Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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1 Samuel
Book: 1 Samuel
Chapter: 3
Overview:
The
Word of the
Lord first revealed to
Samuel.
(1-10) God
tells
Samuel the
Destruction of
Eli's
House.
(11-18) Samuel
established to be a
Prophet.
(19-21)
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 that 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 us never fail to
teach those who are coming after us, even such as will soon be
preferred before us, Joh 1:30. Good words should be
Put into
children's mouths betimes,
By which they may be prepared to
learn Divine things, and be trained up to regard them.
11-18 What a great
Deal of guilt and corruption is there in us,
concerning which we may say, It is the iniquity which our own
Heart knoweth; we are conscious to ourselves of it! Those who do
not restrain the sins of others, when it is in their power to do
it, make themselves partakers of the guilt, and will be charged
as joining in it. In his remarkable answer to this awful
sentence,
Eli acknowledged that the
Lord had a right to do as he
saw good, being assured that he would do nothing wrong. The
Meekness, patience, and
Humility contained in those words, show
that he was truly repentant; he accepted the
Punishment of his
Sin.
19-21 All increase in
Wisdom and
Grace, is owing to the
presence of
God with us.
God will graciously repeat his visits
to those who receive them aright. Early
Piety will be the
greatest honour of young people. Those who honour
God he will
honour. Let young people consider the
Piety of
Samuel, and from
him they will learn to remember their Creator in the days of
their youth. Young children are capable of religion.
Samuel is a
proof that their waiting upon the
Lord will be pleasing to him.
He is a pattern of all those amiable tempers, which are the
brightest ornament of youth, and a sure source of happiness.