God Calls Samuel
A boy hears his name in the night
This story includes the corrupt behavior of priests — abuse of their position and taking advantage of people who came to worship — and God's response to it.
Two things you can tap
- A verse number shows the Bible’s exact words.
- An underlined word shows what it means.
Story
What happened?
Tap a verse number, like , to read the Bible’s exact words.
Who’s who and what came beforePeople, places, and the story so far. Open it anytime.
Scene Card
Cast
- Samuel: A boy who lives and works at the house of the LORD in Shiloh. His mother, Hannah, prayed for him and gave him to serve God there. The Bible doesn't give his age.
- Eli: The old priest at Shiloh. A priest leads worship and offers sacrifices for the people. Eli's eyes have grown so dim that he cannot see.
- The LORD: God, who calls Samuel by name in the night.
Setting
- The house of the LORD at Shiloh, a town in the hills of central Israel. The ark of God is kept there. A lamp burns inside through the night.
When
- Night, and then the next morning. This was more than 1,000 years before Jesus, before Israel had a king.
Before the Story
Hannah prayed for a son. For years she had no children. This made Hannah deeply sad. At Shiloh she prayed to the LORD and promised to give her son back to God (1:11). LORD in capital letters stands for God's personal name. Jewish readers traditionally don't say it aloud, out of respect. God gave her a son, Samuel. When he was still young, she brought him to Shiloh to serve with Eli (1:24-28).
Eli's sons were doing wrong. Hophni and Phinehas were priests too. Their servant grabbed meat from people's offerings before the fat was burned for God. He threatened to take it by force from people who objected (2:13-16). They did other wrongs as well (2:22). The Bible says they "were treating the LORD's offering with contempt" (2:17). Eli scolded them, but they did not stop (2:23-25).
God had already warned Eli. A man of God came and told Eli that God would judge his family (2:27-36).
Here's what you know that almost nobody in this story knows: Samuel will become a great prophet. A prophet is someone God speaks through.
Map of the Story
| Scene | Verses | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. A quiet night | 3:1-3 | Samuel and Eli are lying down. God's word is rare |
| 2. "Here I am" | 3:4-7 | Samuel hears his name and runs to Eli, twice |
| 3. The third time | 3:8-10 | Eli understands. Samuel answers the LORD |
| 4. A hard message | 3:11-14 | God tells Samuel what will happen to Eli's family |
| 5. Morning | 3:15-18 | Samuel is afraid to tell Eli. Eli asks anyway |
| 6. Samuel grows | 3:19-21 | The LORD is with Samuel, and all Israel knows it |
Plain Retelling
Scene 1 of 6A Quiet Night
The lamp of God was still burning. It was late at night, and the house of the LORD at Shiloh was dark and still.
Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD, where the ark of God was kept. The ark was a gold-covered chest. It was the sign that God was with his people.
Eli was lying down in his own room. He was old, and his eyes were so weak that he could not see.
Samuel had grown up here, serving the LORD under Eli. His family lived in Ramah (2:11). Each year his mother, Hannah, came to Shiloh for the yearly sacrifice. She brought him a little robe she had made (2:19).
In those days, "the word of the LORD was rare and visions were scarce" (3:1). God was not speaking to people often. A vision is something God shows a person, often in a dream or while awake.
Scene 2 of 6"Here I Am"
Then the LORD called Samuel.
Samuel answered, "Here I am" (3:4). He got up and ran to Eli.
"Here I am," Samuel said. "You called me."
"I did not call," Eli said. "Go back and lie down." So Samuel went back and lay down.
The LORD called again. "Samuel!" (3:6).
Samuel got up again and went to Eli. "Here I am. You called me."
"My son, I did not call," Eli said. "Go back and lie down."
Why didn't Samuel know it was God? The Bible tells us. "Samuel did not yet know the LORD" (3:7). God had never spoken to him before. Samuel served God at Shiloh. But he had never heard God's voice. So he thought the voice was Eli's.
Scene 3 of 6The Third Time
The LORD called Samuel a third time. Samuel got up and went to Eli again. "Here I am. You called me."
This time, Eli understood. The LORD was calling the boy.
Eli told Samuel what to do. "Go and lie down. If he calls you again, say, 'Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening'" (3:9).
Samuel went back and lay down in his place.
Then the LORD came and stood there. He called as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" (3:10).
Samuel answered, "Speak, for Your servant is listening" (3:10).
A servant is someone who works for a master and does what the master says. Samuel was telling God that he was ready to hear.
Scene 4 of 6A Hard Message
The LORD spoke to Samuel. God said he was about to do something in Israel that would shock everyone who heard about it. God said it would make their ears "tingle" (3:11). This is a comparison. People would be deeply shocked when they heard the news.
God said he would do everything he had warned Eli about. He would judge Eli's family forever.
God gave the reason. Eli's sons had "blasphemed God," and Eli knew it. "He did not restrain them" (3:13). To blaspheme is to treat God with disrespect. To restrain is to stop someone.
Then God said something even harder. He had made a promise, called an oath. "The iniquity of Eli's house shall never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering" (3:14). Iniquity means sin. Atoned for means made right with God. Eli's family could not fix this with any sacrifice.
This was God's first message to Samuel. It was a message of judgment.
Scene 5 of 6Morning
Samuel lay in bed until morning. Then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD.
Samuel was afraid to tell Eli what he had heard. The Bible does not say more about why. But remember: Samuel had lived and served with Eli since he was small.
Eli called him. "Samuel, my son."
"Here I am," answered Samuel (3:16).
"What did God tell you?" Eli asked. "Don't hide it from me." Then Eli used a strong old saying. He asked God to punish Samuel severely if Samuel hid anything.
So Samuel told Eli everything. He did not hide a thing.
Eli answered, "He is the LORD" (3:18). "Let Him do what is good in His eyes" (3:18).
Scene 6 of 6Samuel Grows
Samuel grew up, "and the LORD was with him" (3:19).
Everything God told Samuel to say came true. The Bible says God "let none of Samuel's words fall to the ground" (3:19). This is a comparison. None of his words were wasted or failed.
All Israel knew that Samuel was a true prophet of the LORD. People knew it from Dan in the far north to Beersheba in the far south.
The LORD kept showing himself at Shiloh. He spoke to Samuel there by his word.
At the start of this story, God's word was rare. Now God was speaking again. God started by calling a boy in the night. That boy did not yet know God.
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "The word of the LORD was rare" (3:1) | God was not speaking to his people much. People rarely heard from God in those years. |
| "Before the lamp of God had gone out" (3:3) | The lamp burned all night until morning. It had not gone out yet, so it was still night, before dawn. |
| "Here I am" (3:4) | This means "I'm ready. I'm listening." Samuel says it five times in this chapter. |
| "Samuel did not yet know the LORD" (3:7) | Samuel served God, but God had never spoken to him. Samuel was not doing anything wrong. God had not yet chosen to speak to him. |
| "Speak, for Your servant is listening" (3:10) | Samuel was ready to hear God and do what God said. Eli taught him these words. |
| "The ears of all who hear it will tingle" (3:11) | This is a comparison. People would be deeply shocked when they heard the news. |
| "He did not restrain them" (3:13) | Eli scolded his sons (2:23-25), but he did not stop them. God held Eli responsible for that. |
| "Let Him do what is good in His eyes" (3:18) | Eli accepted God's word. He did not argue or try to bargain. |
Back Then
Shiloh was Israel's worship center. The tabernacle, God's holy tent, was set up there after Israel came into the land. The ark of the covenant was kept there too. (Easton's Bible Dictionary)
The lamp burned from evening until morning. God's law said the priests should keep the lamps burning through the night (Exodus 27:21).
Samuel wore a linen ephod. An ephod was a linen garment worn by priests and others serving God (2:18). (Easton's Bible Dictionary)
"From Dan to Beersheba" meant the whole land. Dan was a town in the far north of Israel. Beersheba was in the far south. (Smith's Bible Dictionary)
Literal Reader Alert
Does God talk out loud to people today? Samuel heard God call his name. That was special, even back then. The Bible says God's word was "rare" (3:1). Most people in the Bible never heard God's voice this way. Today, Lutherans teach that God speaks to us through his Word, the Bible. God also speaks through the sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. The Bible says, "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17). When the Bible is read and preached, God is speaking to you. You don't have to wait for a voice in the night. Some Christians believe God also speaks in other ways today. All Christians agree that God's clearest word is Jesus.
What if I hear voices? You are not alone, and you are not bad. Hearing voices does not mean God is angry with you. Please tell someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, teacher, or other trusted adult. They can help you talk to a doctor. Getting help is not a lack of faith. God often cares for us through other people. If a voice ever tells you to hurt yourself or someone else, do not obey it. God's Word teaches us to protect life, our own and other people's. Tell someone right away. If you are in danger, call 911 or your local emergency number. In the United States, you can also call or text 988 any time, day or night. Outside the United States, findahelpline.com lists free helplines.
Why was God's message so harsh? Christians have struggled with this passage for a long time. Eli's sons abused their power as priests. They took from people who came to worship, and they treated God's offering with contempt (2:17). Eli knew, and he did not stop them (3:13). The Bible does not explain everything about God's judgment here. Luther taught that when God seems frightening, we should look to Jesus. Jesus shows us most clearly who God is.
Was Samuel in trouble for not knowing God? No. The Bible says the word of the LORD "had not yet been revealed to him" (3:7). Samuel did not know God's voice because God had not spoken to him yet. God kept calling until Samuel understood.
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Samuel | Confused | He heard his name, but Eli said he had not called (3:5-6) |
| Eli | Understanding | After the third time, he realized it was the LORD (3:8) |
| Samuel | Afraid | He had to tell Eli a hard message about Eli's own family (3:15) |
| Eli | Accepting | He said the LORD should do what is good in his eyes (3:18) |
| All Israel | Trusting | They knew Samuel was a true prophet of the LORD (3:20) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
How do you feel about hearing from God? Tap one.
I don't know God yet
Samuel didn't either (3:7). God called him anyway, again and again, until Samuel understood. God does not give up on you.
I'm not sure it's God
Samuel wasn't sure either. He needed Eli's help. It's good to ask a pastor or trusted adult. God speaks clearly in the Bible.
I feel alone at night
Samuel was lying alone at night when God called his name. God knows your name too.
I have hard news to share
Samuel was afraid to tell Eli. He told the truth anyway and did not hide anything (3:18). Someone you trust can help you share hard news.
It's really bad right now
Please tell a trusted adult today. In the U.S., call or text 988. If you are in danger, call 911 or your local emergency number. Outside the U.S., findahelpline.com lists free helplines.
You Might Have Heard
"If you listen hard enough, God will speak to you like he spoke to Samuel."
What's true: Listening to God is good. Samuel's words are a good prayer: "Speak, for your servant is listening."
What the story is mainly about: God did the calling. Samuel did not even know it was God. He ran to the wrong person three times. God did not give up. He kept calling Samuel by name until Samuel could answer. The listening came after God spoke, and Eli had to help.
Where Jesus is: The Bible says, "God spoke to our fathers through the prophets. But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son" (Hebrews 1:1-2). Jesus is God's clearest word to us. Jesus also said, "My sheep listen to My voice" (John 10:27). Later, the Bible describes Jesus growing up much like Samuel did. Jesus "grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man" (Luke 2:52). Samuel "continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with man" (1 Samuel 2:26).
Good News
Samuel did not know God yet. God called him anyway. God did not wait for Samuel to figure it out. He called again, and again, and again.
God's message against Eli's house was hard. The message said no sacrifice could make up for the sin of Eli's house (3:14). The Bible later gives a different message about Jesus. "He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:2). Where our sacrifices fail, Jesus gives himself.
The Holy Spirit still calls people today through God's Word. In Baptism, God calls you by name. You do not have to find God first. God comes to you, calls your name, and keeps calling until you can hear.
Big Idea
God called Samuel by name until Samuel could answer, and God still speaks to us through his Word.
If this story brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
In the Small Catechism (1529), Luther explains the Third Commandment, about keeping the holy day. He says we should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and his Word. Instead, we should hold it sacred, and gladly hear and learn it. (Small Catechism, Concordia Triglotta English, 1921) In Samuel's time, God's word was rare. Now we can hear it every week in church, and every day in the Bible.
In Church
Many churches follow the Revised Common Lectionary. It reads 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (sometimes through verse 20) on the Second Sunday after the Epiphany in Year B, in January. That Sunday, the Gospel is Jesus calling Philip and Nathanael (John 1:43-51). The same reading is also an option in late May or early June of Year B (Proper 4, also called Lectionary 9).
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
Speak, for Your servant is listening.
How did that feel?