1 samuel 3 and 4

Read 1 Samuel 3 and 4 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions for today’s chapters are:

1 Sam 3:1 {s} Samuel ministered / The word of the LORD was rare (precious) in those days
1 Sam 3:2-3 {p} Before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle where the ark of God was
1 Sam 3:4-5 {s} The LORD called Samuel, and he ran to Eli
1 Sam 3:6-10 {p} The LORD called Samuel 3x / Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears
1 Sam 3:11-18 {p} The prophecy against Eli’s house / Samuel told all to Eli
1 Sam 3:19-20 {s} The LORD let none of Samuel’s words fall + all Israel knew he was the LORD’s prophet
1 Sam 3:21 {p} The LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD
1 Sam 4:1-17 {p} Israel defeated before the Philistines + Eli’s sons killed + ark of the covenant taken
1 Sam 4:18-22 {p} The death of Eli + the birth of Ichabod

1 Samuel is a mass of chiastic structures, which I am working out:

1 Sam 3:1-21 {s+p+s+p+p+s+px3}

1a) 1 Sam 3:1-10 {s+p+s+p} The LORD’s word rare at Shiloh + Samuel called, before His word revealed to him:

1) 1 Sam 3:1 {s} The boy Samuel ministered to the LORD / the word of the LORD was rare;
2) 1 Sam 3:2-3 {s} Before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle, as Samuel was lying down;
3) 1 Sam 3:4-10 {s+p} Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was His word revealed to Him;

1a) 1 Sam 3:4a, The LORD called Samuel, and he answered, “Here I am!”
1b) 1 Sam 3:5 {s} He ran to Eli, but Eli did not call him + he went and lay down;
1c) 1 Sam 3:6, The LORD called a 2nd time + Samuel went to Eli, but Eli did not call him;
central axis) 1 Sam 3:7, Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was His word yet revealed to him;
2c) 1 Sam 3:8, The LORD called a 3rd time + Samuel went to Eli, Eli perceived that the LORD had called him;
2b) 1 Sam 3:9, Eli instructed Samuel to respond to the LORD should He call again + Samuel went and lay down;
2a) 1 Sam 3:10 {p} The LORD called, “Samuel! Samuel!” + Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.”

1b) 1 Sam 3:11-14, The word of the LORD to Samuel concerning the judgment of Eli’s house;

1c) 1 Sam 3:15, Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision;

central axis) 1 Sam 3:16-17, Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!” He answered, “Here I am.” 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;”

2c) 1 Sam 3:18a, Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him;

2b) 1 Sam 3:18b {p} Eli said, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.”

2a) 1 Sam 3:19-21{s+p} Samuel established a prophet in Israel at Shiloh, when the LORD revealed His word to him:

1) 1 Sam 3:19-20 {s} Samuel grew + the LORD was with him / he was established as a prophet in Israel;
2) 1 Sam 3:21a, Then the LORD appeared again in Shiloh;
3) 1 Sam 3:21b {p} The LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

1 Sam 3 takes place while Samuel is still a boy. The word of the LORD was rare in those days before Samuel was called. He is really the first prophet since Moses and Joshua to act in that office.

Now the phrase, “Samuel did not know the LORD” (1 Sam 3:7) is interesting. Samuel was dedicated to the LORD from his mother’s womb. But until he himself was called by the LORD, and responded with a submissive heart, he did not know the LORD personally. God does not have grandchildren!

When Samuel heard the voice of the LORD, it was so loud to his perception that he thought Eli had called him, although no one else heard anything. God is able to make His voice known and heard to His people. What if you don’t hear the LORD’s voice, but want to? I would follow Samuel’s example, and ask the LORD, with a submitted heart (for God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble, (Jam 4:6-8) to “Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears.” And then while you are waiting to hear, read the written Word of God and meditate on it, and do it, which is the definition of hearing (hearing so as to act) in Hebrew. The Word of God is God’s voice, written down. Jesus said, he who is faithful in a little, will also be faithful in much (Luk 16:10). So start with the voice of the LORD for every man written down and recorded in the Bible, and show the LORD that you are faithful to hear His voice and obey it. If you then do hear someone speaking to you, how will you know it is God? God will never say anything that contradicts His written word. Do you see how important it is to know what is in your Bible, front to back? It will preserve you from being deceived and led astray.

Then in 1 Sam 4, Samuel by this time is an adult. But Eli is still the high priest, and his sons were still in their office, in spite of all the warning that the LORD had sent to Eli. It seems that it was their hair- brained idea to bring the ark of God from the tabernacle to the battle, and Eli, once again, did not restrain them.

The first time Israel was defeated before the Philistines, and they asked the LORD why they had been defeated, do you notice that they did not listen for the answer (1 Sam 4:3)? They just assumed that they were defeated because they did not have the ark with them. In all previous times, no matter the battles Israel was facing, the ark stayed where it was supposed to be, in the Holy of Holies. But when Israel repented and their heart was right, God granted them victory over their enemies.

The things of God that belonged in the Tabernacle are not magic charms – but to those whose heart is far from the LORD, they might seem like such, as they did to the sons of Eli. God is not a tame lion! But, He is good, and all His judgments are just!