John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 8. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time , etc.] In the same manner he had done before, expressing his name no doubt: and he arose and went to Eli, and said, here am I, for thou didst call me ; as if he should say, it must certainly be so, I cannot be mistaken a third time: and Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child ; he was satisfied now that Samuel must have heard a voice, and he knew there was no man in the tabernacle but himself, and therefore it must be the voice of the Lord out of the most holy place; and he had formerly been acquainted with such voices, and used to them, and now called them to mind; and besides, as Aben Ezra observes, he was the rather confirmed in this, that the Lord called Samuel, because Samuel heard the voice, and not Eli, though Eli lay nearer the most holy place than Samuel did; which showed that this must be the voice of prophecy the Lord makes whom he pleases to hear; and that Eli might be fully persuaded of this, before the matter of the prophecy was delivered to him, Samuel was so often directed to him.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-10 - The call which Divine grace designs shall be made effectual; will be repeated till it is so, till we come to the call. Eli, perceiving tha it was the voice of God that Samuel heard, instructed him what to say Though it was a disgrace to Eli, for God's call to be directed to Samuel, yet he told him how to meet it. Thus the elder should do their utmost to assist and improve the younger that are rising up. Let u never fail to teach those who are coming after us, even such as wil soon be preferred before us, Joh 1:30. Good words should be put int children's mouths betimes, by which they may be prepared to lear Divine things, and be trained up to regard them.
Original Hebrew ויסף3254 יהוה3068 קרא7121 שׁמואל8050 בשׁלשׁית7992 ויקם6965 וילך1980 אל413 עלי5941 ויאמר559 הנני2005 כי3588 קראת7121 לי ויבן995 עלי5941 כי3588 יהוה3068 קרא7121 לנער׃5288
