1 Samuel 3

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1 Samuel 3
Leningrad-codex-08-samuel.pdf
The pages containing the Books of Samuel (1 & 2 Samuel) in Leningrad Codex (1008 CE).
BookFirst book of Samuel
Hebrew Bible partNevi'im
Order in the Hebrew part3
CategoryFormer Prophets
Christian Bible partOld Testament
Order in the Christian part9

1 Samuel 3 is the third chapter of the First Book of Samuel in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible or the first part of the Books of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible.[1] According to Jewish tradition the book was attributed to the prophet Samuel, with additions by the prophets Gad and Nathan,[2] but modern scholars view it as a composition of a number of independent texts of various ages from c. 630–540 BCE.[3][4] This chapter focuses on the calling of Samuel, in a section concerning the life of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1–7:17).[5]

Text[]

This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language. It is divided into 21 verses.

Textual witnesses[]

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).[6] Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls including 4Q51 (4QSama; 100–50 BCE) with extant verses 1–4, 18–21.[7][8][9][10]

Extant ancient manuscripts of a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint (originally was made in the last few centuries BCE) include Codex Vaticanus (B; B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; A; 5th century).[11][a]

Old Testament references[]

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Places mentioned in this chapter

Period[]

Analysis[]

Chapter 3 is tied in many ways to chapter 2, with some terms and themes in chapter 2 are repeated or recapitulated in chapter 3:[14]

Topic 1 Samuel 2 1 Samuel 3
Samuel ministering before the Lord 2:11, 18 3:1
Did not know the Lord 2:12 (Eli's sons) 3:7 (Samuel)
Judgement on Eli's house 2:10, 31 3:11
Eli did not restrain his sons 2:29 (cf. 2:23–24) 3:13
no atonement or mediation 2:25 ("mediate"; "intercede") 3:14 ("never be atoned")
sacrifice/offering 2:13, 15, 19, 29 3:14
God sent a messenger 2:27–36 (man of God) 3:10–14 (Samuel)

God calls Samuel (3:1–14)[]

This section on Samuel's calling is often classified as a "prophetic call narrative", within the tradition of the calling of major prophets (cf. Exodus 3–4; Isaiah 6; Jeremiah 1:4–10; Ezekiel 1:1–3:16).[15][16] In a period when divine visions were infrequent, Samuel received his call-vision which would shift the seat of power from Eli and his family. While Eli was still presiding for a short period, he instructed Samuel of the right words of response to God's calling (verses 9–10), but after Samuel received God's oracle (verses 11–14), Samuel became more powerful than Eli before the eyes of the people.[15]

Verse 1[]

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days. There was no vision coming forth.[17]
  • "The boy": from Hebrew: נַּ֧עַר, na-‘ar,[18] which refers to a "boy from the age of infancy to adolescence".[19] According to Josephus, Samuel was twelve years old at this time.[20]

Samuel shares his first vision (3:15–21)[]

"Samuel Relating to Eli the Judgements of God upon Eli's House". Painting by John Singleton Copley (1780)

Samuel's oracle of doom over Eli's house confirms the words of the man of God in 2:27-36: the house of Eli will fall because of the iniquity of his sons and his own inability to admonish them.[15] Eli accepted God's verdict (verse 18) and that Samuel would become a 'powerful prophet whose words were fulfilled', not only in Shiloh, but throughout the land of Israel (verses 20–21).[15][21]

Verse 20[]

And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord..[22]
  • "From Dan even to Beer-sheba": a phrase regularly used to denote 'the whole land of Israel', first mentioned in Judges 20:1, then becoming common in the books of Samuel and only appearing once more after the Division of the Kingdoms, that is, after the fall of the northern kingdom (2 Chronicles 30:5).[23]
  • "Was established": can also be rendered as "was confirmed",[24] "found faithful" or "approved"; from Hebrew word that in 1 Samuel 2:35 is rendered as 'a faithful priest' and 'a sure house'.[23]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ The whole book of 1 Samuel is missing from the extant Codex Sinaiticus.[12]

References[]

  1. ^ Halley 1965, p. 179.
  2. ^ Hirsch, Emil G. "SAMUEL, BOOKS OF". www.jewishencyclopedia.com.
  3. ^ Knight 1995, p. 62.
  4. ^ Jones 2007, p. 197.
  5. ^ Tsumura 2007, p. 103.
  6. ^ Würthwein 1995, pp. 35–37.
  7. ^ Ulrich 2010, pp. 262–264.
  8. ^ Dead sea scrolls - 1 Samuel
  9. ^ Fitzmyer 2008, p. 35.
  10. ^ 4Q51 at the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library
  11. ^ Würthwein 1995, pp. 73–74.
  12. ^  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Codex Sinaiticus". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  13. ^ a b c Bergen 1996, p. 48.
  14. ^ Tsumura 2007, pp. 171–172.
  15. ^ a b c d Jones 2007, p. 202.
  16. ^ Tsumura 2007, p. 172.
  17. ^ 1 Samuel 3:1 MEV
  18. ^ 1 Samuel 3:1 Hebrew text analysis. Biblehub
  19. ^ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance: 5288. naar. Biblehub
  20. ^ Josephus. Antiquities.5.10.4.
  21. ^ Benson, Joseph. '’Commentary on the Old and New Testaments. 1 Samuel 3. Accessed 9 Juli 2019.
  22. ^ 1 Samuel 3:20 KJV
  23. ^ a b Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. 1 Samuel 3. Accessed 28 April 2019.
  24. ^ Note on 1 Samuel 3:20 in NKJV

Sources[]

Commentaries on Samuel[]

  • Auld, Graeme (2003). "1 & 2 Samuel". In James D. G. Dunn and John William Rogerson (ed.). Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible. Eerdmans. ISBN 9780802837110.
  • Bergen, David T. (1996). 1, 2 Samuel. B&H Publishing Group. ISBN 9780805401073.
  • Gordon, Robert (1986). I & II Samuel, A Commentary. Paternoster Press. ISBN 9780310230229.
  • Hertzberg, Hans Wilhelm (1964). I & II Samuel, A Commentary (trans. from German 2nd edition 1960 ed.). Westminster John Knox Press. p. 19. ISBN 978-0664223182.
  • Tsumura, David Toshio (2007). The First Book of Samuel. Eerdmans. ISBN 9780802823595.

General[]

External links[]

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