Year of the Bible
1 Samuel 3
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Commentary on The First Book of Samuel, Chapter 3:
After contrasting the growth of vice in Eli’s sons to the growth in virtue of Samuel (chapter 2), our narrator explains the overall spiritual situation in Israel: there is a lack of hearing from God. This spiritual darkness is reflected materially in the failing eyesight of high priest Eli, and it is now time for God to call His next leader, Samuel. Although Eli initially misinterprets what is happening, eventually Samuel’s persistence in responding to God is fulfilled. Samuel speaks his first prophetic words when he explains to Eli why the next leader will not be one of Eli’s sons. Samuel becomes recognized as God’s prophet throughout the Kingdom, from Dan in the far north to Beersheba at the southern border.
The Fist Book of Samuel, Chapter 3:
The Lord Calls Samuel
3 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.
2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place; 3 the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down within the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the LORD called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. 6 And the LORD called again, “Samuel!” And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. 8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 And the LORD came and stood forth, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” 11 Then the LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel, at which the two ears of every one that hears it will tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfil against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 And I tell him that I am about to punish his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering for ever.”
15 Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. 16 But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” 17 And Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the LORD; let him do what seems good to him.”
Samuel’s Prophecy and the Capture of the Ark of God
19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD. 21 And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
After hearing his name called four times in the night, Samuel finally greets the One who called and beautifully responds with the words prompted by Eli…only to hear the hard truth that Eli’s family is condemned because of their disrespect of God. Ouch. Is there a hard truth from You, Jesus, that I need to hear, acknowledge and, just perhaps, tell others I am afraid of? Please speak, Lord, for your servant is really listening!
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan. Join a Catholic Biblical School of Michigan class this September at Holy Family in Grand Blanc or online.
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further.
1 El joven Samuel seguía sirviendo al Señor
junto a Elí. En aquel tiempo la palabra
del Señor era escasa y las visiones no
eran frecuentes.
2 Un día, Elí estaba acostado en su
aposento, sus ojos se iban debilitando
y apenas podía ver; 3 la lámpara de Dios
todavía no se había apagado y Samuel
estaba acostado en el Santuario del Señor
donde estaba el arca de Dios. 4 Entonces
el Señor le llamó:
–¡Samuel, Samuel!
Él respondió:
–Aquí estoy.
5 Y corrió hasta Elí y le dijo:
–Aquí estoy porque me has llamado.
Pero Elí le respondió:
–No te he llamado. Vuelve a acostarte.
Y fue a acostarse. 6 El Señor lo llamó
de nuevo:
–¡Samuel!
Se levantó, fue hasta Elí y le dijo:
–Aquí estoy porque me has llamado.
Pero Elí contestó:
–No te he llamado, hijo mío. Vuelve
a acostarte 7 –Samuel todavía no reconocía
al Señor, pues aún no se le había
revelado la palabra del Señor.
8 Volvió a llamar el Señor por tercera
vez a Samuel. Él se levantó, fue hasta
Elí y le dijo:
–Aquí estoy porque me has llamado.
Comprendió entonces Elí que era el
Señor quien llamaba al joven, 9 y le dijo:
–Vuelve a acostarte y si te llaman dirás:
«Habla, Señor, que tu siervo escucha
».
Samuel se fue y se acostó en su aposento.
10 Vino el Señor, se presentó y le
llamó como otras veces:
–¡Samuel, Samuel!
Respondió Samuel:
–Habla, que tu siervo escucha.
11 Y le dijo el Señor:
–Voy a hacer en Israel algo que a
quienes lo oigan les zumbarán los oídos.
12 Aquel día cumpliré en Elí todo lo que
había prometido contra su casa, desde
el principio hasta el fin. 13 Le hago saber
que voy a condenar a su casa para siempre
porque él sabía que sus hijos maldecían
a Dios y no les reprendió. 14 Por
eso, juro a la casa de Elí que no se expiará
jamás su culpa ni con sacrificio ni
con ofrenda.
15 Samuel siguió acostado hasta la
mañana y luego abrió las puertas de la
Casa del Señor. Samuel temía contar a
Elí la visión, 16 pero Elí le llamó:
–¡Samuel, hijo mío!
Él respondió:
–Aquí estoy.
17 Elí le preguntó:
–¿Qué te ha dicho? No me ocultes
nada. Que Dios te haga esto y aquello
te añada si me ocultas una palabra de lo
que te ha dicho.
18 Entonces Samuel le contó todo sin
ocultar nada. Elí le dijo:
–Es el Señor. Que haga lo que considere
mejor.
19 Samuel crecía y el Señor estaba con
él; ninguna de sus palabras cayó en vacío.
20 Todo Israel, desde Dan hasta Berseba,
supo que en verdad Samuel era un
profeta del Señor.
21 El Señor siguió manifestándose en
Siló porque allí era donde se revelaba a
Samuel.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
Después de escuchar su nombre cuatro veces en la noche, Samuel finalmente saluda a Aquel que lo llamó y responde bellamente con las palabras impulsadas por Elí... sólo para escuchar la dura verdad de que la familia de Elí está condenada por su falta de respeto a Dios. Ouch. ¿Hay alguna verdad dura de tu parte, Jesús, que necesito escuchar, reconocer y, tal vez, decirle a otros que tengo miedo? Por favor, habla, Señor, porque tu siervo te está escuchando de verdad.
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).