The account of this verse shows how God’s revelation can break through times of scarcity, raising up new leadership to guide and serve His people.
Throughout the early service of the prophet Samuel, we read the words, “Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli. And word from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent.” (v.1) This description sets the stage in Shiloh, which was located in the hills of Ephraim, approximately 20 miles north of Jerusalem. There, the Ark of the Covenant was housed in the Tabernacle, and worship was administered under the high priest Eli, who guided Samuel’s early ministry. Samuel fits into the broader biblical timeline as the last judge of Israel, traditionally placed around 1100 BC. He was chosen by God to bridge the period between the judges—like Deborah and Gideon—and the establishment of Israel’s monarchy under Saul and later David (1 Samuel 9:1-2).
When the text proclaims that “word from the LORD was rare in those days” and “visions were infrequent,” (v.1) it hints at a time of spiritual drought, where direct revelations from God were uncommon and the people largely walked in their own ways. Young Samuel’s faithful service before the LORD during such conditions demonstrates that God’s voice, while quiet at times, is never fully absent. His raised-up prophets, starting with Samuel, foreshadow the ultimate revelation of God through Jesus Christ, who is the embodiment of divine communication (John 1:14). Samuel’s calling thus marks a pivotal turning point from spiritual silence to renewed prophetic vision, underscored by upcoming events where he will hear God’s voice personally.
God’s persistent plan to speak to those who serve Him wholeheartedly underlines this verse. Though the environment was bleak, and although Eli’s household would soon face judgment, the LORD was preparing Samuel to be His mouthpiece. Just as God’s Word remains a lamp to guide His people (Psalm 119:105), Samuel’s ministry will provide fresh illumination in a time of dire need.
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1 Samuel 3:1 meaning
Throughout the early service of the prophet Samuel, we read the words, “Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli. And word from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent.” (v.1) This description sets the stage in Shiloh, which was located in the hills of Ephraim, approximately 20 miles north of Jerusalem. There, the Ark of the Covenant was housed in the Tabernacle, and worship was administered under the high priest Eli, who guided Samuel’s early ministry. Samuel fits into the broader biblical timeline as the last judge of Israel, traditionally placed around 1100 BC. He was chosen by God to bridge the period between the judges—like Deborah and Gideon—and the establishment of Israel’s monarchy under Saul and later David (1 Samuel 9:1-2).
When the text proclaims that “word from the LORD was rare in those days” and “visions were infrequent,” (v.1) it hints at a time of spiritual drought, where direct revelations from God were uncommon and the people largely walked in their own ways. Young Samuel’s faithful service before the LORD during such conditions demonstrates that God’s voice, while quiet at times, is never fully absent. His raised-up prophets, starting with Samuel, foreshadow the ultimate revelation of God through Jesus Christ, who is the embodiment of divine communication (John 1:14). Samuel’s calling thus marks a pivotal turning point from spiritual silence to renewed prophetic vision, underscored by upcoming events where he will hear God’s voice personally.
God’s persistent plan to speak to those who serve Him wholeheartedly underlines this verse. Though the environment was bleak, and although Eli’s household would soon face judgment, the LORD was preparing Samuel to be His mouthpiece. Just as God’s Word remains a lamp to guide His people (Psalm 119:105), Samuel’s ministry will provide fresh illumination in a time of dire need.