1 Samuel 3 3

1 Samuel 3:3 kjv

And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;

1 Samuel 3:3 nkjv

and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the LORD where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down,

1 Samuel 3:3 niv

The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD, where the ark of God was.

1 Samuel 3:3 esv

The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.

1 Samuel 3:3 nlt

The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God.

1 Samuel 3 verses

1 Samuel 3 3 Meaning

1 Samuel 3:3 describes the precise setting for God's call to Samuel: it was still night, specifically before dawn, while the "lamp of God" (the Menorah) remained lit in the "temple of the LORD" (the tabernacle at Shiloh), near where the Ark of God resided. This verse establishes the time and sacred location, highlighting Samuel's proximity to the most holy presence of God, while simultaneously symbolizing God's enduring light and presence amidst a period when His spoken word was rare.

1 Samuel 3 3 Context

This verse sets the scene for Samuel's first divine encounter and call. Prior to this, 1 Samuel 3:1 states that "the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision." This establishes a period of spiritual dimness and a lack of direct prophetic communication from God. Eli, the aged priest, was physically blind and his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were wicked and profane, bringing disrepute to the sanctuary. Samuel, still a young boy, ministered under Eli, sleeping within the sacred precincts. The precise detail in 1 Samuel 3:3 of the lamp not yet being extinguished places the event specifically in the pre-dawn hours, a liminal time between darkness and light, signifying a shift in Israel's spiritual trajectory from prophetic silence to the dawn of a new prophetic era through Samuel. The location near the Ark emphasizes the sanctity and significance of this divine initiation.

1 Samuel 3 3 Word analysis

• and: Connects this verse to the preceding narrative, elaborating on the conditions under which Samuel was ministering and sleeping.
• the lamp of God (נֵר אֱלֹהִים, ner Elohim): Refers to the golden seven-branched Menorah, positioned in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle. It was explicitly commanded by God (Exod 27:20-21, Lev 24:1-4) to be kept burning "continually," meaning from evening till morning. It symbolized God's perpetual presence among His people and spiritual light in Israel. Its light indicated God's faithfulness to His covenant, even amidst human failure.
• had not yet gone out: This specifies the time as deep night, nearing the early morning when the priests would service the lamp. It contrasts with the spiritual "darkness" of the time (the rarity of the Word of the LORD) by showing that God's physical light in the sanctuary was still diligently maintained. This also subtly implies a state of continuity in God's presence, despite the widespread spiritual declension.
• in the temple of the LORD (בְּהֵיכַל יְהוָה, bê hêḵal YHWH): At this time, it refers to the permanent structure of the Tabernacle at Shiloh (cf. Josh 18:1). While later a grand "temple" would be built by Solomon, the term heikal was used for established sacred dwellings of God, indicating a fixed, standing sanctuary where worship and sacrificial rituals were centralized. This was the spiritual center of Israel.
• where the ark of God was (אֲרוֹן אֱלֹהִים, ʾărôn ʾĕlōhîm): The Ark of the Covenant, the most sacred object in Israel, representing God's throne, covenant presence, and visible dwelling among His people (cf. Exod 25:22). It resided in the Most Holy Place, separated by a veil. Samuel sleeping nearby, possibly in Eli's adjacent chamber or the priests' quarters, highlights his intimate proximity to God's manifested presence, making it the most significant place for a divine encounter.

Words-group analysis

• the lamp of God had not yet gone out: This phrase paints a scene of a silent, watchful night within the holy dwelling. It communicates a crucial atmospheric detail: the divine presence, symbolized by the lamp, had not ceased to illuminate, providing a background for a momentous divine revelation. It speaks of God's unfailing vigilance and constancy, even when the human stewards are faltering (like Eli's dimming eyesight, 1 Sam 3:2) or when the word of the Lord is rare.
• in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was: This precise geographical and sacred positioning emphasizes the profound significance of Samuel's upcoming call. It situates him within the very heart of Israel's worship, closest to the locus of God's presence on earth, thereby validating the divine authority of the subsequent communication. This location reinforces that the call comes directly from God's ultimate holy space.

1 Samuel 3 3 Bonus section

• The timing of the call, just before dawn, often carries biblical significance as a moment for fresh beginnings, divine visitation, and new light breaking through darkness. Many significant events or revelations in Scripture occur during the watches of the night or at daybreak (e.g., Jacob wrestling the angel, Gen 32; Jesus praying in Gethsemane, Matt 26; Jesus rising from the dead, Mk 16).
• While Eli’s physical eyes were "dim," perhaps even blind, mirroring the spiritual blindness and lack of clear vision in Israel (1 Sam 3:2), the lamp of God remained lit, signaling God's continued attentiveness and preparation for a new revelation through Samuel, whose "eyes" were spiritually open.
• Samuel's living and sleeping arrangements within the tabernacle precincts were exceptional, reserved typically for priests. This privilege underscores his consecrated status and God's sovereign choice, grooming him from a tender age for a unique role as prophet and judge.

1 Samuel 3 3 Commentary

1 Samuel 3:3 is a pivotal setting-statement, vividly portraying the environmental and spiritual backdrop to Samuel's divine calling. The "lamp of God" continuing to burn, signifying the pre-dawn hours, offers a stark symbolic contrast: though Israel was in a period of spiritual twilight where the "word of the LORD was rare," God's own light and presence in His sanctuary endured. This quiet persistence of the lamp is an assurance of God's covenant faithfulness, despite the declining state of the priesthood under Eli and his wicked sons. Samuel's presence "in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was" underscores his unique positioning for receiving a revelation. Sleeping so near the Ark, the epicenter of God's tangible presence, highlights the divine intentionality of the choice of this young boy as the vessel for God's renewed voice. This verse sets the stage for a spiritual dawn, a time when God breaks through the silence to re-establish His prophetic word through a pure vessel, ushering in a new era for Israel. It’s a moment of transition from the dim spiritual understanding of the old covenant (as reflected in Eli) to the fresh outpouring of divine communication through Samuel, paving the way for kingship and prophetic ministry in Israel.