וְהַנַּעַר שְׁמוּאֵל מְשָׁרֵת אֶת ה' לִפְנֵי עֵלִי וּדְבַר ה' הָיָה יָקָר בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם אֵין חָזוֹן נִפְרָץ

The lad Samuel was serving the Lord before Eli. It can be inferred from the previous section that the House of God did not function in an organized manner. It is also possible that the Levites did not have any defined status at that time. Although Samuel himself was a Levite (see commentary on 1:1), he was sent to the Tabernacle by his mother as a young child, and he served as a personal assistant to Eli the High Priest. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days, in contrast to later historical periods; visions were not widespread. Prophecy was very rare and absent from the public consciousness, which explains the misunderstanding described in the following verses.

וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וְעֵלִי שֹׁכֵב בִּמְקוֹמוֹ וְעֵינָו הֵחֵלּוּ כֵהוֹת לֹא יוּכַל לִרְאוֹת

It was on that day, on a certain day, that Eli was lying in his place, near the Sanctuary; and his eyes had begun to dim; he could not see.

וְנֵר אֱלֹהִים טֶרֶם יִכְבֶּה וּשְׁמוּאֵל שֹׁכֵב בְּהֵיכַל ה' אֲשֶׁר שָׁם אֲרוֹן אֱלֹהִים

The lamp of God was not yet extinguished. As the lamps of the candelabrum were not supposed to be extinguished at night, it is possible that the verse is referring to some other lamp that illuminated the area, which did not have the laws and regulations attributed to the candelabrum. And Samuel was lying in the Sanctuary of the Lord, in which the Ark of God was. Samuel presumably slept in an area of the Sanctuary in which sleep was permitted, rather than in the actual chamber where the Ark of God was situated. According to some commentaries, the phrase “in which the Ark of God was” is not referring to the location where Samuel was sleeping, the subject of the immediate preceding clause, but rather to the location of the lamp. This interpretation is supported by the cantillation of the verse: There is a pause right after the phrase “And Samuel was lying down to sleep,” which indicates that the subsequent clause is not referring to that location. Among other reasons, Samuel lay adjacent to the sanctum because Eli too, was lying in the Sanctuary compound, and it was incumbent upon Samuel to remain near him.

וַיִּקְרָא ה' אֶל שְׁמוּאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי

The Lord called to Samuel by name; and he, Samuel, said: Here I am; I am prepared and ready.

וַיָּרָץ אֶל עֵלִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנְּנִי כִּי קָרָאתָ לִּי וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא קָרָאתִי שׁוּב שְׁכָב וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיִּשְׁכָּב

As Samuel was convinced that it was Eli who had called him, he ran to Eli and said: Here I am, as you called me. He, Eli, said: I did not call you; you are mistaken. Return; lie down again. And he went and lay down.

וַיֹּסֶף ה' קְרֹא עוֹד שְׁמוּאֵל וַיָּקָם שְׁמוּאֵל וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל עֵלִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנְנִי כִּי קָרָאתָ לִי וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא קָרָאתִי בְנִי שׁוּב שְׁכָב

The Lord continued to call again: Samuel. Samuel rose once more and went to Eli, and he said: Here I am, as you called me. On the first occasion, Samuel, as a devoted assistant, immediately rose and ran to Eli. By contrast, this time he was uncertain whether he had heard correctly and whether the voice might be a figment of his imagination. Consequently, he did not run, although he approached Eli again, as he could see by the light of the lamp that no one else could have called him. He, Eli, said: I did not call, my son; perhaps you were dreaming. Return and lie down.

וּשְׁמוּאֵל טֶרֶם יָדַע אֶת ה' וְטֶרֶם יִגָּלֶה אֵלָיו דְּבַר ה'

Samuel had not yet known the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him, and therefore at this stage he was unable to discern the difference between the voice of God and that of Eli, or even from where the voice was coming. Furthermore, as this occurred while Samuel was attempting to sleep, it no doubt made the matter more confusing, as he may not have been fully alert. Moreover, as mentioned in the commentary in verse 1, at that time people did not usually entertain the possibility that they might receive a prophecy.

וַיֹּסֶף ה' קְרֹא שְׁמוּאֵל בַּשְּׁלִשִׁית וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל עֵלִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנְנִי כִּי קָרָאתָ לִי

The Lord continued to call: Samuel, for the third time. He rose and went to Eli, and he said: Here I am, as you called me. After the third occurrence, Eli understood that the Lord was calling the lad, and Samuel was not merely imagining the voice. The elderly Eli was familiar with the concept of prophecy, despite not having merited it himself. He was therefore capable of instructing Samuel of his proper response.

וַיָּבֶן עֵלִי כִּי ה' קֹרֵא לַנָּעַר וַיֹּאמֶר עֵלִי לִשְׁמוּאֵל לֵךְ שְׁכָב וְהָיָה אִם יִקְרָא אֵלֶיךָ וְאָמַרְתָּ דַּבֵּר ה' כִּי שֹׁמֵעַ עַבְדֶּךָ וַיֵּלֶךְ שְׁמוּאֵל וַיִּשְׁכַּב בִּמְקוֹמוֹ

Eli said to Samuel: Go, lie down, and it shall be if He calls you by the same voice, you shall say: Speak, Lord, as Your servant is listening. Samuel went and lay down in his place.

וַיָּבֹא ה' וַיִּתְיַצַּב וַיִּקְרָא כְפַעַם בְּפַעַם שְׁמוּאֵל שְׁמוּאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל דַּבֵּר כִּי שֹׁמֵעַ עַבְדֶּךָ

The Lord came and stood, and He called like the other times, but more vigorously: Samuel, Samuel. Samuel said: Speak, as Your servant is listening.

וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל שְׁמוּאֵל הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי עֹשֶׂה דָבָר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר כָּל שֹׁמְעוֹ תְּצִלֶּינָה שְׁתֵּי אָזְנָיו

Now that Samuel was listening, he was informed of the content of the prophecy. The Lord said to Samuel: Behold, I am performing a matter in Israel that anyone who hears of it, his two ears will tingle. This is an exaggeration, which serves to emphasize the severity of the tragedy: The news will be so terrible that those who hear the report will shudder as though the words are forcibly entering their ears.

בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אָקִים אֶל עֵלִי אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֶל בֵּיתוֹ הָחֵל וְכַלֵּה

On that day, I will fulfill for Eli everything that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.

וְהִגַּדְתִּי לוֹ כִּי שֹׁפֵט אֲנִי אֶת בֵּיתוֹ עַד עוֹלָם בַּעֲוֹן אֲשֶׁר יָדַע כִּי מְקַלְלִים לָהֶם בָּנָיו וְלֹא כִהָה בָּם

I have told him that I am administering judgment upon his house forever for the iniquity that he knew that his sons were belittling themselves; this is a euphemism, i.e., they were belittling God or the Tabernacle through their conduct. Even if they acted appropriately in Eli’s presence, he was certainly aware of their general conduct, and yet he did not rebuke them, and did not prevent them from behaving in that manner.

וְלָכֵן נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְבֵית עֵלִי אִם יִתְכַּפֵּר עֲוֹן בֵּית עֵלִי בְּזֶבַח וּבְמִנְחָה עַד עוֹלָם

Therefore, I have taken an oath concerning the house of Eli that the iniquity of the house of Eli will surely not be atoned for with feast offerings or with meal offerings ever. Even if they bring offerings in the proper manner, they will not escape punishment, as they have profaned the name of God by demeaning the sanctity of the Tabernacle, and such transgressions are not subject to atonement in one’s lifetime.

וַיִּשְׁכַּב שְׁמוּאֵל עַד הַבֹּקֶר וַיִּפְתַּח אֶת דַּלְתוֹת בֵּית ה' וּשְׁמוּאֵל יָרֵא מֵהַגִּיד אֶת הַמַּרְאָה אֶל עֵלִי

Samuel lay until the morning, shaken by the harsh prophecy, and then he opened the doors of the House of the Lord. In the morning, Samuel unlocked the doors to the complex surrounding the Tabernacle, so that visitors could enter and the service could begin. Samuel was fearful of telling the vision to Eli, as the High Priest took care of him, and Samuel honored him and possibly revered him as well.

וַיִּקְרָא עֵלִי אֶת שְׁמוּאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל בְּנִי וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי

Eli summoned Samuel and said: Samuel, my son, and he, Samuel, said: Here I am.

וַיֹּאמֶר מָה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלֶיךָ אַל נָא תְכַחֵד מִמֶּנִּי כֹּה יַעֲשֶׂה לְּךָ אֱלֹהִים וְכֹה יוֹסִיף אִם תְּכַחֵד מִמֶּנִּי דָּבָר מִכָּל הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלֶיךָ

He said: What is the matter of which He, the speaker, whose identity I already know, spoke to you? Please, do not withhold from me. So shall God do to you, and so shall He continue, if you withhold from me anything of all the matters of which He spoke to you. This is a way of encouraging someone to reveal information, as well as a form of oath. Its literal meaning is: Such and such evil will befall you if you refrain from telling me, without an explicit mention of the consequences.

וַיַּגֶּד לוֹ שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים וְלֹא כִחֵד מִמֶּנּוּ וַיֹּאמַר ה' הוּא הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינָו יַעֲשֶׂה

Samuel told him all the matters and did not withhold from him. He, Eli, said: He is the Lord who spoke to you; therefore, that which is good in His eyes, He will do. Eli was familiar with the content of this prophecy even before Samuel’s vision (see 2:27), but now the impending punishment was repeated to him by someone with whom he maintained a close relationship. He understood that in his current state he would have no positive influence upon his sons.

וַיִּגְדַּל שְׁמוּאֵל וַה' הָיָה עִמּוֹ וְלֹא הִפִּיל מִכָּל דְּבָרָיו אָרְצָה

Samuel grew in age and reputation, as it became publicly known he had received a prophecy. It is possible that Eli did not hide this fact from others, and once Samuel became known as a prophet, people would approach him with queries. And the Lord was with him and did not let any of his words fall to the ground. Nothing that Samuel proclaimed was later revealed to be inaccurate. The fulfillment of one’s predictions is the indication that he is a prophet.

וַיֵּדַע כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִדָּן וְעַד בְּאֵר שָׁבַע כִּי נֶאֱמָן שְׁמוּאֵל לְנָבִיא לַה'

All Israel, throughout the Land of Israel, from Dan in the far North to Beersheba in the South, knew that Samuel was faithful and chosen as a true prophet of the Lord.

וַיֹּסֶף ה' לְהֵרָאֹה בְשִׁלֹה כִּי נִגְלָה ה' אֶל שְׁמוּאֵל בְּשִׁלוֹ בִּדְבַר ה'

The Lord continued to appear in Shilo, as the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shilo with the word of the Lord. From this time forward, Samuel received many prophetic visions, some of which he related to private individuals who sought his counsel, while others he relayed to the entire nation and its leaders.