1 Samuel 3:16 kjv
Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.
1 Samuel 3:16 nkjv
Then Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son!" He answered, "Here I am."
1 Samuel 3:16 niv
but Eli called him and said, "Samuel, my son." Samuel answered, "Here I am."
1 Samuel 3:16 esv
But Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son." And he said, "Here I am."
1 Samuel 3:16 nlt
But Eli called out to him, "Samuel, my son." "Here I am," Samuel replied.
1 Samuel 3 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 22:1 | After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” | Abraham's hineni to God's call and test. |
| Exod 3:4 | When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” | Moses' hineni in response to divine calling. |
| Isa 6:8 | And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” | Isaiah's hineni signifying willingness to serve. |
| Act 9:10 | Now there was in Damascus a disciple named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” | Ananias's hineni showing readiness for divine instruction. |
| Gen 46:2 | God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” | Jacob's hineni accepting God's direction. |
| Lev 8:36 | Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord commanded through Moses. | General obedience to divine command. |
| Num 27:18 | So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him..." | Moses establishing successor, echoing Eli/Samuel. |
| Deut 4:1 | “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you... to do them..." | Call to listen and obey divine law. |
| Josh 1:7 | Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law... | Obedience as prerequisite for divine blessing. |
| 1 Sam 3:1 | And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. | Context of scarce divine revelation, amplifying Samuel's experience. |
| 1 Sam 3:10 | And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” | Samuel's prior, decisive spiritual readiness. |
| 1 Sam 3:18 | So Samuel told him everything... and hid nothing from him. And Eli said, “It is the Lord. Let him do what seems good to him.” | Samuel's immediate honesty, Eli's submission to divine will. |
| Jer 1:7 | But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak." | Divine calling of a young prophet like Samuel. |
| Ezek 2:7 | You shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear... | Duty of a prophet to deliver God's message regardless of reception. |
| Psa 119:60 | I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments. | A spirit of immediate obedience. |
| Matt 7:21 | “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father..." | Emphasizes doing, not just acknowledging. |
| Lk 6:46 | “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?" | Hypocrisy of speaking without acting; emphasizes obedience. |
| Jn 14:15 | “If you love me, you will keep my commandments." | Love manifested through obedience. |
| Eph 6:1 | Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. | Principle of honoring and obeying authority figures. |
| Phil 2:22 | But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me... | Timothy as a faithful son/disciple to Paul. |
| 2 Tim 2:15 | Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed... | Importance of diligence and readiness in service to God. |
| Heb 10:7 | Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’ | Christ's perfect hineni to God's will. |
1 Samuel 3 verses
1 Samuel 3 16 Meaning
Eli's direct and urgent summoning of Samuel signifies the crucial moment following God's profound revelation. Samuel's immediate and submissive response, "Here I am," underscores his readiness and availability to his priestly mentor, implicitly reflecting his availability to God who had just spoken to him. The verse sets the stage for Samuel to disclose the difficult, divinely appointed judgment against Eli's household, highlighting the young prophet's integrity and obedience even in the face of profound personal conflict and duty.
1 Samuel 3 16 Context
1 Samuel 3:16 follows a pivotal night in Israel's history. God had bypassed the corrupt priestly line of Eli and his sons (Hophni and Phinehas), who had dishonored the Lord through their actions at the Tabernacle. Instead, God revealed Himself directly to young Samuel, a child ministering in the temple under Eli's care. During this divine encounter, Samuel received a devastating prophecy detailing the complete downfall and judgment upon Eli's house. Eli, old and nearly blind, suspected that the Lord had spoken to Samuel but knew nothing of the content. He calls Samuel in the morning, creating a tense atmosphere as he awaits to hear the full extent of God's message from the young boy who now bore the true prophetic word of the Lord. The scene underscores Eli's desperate need to know and Samuel's dutiful, albeit difficult, task.
1 Samuel 3 16 Word analysis
- So: (Hebrew: waw – וְ, conjunction 'and' or 'so') Indicates a consequence or direct next step. It ties Samuel's immediate presence to the unspoken tension and Eli's clear expectation. It signifies the transition from the mysterious night to the demanding reality of the morning.
- Eli: The high priest of Shiloh, physically old and spiritually compromised due to his failure to restrain his wicked sons (1 Sam 2:22-25, 29). His spiritual sight, much like his physical, had diminished, leading God to speak directly to Samuel.
- called: (Hebrew: wayyiqrā' – וַיִּקְרָא, Hiphil imperfect of qārā’ (קָרָא), meaning "to call," "to summon," "to proclaim"). Suggests an authoritative and perhaps anxious summoning. Eli is exercising his parental and priestly authority over Samuel.
- Samuel: (Hebrew: Šəmū’ēl – שְׁמוּאֵל) Meaning "Heard of God" or "Name of God." This name holds profound significance as God had indeed "heard" Hannah's prayer for a son, and now this "heard" one is the vessel through whom God's own "name" (reputation and will) will be revealed. His youth contrasts sharply with the magnitude of the divine revelation given to him.
- and said: (Hebrew: wayyō’mer – וַיֹּאמֶר, imperfect of ’āmar (אָמַר), "to say," "to speak"). A straightforward transition to direct speech.
- Samuel, my son!: (Hebrew: Šəmū’ēl bĕnî – שְׁמוּאֵל בְּנִי). Eli's affectionate, yet commanding, address. The term "my son" reflects the close mentor-disciple relationship between them, possibly also acknowledging his own spiritual "sonship" from his care and training of Samuel. It carries both an expression of concern and an expectation of openness. This direct address stands in contrast to God's triple calling of Samuel, "Samuel, Samuel."
- And he answered: (Hebrew: wayyō’mer – וַיֹּאמֶר, imperfect of ’āmar (אָמַר), "to say," "to speak," often paired with wayya’an – וַיַּעַן, "to respond"). Indicates an immediate and direct reply, characteristic of Samuel's responsive nature shown earlier in 1 Sam 3:10.
- “Here I am.”: (Hebrew: Hinnēnî – הִנֵּנִי). A powerful Hebrew idiom, far more profound than a simple "I'm here." It conveys readiness, immediate availability, submission, and a preparedness to receive instruction or act. It signals not just presence but an attentive posture of soul. It's the same word used by Abraham, Moses, and Isaiah in their responses to divine calls (Gen 22:1, Exod 3:4, Isa 6:8). In Samuel's case, it serves as his direct, personal affirmation of availability, a virtue sorely lacking in Eli's own sons. It is a posture of submission not just to Eli but fundamentally to the divine call experienced hours before.
Word-group analysis
- "So Eli called Samuel": Highlights Eli's initiative, his paternal and priestly authority, and his dependence on Samuel to receive what God had spoken. There's a tangible tension built on the night's events and Samuel's perceived secrecy.
- "“Samuel, my son!”": This phrase combines authority with a tender, personal plea. It emphasizes the direct relationship between Eli and Samuel, which now holds the burden of difficult truth. Eli relies on this bond to elicit the full, unvarnished message.
- "“Here I am.”": This succinct reply speaks volumes. It signifies Samuel's unhesitating obedience and profound availability, first to God and subsequently to his earthly mentor, Eli. This readiness is a key characteristic of a true servant of the Lord.
1 Samuel 3 16 Bonus section
- The dramatic pause between the night's revelation and this morning summons adds significant tension to the narrative, building anticipation for the divine judgment.
- Samuel's willingness to reveal God's hard word, despite his affection for Eli, illustrates a critical characteristic of a true prophet: fidelity to God's message above all else (cf. Gal 1:10).
- The transition of prophetic authority from the old, failing system of Eli to the young, vibrant, and obedient Samuel is implicitly evident in this exchange. Eli is forced to rely on Samuel for a direct word from God, symbolizing the spiritual shift in leadership.
1 Samuel 3 16 Commentary
1 Samuel 3:16 captures the weighty moment after Samuel's prophetic initiation. Eli, sensing God had spoken but unsure of the message's content, invokes his fatherly authority. Samuel's reply, "Here I am," is not just an acknowledgment of presence but a deep declaration of immediate readiness and spiritual availability. This same hineni (Hebrew: הִנֵּנִי) echoes throughout scripture as the response of those wholly committed to divine service, from Abraham to Isaiah. It underscores Samuel's mature and obedient heart, prepared to speak even the hardest truths entrusted to him by God, which he later does fully and without reservation in 1 Samuel 3:18. This pivotal exchange firmly establishes Samuel as God's chosen messenger, prepared to lead Israel through a period of immense change, contrasting sharply with the spiritual lethargy and unresponsiveness exemplified by Eli's own family. It reveals the qualities of a heart yielded to the Lord.