1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ

2007 Edition Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 Samuel 19In verses 11-14 God restated for Samuel what the prophet had told Eli concerning the fateof Eli's house in the near and far future (2:27-36). 47 Under the Mosaic Law the penaltyfor showing contempt for the priesthood, for disobeying parents, and for blasphemy wasdeath (Deut. 17:12; 21:18-21; Lev. 24:11-16, 23). This would be what Hophni andPhinehas would experience (cf. 4:11). The cutting off of Eli's line happened about 130years later (cf. 1 Kings 2:27, 35).The writer may have intended to mark the beginning of Samuel's ministry with hisstatement that the lad opened the doors of the Lord's house (v. 15; cf. 1:28b). 48Eli realized that God's words to Samuel would have been very significant. He thereforeinsisted that the lad tell him what God had said. Samuel faithfully reported to Eli all thatGod had revealed to him (v. 18). He was a faithful prophet from the start. This was thesecond time Eli had received a prophecy of his family's future (cf. 2:27-36). Thus heknew that the prediction would surely come to pass. He accepted God's will submissively(v. 18).2. Samuel's ministry 3:19—4:1aThese verses summarize Samuel's continuing ministry as a prophet in Israel. Samuelqualified for this privilege by his faithful obedience to God's will as he knew it. Godsovereignly chose Samuel for this ministry, but his disobedience could have disqualifiedhim, as the disobedience of Eli and his sons disqualified them and as Saul’s disobediencedisqualified him.The phrase "let none of his words fail [lit. fall to the ground]" is a metaphor taken fromarchery (cf. Josh. 21:45; 23:14; 1 Kings 8:56). The arrow that falls to the ground fails toreach its target. In contrast, all of Samuel's words hit their mark. They were effectivebecause God found him to be a reliable bow. 49The phrase "from Dan to Beersheba" became proverbial during the united monarchy forall the land of Israel (cf. Judg. 20:1; 2 Sam 3:10; 17:11; 24:2, 15; 1 Kings 4:25). Danstood on the northern border about 150 miles from Israel's southernmost major town,Beersheba.The Lord's word (v. 21) is what Samuel communicated to the people as His prophet. Hedid this so consistently that Samuel's word amounted to the Lord's word (4:1a; cf. Jer.1:2, 4, 11, 13; Hos. 1:1; Mic. 1:1).Moses called Abraham (Gen. 20:7), Aaron (Exod. 7:1), and himself (Deut. 34:10)prophets. Samuel became a prophet in a new sense. He was the first of those "servants ofthe Lord" who became primarily, not secondarily, as the former prophets had become,47 The reference to people's ears tingling occurs only here at the beginning of the monarchy and at its end inthe Old Testament (2 Kings 21:12; Jer. 19:3).48 See J. Gerald Janzen, "'Samuel Opened the Doors of the House of Yahweh' (I Samuel 3.15)," Journal forthe Study of the Old Testament 26 (June 1983):89-96.49 For further study of this verse, see W. T. Claassen, "1 Sam. 3:19 - A Case of Context and Semantics,"Journal of Northwest Semitic Languages 8 (1980):1-9.