Samuel woke with reluctance but carried out this initial test of delivering the truth in obedience.
“So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. But Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.” (v.15)
Here we see the young boy Samuel faithfully serving under Eli the priest in the tabernacle at Shiloh, a religious center in the hill country of Ephraim around the 11th century BC. Despite receiving a weighty revelation from the LORD about judgment on Eli’s house, Samuel continues his customary early-morning tasks, opening the doors of the LORD’s dwelling place. This gesture underscores how Samuel dutifully carried on with ordinary service immediately after experiencing the extraordinary call of God, which was a rare occurrence in Israel at that time (1 Samuel 3:1). Even at a young age, Samuel demonstrated obedience, though the content of his vision brought him trembling fear.
That fear was rooted in God’s message of impending judgment against Eli’s family. Telling Eli—an older priest who held spiritual authority—about a dire word from the LORD took considerable courage. The verse portrays Samuel’s humanity: he was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. (v.15) Yet he would soon reveal what he heard, marking him as a prophet who interceded for the people and spoke on God’s behalf. His lifelong ministry would guide Israel in her transition from the period of judges to the appointment of her first king, Saul, around 1050 BC. Samuel’s faithful response to the LORD here foreshadows his role as one who consistently heard God, obeyed Him, and ultimately guided the nation (1 Samuel 7:15; 1 Samuel 8:1).
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1 Samuel 3:15 meaning
“So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. But Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.” (v.15)
Here we see the young boy Samuel faithfully serving under Eli the priest in the tabernacle at Shiloh, a religious center in the hill country of Ephraim around the 11th century BC. Despite receiving a weighty revelation from the LORD about judgment on Eli’s house, Samuel continues his customary early-morning tasks, opening the doors of the LORD’s dwelling place. This gesture underscores how Samuel dutifully carried on with ordinary service immediately after experiencing the extraordinary call of God, which was a rare occurrence in Israel at that time (1 Samuel 3:1). Even at a young age, Samuel demonstrated obedience, though the content of his vision brought him trembling fear.
That fear was rooted in God’s message of impending judgment against Eli’s family. Telling Eli—an older priest who held spiritual authority—about a dire word from the LORD took considerable courage. The verse portrays Samuel’s humanity: he was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. (v.15) Yet he would soon reveal what he heard, marking him as a prophet who interceded for the people and spoke on God’s behalf. His lifelong ministry would guide Israel in her transition from the period of judges to the appointment of her first king, Saul, around 1050 BC. Samuel’s faithful response to the LORD here foreshadows his role as one who consistently heard God, obeyed Him, and ultimately guided the nation (1 Samuel 7:15; 1 Samuel 8:1).