time. Though it is said that the seven-branched candelabrum was "to burn always" (Exodus 27:20), yet this apparently was to be by perpetually relighting it (ibid. 30:7, 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 ver. 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 (1 Samuel 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. 1 Samuel 3:2

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The word of the Lord was then issued for the first time to Samuel. 1 Samuel 3:2-4 form one period. The clause, "it came to pass at that time" (1 Samuel 3:2), is continued in 1 Samuel 3:4, "that the Lord called," etc. The intervening clauses from ועלי to אלהים ארון are circumstantial clauses, intended to throw light upon the situation. The clause, "Eli was laid down in his place," etc., may be connected logically with "at that time" by the insertion of "when" (as in the English version: Tr.). The dimness of Eli's eyes is mentioned, to explain Samuel's behaviour, as afterwards described. Under these circumstances, for example, when Samuel heard his own name called out in sleep, he might easily suppose that Eli was calling him to render some assistance. The "lamp of God" is the light of the candlestick in the tabernacle, the seven lamps of which were put up and lighted every evening, and burned through the night till all the oil was consumed (see Exodus 30:8; Leviticus 24:2; 2 Chronicles 13:11, and the explanation given at Exodus 27:21). The statement that this light was not yet extinguished, is equivalent to "before the morning dawn." "And Samuel was lying (sleeping) in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God was." היכל does not mean the holy place, as distinguished from the "most holy," as in 1 Kings 6:5; 1 Kings 7:50,

(Note: The Masoretes have taken היכל in this sense, and therefore have placed the Athnach under שׁכב rednu, to separate שׁכב וּשׁמוּאל from יי בּהיכל, and thus to guard against the conclusion, which might be drawn from this view of היכל that Samuel slept in the holy place.)

but the whole tabernacle, the tent with its court, as the palace of the God-king, as in 1 Samuel 1:9; Psalm 11:4. Samuel neither slept in the holy place by the side of the candlestick and table of shew-bread, nor in the most holy place in front of the ark of the covenant, but in the court, where cells were built for the priests and Levites to live in when serving at the sanctuary (see at 1 Samuel 3:15). "The ark of God, i.e., the ark of the covenant, is mentioned as the throne of the divine presence, from which the call to Samuel proceeded.