1 Samuel 3:7

Study note

Setting — The narrator describes Samuel’s spiritual condition during his repeated encounters with a divine voice in the temple, prior to Eli’s recognition of God’s call.

The words — The Hebrew term טֶרֶם (terem) means “not yet,” appearing twice to mark that Samuel’s ignorance of Yahweh stems from the fact that יִגָּלֶה (yiggeh, “it was revealed”) has not occurred.

The thread — The text’s emphasis on revelation preceding knowledge runs parallel to the new believers’ lack of spiritual understanding in Acts 19:2 and contrasts with Jeremiah’s directive to boast in knowing God in Jeremiah 9:24.

Why it lands — The verse states that divine knowledge requires prior disclosure, asking the reader to acknowledge that true understanding of God begins with His initiative rather than human effort.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.