1Sa 3:1 | KD | STEP | At the time when Samuel served the Lord before Eli, both as a boy and as a young man ( , , ), the word of the Lord had become dear , i.e., rare, in Israel, and “ Prophecy was not spread .” נפרץ, from פּרץ, to spread out strongly, to break through copiously (cf. ). The “ word of the Lord ” is the word of God announced by prophets: the “ vision ,” “ visio prophetica .” It is true that Jehovah had promised His people, that He would send prophets, who should make known His will and purpose at all times (Deu 18:15.; cf. Num 23:23); but as a revelation from God presupposed susceptibility on the part of men, the unbelief and disobedience of the people might restrain the fulfilment of this and all similar promises, and God might even withdraw His word to punish the idolatrous nation. Such a time as this, when revelations from God were universally rare, and had now arisen under Eli, in whose days, as the conduct of his sons sufficiently proves, the priesthood had fallen into very deep corruption.

‏ 1 Samuel 3:1

SAMUEL CALLED TO BE A PROPHET. — CHAP. III.

At the time when Samuel served the Lord before Eli, both as a boy and as a young man (1Sa 2:11, 1Sa 2:21, 1Sa 2:26), the word of the Lord had become dear, i.e., rare, in Israel, and “Prophecy was not spread.” נפרץ, from פּרץ, to spread out strongly, to break through copiously (cf. Pro 3:10). The “word of the Lord” is the word of God announced by prophets: the “vision,” “visio prophetica.” It is true that Jehovah had promised His people, that He would send prophets, who should make known His will and purpose at all times (Deu 18:15.; cf. Num 23:23); but as a revelation from God presupposed susceptibility on the part of men, the unbelief and disobedience of the people might restrain the fulfilment of this and all similar promises, and God might even withdraw His word to punish the idolatrous nation. Such a time as this, when revelations from God were universally rare, and had now arisen under Eli, in whose days, as the conduct of his sons sufficiently proves, the priesthood had fallen into very deep corruption.