Samuel is eager to serve yet unaware that it is the voice of God calling him.
Samuel once again hears the same heavenly voice. In describing this second call, Scripture says, “The LORD called yet again, ‘Samuel!’ So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me!’ But he answered, ‘I did not call, my son; lie down again.’” (v.6). This verse highlights Samuel’s willingness to be responsive, even though he still does not recognize that God is the one speaking. Samuel, who was probably still a young boy around 1100 BC, hurried to Eli, the priest in charge of the tabernacle at Shiloh. Geographically, Shiloh lay in the territory of Ephraim, north of Jerusalem, and served as Israel’s central place of worship for many years before Jerusalem rose to prominence. Eli’s role in Israel’s history spanned toward the end of the time of the judges, setting the stage for the emergence of prophets and kings, as Samuel would eventually anoint Israel’s first kings, Saul and then David.
When Eli responds, “I did not call, my son; lie down again,” (v.6) we see a wise leader trying to guide Samuel without realizing the deeper reality of the moment. Eli, whose priestly service dates back to earlier decades of the eleventh century BC, is depicted in this passage as physically present yet spiritually unperceptive. Despite his long service to God, it takes several calls for Eli to grasp that the voice addressing Samuel is from the LORD. This teaches us that hearing God’s voice often requires spiritual discernment, and sometimes those who are well acquainted with religious tradition still need repeated encounters to fully recognize God’s direct work. In the New Testament, Jesus says that His sheep know His voice, which underscores God’s desire to communicate personally to His people (John 10:27).
In again calling Samuel, the Lord demonstrates His patience and determination to speak to those He has chosen. We see that God often calls repeatedly when humans do not immediately understand or respond correctly. The dramatic moment in this verse paves the way for Samuel’s eventual recognition of God’s voice and his commission as a prophet.
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1 Samuel 3:6 meaning
Samuel once again hears the same heavenly voice. In describing this second call, Scripture says, “The LORD called yet again, ‘Samuel!’ So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me!’ But he answered, ‘I did not call, my son; lie down again.’” (v.6). This verse highlights Samuel’s willingness to be responsive, even though he still does not recognize that God is the one speaking. Samuel, who was probably still a young boy around 1100 BC, hurried to Eli, the priest in charge of the tabernacle at Shiloh. Geographically, Shiloh lay in the territory of Ephraim, north of Jerusalem, and served as Israel’s central place of worship for many years before Jerusalem rose to prominence. Eli’s role in Israel’s history spanned toward the end of the time of the judges, setting the stage for the emergence of prophets and kings, as Samuel would eventually anoint Israel’s first kings, Saul and then David.
When Eli responds, “I did not call, my son; lie down again,” (v.6) we see a wise leader trying to guide Samuel without realizing the deeper reality of the moment. Eli, whose priestly service dates back to earlier decades of the eleventh century BC, is depicted in this passage as physically present yet spiritually unperceptive. Despite his long service to God, it takes several calls for Eli to grasp that the voice addressing Samuel is from the LORD. This teaches us that hearing God’s voice often requires spiritual discernment, and sometimes those who are well acquainted with religious tradition still need repeated encounters to fully recognize God’s direct work. In the New Testament, Jesus says that His sheep know His voice, which underscores God’s desire to communicate personally to His people (John 10:27).
In again calling Samuel, the Lord demonstrates His patience and determination to speak to those He has chosen. We see that God often calls repeatedly when humans do not immediately understand or respond correctly. The dramatic moment in this verse paves the way for Samuel’s eventual recognition of God’s voice and his commission as a prophet.