Start by reading I Samuel 2:27-36.
It is a prophecy. What is the significance of this prophecy? What do you think is about to happen in the story?
Let's identify the "man of God" who delivers the prophecy to Eli. Look at the commentaries below.
(27) A man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus said the LORD: Lo, I revealed Myself to your father’s house in Egypt when they were subject to the House of Pharaoh,
(כז) ויבא איש אלקים . זה אלקנה :
(11th Cent. France)
"And there came a man of God"...
This is Elkanah (Samuel's father)
(כז) ויבא איש האלקים אל עלי . אמרו שהוא אלקנה אולי היה זה מקובל אצלם והנה לא מצאנו לו נבואה במקום אחר ואפשר שנא' כי הוא פנחס כמו הענין בנבואות הנזכרות בס' שופטים ...
(14th Cent. France)
"And there came a man of God"...
They (meaning the sages) say this was Elkanah. Maybe this (idea) was accepted by them. But, he (Elkanah) never prophesies any other place (in the Bible). It's possible he (the man of God) was Pinchas as the matter of his prophecy was mentioned in the Book of Judges...
Dr. Robert Alter
(20th Cent. America)
"And there came a man of God"...
This enunciation of a curse on the house Eli, at the very beginning of the Samuel Story, is introduced at precisely the corresponding place in the narrative as the denunciation and admonition of the divine messenger at the beginning of Judges (Chap. 2). An analogous curse will be pronounced by Nathan the prophet on the house of David (2 Samuel 12) and will be enacted in the subsequent narrative.
According to Rashi (11th cent. France) who is the "man of God"? How does this add intrigue to our story?
According to Ralbag (14th cent. France) who is the "man of God"? Why does Ralbag disagree with Rashi? Do you think Ralbag makes a good point? Why or why not?
Dr. Alter (20th cent. America) recognizes a pattern in the books of Samuel. What is the pattern and how does it add significance to our story?
Now read I Samuel 3:1-18. Let's see if these verses support the prophecy that Eli's house is about to fall.
(א) וְהַנַּ֧עַר שְׁמוּאֵ֛ל מְשָׁרֵ֥ת אֶת־יי לִפְנֵ֣י עֵלִ֑י וּדְבַר־יי הָיָ֤ה יָקָר֙ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם אֵ֥ין חָז֖וֹן נִפְרָֽץ׃ (ס) (ב) וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא וְעֵלִ֖י שֹׁכֵ֣ב בִּמְקֹמ֑וֹ ועינו [וְעֵינָיו֙] הֵחֵ֣לּוּ כֵה֔וֹת לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִרְאֽוֹת׃ (ג) וְנֵ֤ר אֱלֹקִים֙ טֶ֣רֶם יִכְבֶּ֔ה וּשְׁמוּאֵ֖ל שֹׁכֵ֑ב בְּהֵיכַ֣ל יי אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֖ם אֲר֥וֹן אֱלֹקִֽים׃ (פ)
(1) Young Samuel was in the service of the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; prophecy was not widespread. (2) One day, Eli was asleep in his usual place; his eyes had become bleary and he could barely see. (3) The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD where the Ark of God was.
How many references to sight, light or darkness are in the passage above?
Who sees and who is blind?
How do these verses relate to the prophecy against Eli that immediately precedes this chapter?
Now let's examine the first thing we hear Samuel say in the story. Others have spoken about him, but this is the first time he speaks in the text. Where else in the Bible has someone said the exact same thing?
(4) The LORD called out to Samuel, and he answered, “Here I am.”
(א) וַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְהָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים נִסָּ֖ה אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃ (ב) וַיֹּ֡אמֶר קַח־נָ֠א אֶת־בִּנְךָ֨ אֶת־יְחִֽידְךָ֤ אֲשֶׁר־אָהַ֙בְתָּ֙ אֶת־יִצְחָ֔ק וְלֶךְ־לְךָ֔ אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּ֑ה וְהַעֲלֵ֤הוּ שָׁם֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה עַ֚ל אַחַ֣ד הֶֽהָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֹמַ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃
(1) Some time afterward, God put Abraham to the test. He said to him, “Abraham,” and he answered, “Here I am.” (2) And He said, “Take your son, your favored one, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the heights that I will point out to you.”
(1) So Israel set out with all that was his, and he came to Beer-sheba, where he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. (2) God called to Israel in a vision by night: “Jacob! Jacob!” He answered, “Here I am.” (3) And He said, “I am God, the God of your father. Fear not to go down to Egypt, for I will make you there into a great nation. (4) I Myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I Myself will also bring you back; and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.”
(3) Moses said, “I must turn aside to look at this marvelous sight; why doesn’t the bush burn up?” (4) When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him out of the bush: “Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Here I am.”
(6) Assuredly, My people shall learn My name, Assuredly [they shall learn] on that day That I, the One who promised, here I am now at hand.
Beyond their plain meaning, what do the words, "Here I am" signify in the Bible? Consider what all these stories and speakers have in common. What is happening for them in the narrative when they say, "Here I am"?
Notice that in the quote from Isaiah, God is the one saying, "Here I am". The context is God calling to the people to awaken and throw off the shackles of their captors. What do you make of God saying, "Here I am" in this moment?
What is the significance that the first words we hear Samuel speak are, "Here I am?"
Who does Samuel think he is answering when he says, "Here I am"? Does this change the significance of Samuel saying, "Here I am"? Why or why not?
Reread verses 5 through 10.
(ה) וַיָּ֣רָץ אֶל־עֵלִ֗י וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הִנְנִי֙ כִּֽי־קָרָ֣אתָ לִּ֔י וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לֹֽא־קָרָ֖אתִי שׁ֣וּב שְׁכָ֑ב וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ וַיִּשְׁכָּֽב׃ (ס) (ו) וַיֹּ֣סֶף יי קְרֹ֣א עוֹד֮ שְׁמוּאֵל֒ וַיָּ֤קָם שְׁמוּאֵל֙ וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אֶל־עֵלִ֔י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הִנְנִ֔י כִּ֥י קָרָ֖אתָ לִ֑י וַיֹּ֛אמֶר לֹֽא־קָרָ֥אתִי בְנִ֖י שׁ֥וּב שְׁכָֽב׃ (ז) וּשְׁמוּאֵ֕ל טֶ֖רֶם יָדַ֣ע אֶת־יי וְטֶ֛רֶם יִגָּלֶ֥ה אֵלָ֖יו דְּבַר־יי (ח) וַיֹּ֨סֶף יי קְרֹא־שְׁמוּאֵל֮ בַּשְּׁלִשִׁית֒ וַיָּ֙קָם֙ וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אֶל־עֵלִ֔י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הִנְנִ֔י כִּ֥י קָרָ֖אתָ לִ֑י וַיָּ֣בֶן עֵלִ֔י כִּ֥י יי קֹרֵ֥א לַנָּֽעַר׃ (ט) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר עֵלִ֣י לִשְׁמוּאֵל֮ לֵ֣ךְ שְׁכָב֒ וְהָיָה֙ אִם־יִקְרָ֣א אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙ דַּבֵּ֣ר יי כִּ֥י שֹׁמֵ֖עַ עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בִּמְקוֹמֽוֹ׃ (י) וַיָּבֹ֤א יי וַיִּתְיַצַּ֔ב וַיִּקְרָ֥א כְפַֽעַם־בְּפַ֖עַם שְׁמוּאֵ֣ל ׀ שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ דַּבֵּ֔ר כִּ֥י שֹׁמֵ֖עַ עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ (פ)
(5) He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But he replied, “I didn’t call you; go back to sleep.” So he went back and lay down. (6) Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” Samuel rose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But he replied, “I didn’t call, my son; go back to sleep.”— (7) Now Samuel had not yet experienced the LORD; the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.— (8) The LORD called Samuel again, a third time, and he rose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the boy. (9) And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down. If you are called again, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.’” And Samuel went to his place and lay down. (10) The LORD came, and stood there, and He called as before: “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”
Which of the five senses is emphasized in these verses? How does this differ from the sense emphasized in the previous verses?
What is the significance of Eli calling Samuel his son? What does this do to support the prophecy at the end of chapter two?
Eli's sons are the ones guilty of poor behavior, but now let's examine Eli's role in their behavior.
(יג) וְהִגַּ֣דְתִּי ל֔וֹ כִּֽי־שֹׁפֵ֥ט אֲנִ֛י אֶת־בֵּית֖וֹ עַד־עוֹלָ֑ם בַּעֲוֺ֣ן אֲשֶׁר־יָדַ֗ע כִּֽי־מְקַֽלְלִ֤ים לָהֶם֙ בָּנָ֔יו וְלֹ֥א כִהָ֖ה בָּֽם׃
(13) And I declare to him that I sentence his house to endless punishment for the iniquity he knew about—how his sons committed sacrilege at will—and he did not restrain them.
Dr. Robert Alter
"He did not restrain them."
The Hebrew kihah occurs only here as a transitive verb (a verb that can take a direct object) in the pi'el conjunjugation, though it is fairly common as an intransitive verb (an action verb like go or sit that does not take a direct object) in the qal conjugation, meaning "to grow weak or become dark", or as with the eyes of Eli in 3:2 The transitive sense of the verb would the be something like, "to incapacitate," to prevent someone from doing something. It's unusual usages in this sentence is obviously meant to align Eli's failing in parental authority with the failing of his sight.
Dr. Alter is pointing out the verb describing Eli's actions as a father is written in an unusual form. That means the text is trying to tell us something significant. The text is connecting verses 3:2 and 3:13. What connection do you see?
God also holds Eli accountable for his sons' actions. Do you agree or disagree with this? Why or why not?
What metaphor does the text continue to draw on?
Now let's see how Eli reacts to Samuel after Samuel spoke to God.
(טז) וַיִּקְרָ֤א עֵלִי֙ אֶת־שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וַיֹּ֖אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֣ל בְּנִ֑י וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃ (יז) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מָ֤ה הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ אַל־נָ֥א תְכַחֵ֖ד מִמֶּ֑נִּי כֹּ֣ה יַעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֤ אֱלֹקִים֙ וְכֹ֣ה יוֹסִ֔יף אִם־תְּכַחֵ֤ד מִמֶּ֙נִּי֙ דָּבָ֔ר מִכָּל־הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ (יח) וַיַּגֶּד־ל֤וֹ שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א כִחֵ֖ד מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וַיֹּאמַ֕ר יי ה֔וּא הַטּ֥וֹב בְּעֵינָ֖ו יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃
(16) but Eli summoned Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son”; and he answered, “Here.” (17) And [Eli] asked, “What did He say to you? Hide nothing from me. Thus and more may God do to you if you hide from me a single word of all that He said to you!” (18) Samuel then told him everything, withholding nothing from him. And [Eli] said, “He is the LORD; He will do what He deems right.”
Why is Eli concerned that Samuel will hide something from him? In order for Samuel to be able to hide something, which of Eli's senses must be weak?
What do you think of Samuel withholding nothing about his conversation with God from Eli? What is motivating him to share this information?
What do you make of Eli's reaction when Samuel shares what God said?