Bible Strands
1 Samuel 3:9
“Go and lie down,” he said to Samuel, “and if He calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Eli speaks to Samuel after the third instance of the LORD calling the boy. This instruction occurs at the moment Eli recognizes the divine summons and directs Samuel to return to his sleeping place.
The words — The verb שְׁכָב (she.Khav) commands Samuel to "lie down," while יִקְרָא (yik.Ra') denotes the anticipated act of "calling." These terms establish the procedural shift from human guidance to prophetic reception.
The thread — The posture of attentive waiting aligns with the prophetic commission in Isaiah 6:8, where a caller demands a willing response. It stands in contrast to Exodus 20:19, where the people request mediation to avoid hearing God directly.
Why it lands — The text demands a posture of receptive readiness rather than proactive initiation. A reader must adopt the stance of a servant who waits for instruction before speaking.
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.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
Cross-references
- Exodus 20:19 “Speak to us yourself and we will listen,” they said to Moses. “But do not let God speak to us, or we will die.”
- Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” And I said: “Here am I. Send me!”
- Psalms 85:8 I will listen to what God the LORD will say; for He will surely speak peace to His people and His saints; He will not let them return to folly.
- Acts 9:6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
- Daniel 10:19 “Do not be afraid, you who are highly precious,” he said. “Peace be with you! Be strong now; be very strong!” As he spoke with me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”