a (7.e.) Under his Inſpe&ion and dire&ion, which being ſo young, he needed. +4 To wit, the word of Propheſie, or the Re- velation of Gods Will to and by the Prophets. « 3. e» Rare or ſcarce, ſuch things being moſt precious in Mens eſteem, whereas common things are generally deſpiſed. 4 Ged did not impart his Mind by way of Viſion or Revelation openly, or to any publick perſon, to whom others might reſort for ſarisf:&ion, though he pught or did privately revea] himſelf to ſome pious perſons for their particular Dire&ion. This. is bere premiſed, as areaſon why Sa« mucl underſtood not, when God called him cnce or twice.
2 And it came to paſs at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place e, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not ſee f;
e In the Court of the Tabernacle. f To wir, clearly and di. ſrinftly. This is added, as an Evidence ef his 01d Age; partly to ſhew Gods Contempt of him, notwithſtanding his venerable Age, and his preferring the Child Samvuel before him in this Viſion; and partly, as the reaſon why Samuel ſo readily ran to him upon the firſt, call, becauſe his great Age made him more to need his Ser- vants help.
3 Andere the lamp of God went out g in the tem- ple þ ofthe LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to fleep 5 :
$ Before the Lights of the Galden Candleſtick were put ort ; (7. e. ) In the Night-ſeaſon, or before the Morning, when they were put out, as they were lighted in the Evening, Exod. 27. 213; Levit, 24: 3; 2 Chron. 13: 1: hþ (2.e.) In the Tabernacle, which 1s ſometimes called the Temple, as being of the ſame uſe and ſigni-
ficancy. # Not that this happened when he firſt Jay down, bur whilſt he was lying there.
4 That the LORD called Sam Here am I.
5 And he ran & unto Eli, an thou calledſt me. And he ſai called not ; lie down agatn. And he went and lay down.
& Shewing his great Faithfulneſs and Diligence in the Service, either ofthe Lord, or of his Maſter El, And
6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. Samuel aroſe, and wentto Eli, and ſ2id, Here am I, for
chou didſt call me. And he anſwered, I called nor, my {on ; lie down again.
I, and heanſwered,
ſaid, Here am TI, for
7 || Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD 1, nei- || Or, th yet revealed unto -" Samud
ther was the word of the LOR D him.
1 Either, Firſt, He was not acquainted with God in that Extrord;- nary or Prophetical way. Or, rather, Secondly, He did nor underſtand, any more than before, that it was nor El, who ſpake to him»
ſign, that his ſimplicity mighr give El: the better aſſurance of th fruth of Gods Calland Meſſage to Samuel,
8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time» And he aroſe, and went to Eii m,, and ſaid, Here am I, for thou didft call me. And Eli perceived z that the LORD had called the child.
» > perſiſts in the ſame readineſs to obey and ſerve him, and was not diſcouraged or driven from his Duty by his double miſtaks and diſappointment. x By the conſideration of Samuels piety,of the SanCtity of the place adjoyning, from whence God had oft-times ſpcken, and of the ſolitude of the place, where there was no hu«. mane perſon beſides himſelf, who could or would have called Samuel in that manner.
9 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 o. So Samuel went, and lay down in his place.
0 7. e, Tam ready to hear what thou ſpeakeſt, and to do what thou requireſt,
10 And the LORD came p, and ſtood 9, and called as at other times r, Samuel, Samuel // Then Samuel anſwered, Speak, for thy ſervant heareth.
p Before, he ſpake to him-'at a diſtance, even from the Holy Oracle between the Cherubims; and now, to prevent all further miſtakes, the Voice came near to him, as if the perſon ſpeaking had been preſent with him: 9 Before the Voice paſſed !, y him, now the Speaker fixeth his abode with him for a time, till he had uttered his whole Mind to him. r As he had done before. ſ His Name is here doubled, to engage him to the more ſpeedy and diligent attention.
it T Andthe LORD ſaid to Samuel, Behold T will
do a thing * in Iſrael, at which both the ears of every « one that heareth it, (hall tingle «.
: Thoſe things which are related in the next Chapter, which s though done by the Philiftines, God here aſcribes to himſelf, becauſe he was the firſt and chief Cauſe of it, by withdrawing his helping Hand from 1/rae!, and by delivering the Ark, and E!:'s two Sons, and the reſt of the people,into his and their Enemies hands. u Which will be ſo terrible, that not only thoſe that fee] it ſhall groan under it, but thoſe that only hear the report of it, ſhall be {rruck with ſuch Amazement and Horror, which will make their Heads and Hearts Ake. A Metaphor from him, who being ſurprized with ſome great and hideous Noiſe, ſuch as Thunder or great Guns, his Head is much affeQed with it, and rhe ſound or tingling of it abides in his Ears a good while after itz This phraſe is uſed alſo, > Kings 21: 12; Jere 198 3>
12 In
Chap. bite
knew the LORD, and yet before the . but God, Word of the And this Ignorance of Samuels ſerved Gods De- LORDes e revealed unto him,
efore he
2 Kings T1; 13
«a Ok v3» L CLLS
—_m oy 2 WAS
[UI,
, thut Same! e he the .D, and e the ( of the 'Dwa aled him
> King) «19%
| chap. Ii &
x I will + perform againſt Eli * all
Heb: 12 In that day ; Ws fubliſh ebings which 1 have ſpoken y concerning his houſe : * Chap + when I begin, I will allo make an end 2. :
Ag x In that time which I have appointed for this work, which was | Heb: abour Twenty or Thirty Years after this Threatning» So long beginning ſpace of Repenrance GOD allows to this wicked Generations ro and maine: make their Peace with GOD, and prevent the Execution, as others didin like Caſes. y By that Propher, Chap. 2. 27. Z Though this Vengeance may and ſhal be delayed for a ſza{ony to manifeſt my Patience, and incite them to Repentance; yet when onc? I begin to Infli&, I ſhal certainly go on with it, and not deſiſt till I have made a full end. \Or, od 13 || * For I have told him, that T will judge & his juil tl houſe b for ever c, for the iniquity which he knoweth _ d: becauſe his ſons made themlelves || vile e,and he T re-
. 296 A ſtrained them not f.