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. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
So Eli told Samuel, 'Go back to bed, and if he calls you again, say this: Speak, LORD, because your servant is listening.' So Samuel went back and lay down where he had been sleeping.
Eli is teaching young Samuel how to properly respond when God speaks to him by showing reverence and readiness to listen.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative, Samuel was a young boy dedicated to serve in the tabernacle at Shiloh under the priest Eli during a time when the priesthood was corrupted by the sins of Eli's sons. God was beginning to speak directly to Samuel as a sign of His plan to raise up a faithful prophet in Israel. Eli, recognizing the divine call, instructed Samuel on how to respond properly to God's voice.
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