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 וַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב שְׁמוּאֵל֙ עַד־הַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיִּפְתַּ֖ח אֶת־דַּלְת֣וֹת בֵּית־יְהוָ֑ה וּשְׁמוּאֵ֣ל יָרֵ֔א מֵהַגִּ֥יד אֶת־הַמַּרְאָ֖ה אֶל־עֵלִֽי׃ 16 וַיִּקְרָ֤א עֵלִי֙ אֶת־שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וַיֹּ֖אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֣ל בְּנִ֑י וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃ 17 וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מָ֤ה הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ אַל־נָ֥א תְכַחֵ֖ד מִמֶּ֑נִּי כֹּ֣ה יַעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֤ אֱלֹהִים֙ וְכֹ֣ה יוֹסִ֔יף אִם־תְּכַחֵ֤ד מִמֶּ֙נִּי֙ דָּבָ֔ר מִכָּל־הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ 18 וַיַּגֶּד־ל֤וֹ שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א כִחֵ֖ד מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וַיֹּאמַ֕ר יְהוָ֣ה ה֔וּא הַטּ֥וֹב בְּעֵינָ֖ו יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ פ

Vocabulary

Verse 15

            שׁכב  verb: “lie down”

            פתה  verb: “open”

            דלת  “doors”

            מראה  noun: “vision”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

•  Fear to do something (infinitive) is expressed using ירא +  מִן.

Vocabulary   

Verse 17

            כחד  verb (Piel jussive): “hold back, hide” (BDB, 470)

Verse 18

            כחד  verb (Piel jussive): “hold back, hide” (BDB, 470)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 16

• Compare the last statement with the call of God to Samuel.

Verse 17

• The phrase, כֹּ֣ה יַעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֤ אֱלֹהִים֙ וְכֹ֣ה יוֹסִ֔יף, is used to bind another under an oath.

Verse 18

• The clause, יְהוָ֣ה ה֔וּא, is a verbless clause.
• The adjective, הַטּ֥וֹב, is used as a substantive (i.e. nominal).

ַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל הִנֵּ֧ה אָנֹכִ֛י עֹשֶׂ֥ה דָבָ֖ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲשֶׁר֙ כָּל־שֹׁ֣מְע֔וֹ תְּצִלֶּ֖ינָה שְׁתֵּ֥י אָזְנָֽיו׃ 12 בַּיּ֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ אָקִ֣ים אֶל־עֵלִ֔י אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי אֶל־בֵּית֑וֹ הָחֵ֖ל וְכַלֵּֽה׃ 13 וְהִגַּ֣דְתִּי ל֔וֹ כִּֽי־שֹׁפֵ֥ט אֲנִ֛י אֶת־בֵּית֖וֹ עַד־עוֹלָ֑ם בַּעֲוֹ֣ן אֲשֶׁר־יָדַ֗ע כִּֽי־מְקַֽלְלִ֤ים לָהֶם֙ בָּנָ֔יו וְלֹ֥א כִהָ֖ה בָּֽם׃ 14 וְלָכֵ֥ן נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי לְבֵ֣ית עֵלִ֑י אִֽם־יִתְכַּפֵּ֞ר עֲוֹ֧ן בֵּית־עֵלִ֛י בְּזֶ֥בַח וּבְמִנְחָ֖ה עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃

Vocabulary

Verse 11

            צלל  verb (Hiphil imperfect 3fpl): “tingle (quiver)” (BDB, 852)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The semantic domain of the word דבר ranges from “word” to “thing” or “matter;” the latter use is in view here.
• The word, שֹׁ֣מְע֔וֹ, is a substantive participle.
• The form of שׁנים is a dual construct.  The dual is used normally with things that come in pairs, i.e. eyes, ears, hands, etc.

Vocabulary

Verse 12

            חלל  verb (Hiphil): “beginning”

            כלה  verb (Piel): “end”      

Verse 13

            נגד  verb (Hiphil): “tell, declare”

            כהה  verb (Piel): “rebuke” (BDB, 462)

Verse 14

            כפר  verb (Hithpael imperfect 3ms): “make atonement for”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 12

• The phrase, הָחֵ֖ל וְכַלֵּֽה “from beginning to end,” can be understood as an adverbial clause of manner or attendant circumstances (GKC 113h).

Verse 13

• The clause, שֹׁפֵ֥ט אֲנִ֛י אֶת־בֵּית֖וֹ, is periphrastic (no copula).

Verse 14

• The oath formula with אִם is understood negatively as “surely not.”

וַיֹּ֣סֶף יְהוָ֗ה קְרֹ֣א עוֹד֮ שְׁמוּאֵל֒ וַיָּ֤קָם שְׁמוּאֵל֙ וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אֶל־עֵלִ֔י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הִנְנִ֔י כִּ֥י קָרָ֖אתָ לִ֑י וַיֹּ֛אמֶר לֹֽא־קָרָ֥אתִי בְנִ֖י שׁ֥וּב שְׁכָֽב׃ 7 וּשְׁמוּאֵ֕ל טֶ֖רֶם יָדַ֣ע אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה וְטֶ֛רֶם יִגָּלֶ֥ה אֵלָ֖יו דְּבַר־יְהוָֽה׃ 8 וַיֹּ֨סֶף יְהוָ֥ה קְרֹא־שְׁמוּאֵל֮ בַּשְּׁלִשִׁית֒ וַיָּ֙קָם֙ וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אֶל־עֵלִ֔י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הִנְנִ֔י כִּ֥י קָרָ֖אתָ לִ֑י וַיָּ֣בֶן עֵלִ֔י כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה קֹרֵ֥א לַנָּֽעַר׃ 9 וַיֹּ֨אמֶר עֵלִ֣י לִשְׁמוּאֵל֮ לֵ֣ךְ שְׁכָב֒ וְהָיָה֙ אִם־יִקְרָ֣א אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙ דַּבֵּ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֥י שֹׁמֵ֖עַ עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בִּמְקוֹמֽוֹ׃ 10 וַיָּבֹ֤א יְהוָה֙ וַיִּתְיַצַּ֔ב וַיִּקְרָ֥א כְפַֽעַם־בְּפַ֖עַם שְׁמוּאֵ֣ל ׀ שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ דַּבֵּ֔ר כִּ֥י שֹׁמֵ֖עַ עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ פ

Vocabulary

Verse 6

            יסף  verb (Hiphil waw-consecutive imperfect 3ms): “do again”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

•  The initial verb is spelled plene.  The historically long a-class vowel, holem-waw, is spelled defectively as a holem.  The second vowel has shortened (through apocopation?) to a segol.
• The idiomatic use of וַיֹּ֣סֶף “do again” and קְרֹ֣א “to call” can be understood in English as an adverbial/finite verb phrase, “He again called out.”
• The word, בְנִ֖י “my son,” is being used as a vocative of address.

Vocabulary

Verse 7

            טרם  adverb: “not yet” (BDB 382)

            גלה  verb (Niphal imperfect 3ms): “reveal”

Verse 8

            שׁלשׁית  ordinal: “third (time)”

            בין  verb: “perceive, understand”

Verse 9

            בִּמְקוֹמֽוֹ  prepositional phrase (beth + noun + 3ms suffix)

Verse 10

יצב  verb (Hithpael waw-consecutive imperfect 3ms): “station oneself” (BDB, 426 [cf. GKC 54k for a comment on the final patah])

כְפַֽעַם־בְּפַ֖עַם  idiom: “as with the other times” (cf. 1 Samuel 18:10; GKC 118u)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 7

• The initial disjunctive (waw plus non-verb) marks a divergence from the narrative.  It could be understood as a parenthetical, or background, comment.
• The noun phrase, דְּבַר־יְהוָֽה, is the subject of the last clause.

Verse 8

• Samuel is referred to as נער “the boy” as in 1:24 and 2:18.

Verse 9

• The sequencing of two clauses beginning with וְהָיָה֙ אִם־ followed by waw indicates a temporal or conditional construction (when…then).
• Notice that the subject of the 3ms imperfect verb, יִקְרָ֣א, is unidentified.
• The Name, יְהוָ֔ה, is probably to be understood as a vocative of address.

Verse 10

• Samuel obeys the words of Eli with the exception of the repetition of the divine name.

וְהַנַּ֧עַר שְׁמוּאֵ֛ל מְשָׁרֵ֥ת אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י עֵלִ֑י וּדְבַר־יְהוָ֗ה הָיָ֤ה יָקָר֙ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם אֵ֥ין חָז֖וֹן נִפְרָֽץ׃ ס        2 וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא וְעֵלִ֖י שֹׁכֵ֣ב בִּמְקֹמ֑וֹ וְעֵינוֹ הֵחֵ֣לּוּ כֵה֔וֹת לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִרְאֽוֹת׃ 3 וְנֵ֤ר אֱלֹהִים֙ טֶ֣רֶם יִכְבֶּ֔ה וּשְׁמוּאֵ֖ל שֹׁכֵ֑ב בְּהֵיכַ֣ל יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֖ם אֲר֥וֹן אֱלֹהִֽים׃ פ
4 וַיִּקְרָ֧א יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃ 5 וַיָּ֣רָץ אֶל־עֵלִ֗י וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הִנְנִי֙ כִּֽי־קָרָ֣אתָ לִּ֔י וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לֹֽא־קָרָ֖אתִי שׁ֣וּב שְׁכָ֑ב וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ וַיִּשְׁכָּֽב׃ ס  

Vocabulary

Verse 1

            יקר  adjective: “rare” (BDB, 429)

            חזון  noun: “vision” (BDB, 302)

            פרץ  verb (Niphal participle ms): “spread” (BDB, 829)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

•  The proper name, שְׁמוּאֵ֛ל, is in apposition to the word נער “boy.”
• The verbal construction of the first clause is periphrastic (מְשָׁרֵ֥ת Piel participle).
• The adjective, יקר, is functioning as a substantive.
• One would expect a waw to precede the final clause, אֵ֥ין חָז֖וֹן נִפְרָֽץ.  The lack of a connector, called asyndeton, can indicate an epexegetical comment explaining the previous remarks.  Answering the question: “Why was the word of the Lord rare in those days?”  Because “visions were not spread” (i.e. they were infrequent). 

Vocabulary

Verse 2

            הֵחֵ֣לּוּ  verb (Hiphil perfect 3mpl חלל): “defile, profane”

            כהה  “dim” (BDB, 462)

Verse 3

            נר  “lamp” (BDB, 632)

            טרם  “not yet” (BDB, 382)

            כבה  “extinguish” (BDB, 459)

            היכל  “temple”

Verse 4

            הִנֵּֽנִי  exclamation (הנה + 1cs pronoun) : “Here am I”

Verse 5

            רוץ  verb (Qal waw-consecutive imperfect 3ms): “run”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 2

• The waw in the second clause should be understood as continuative from the previous phrase, “that.”
• The clause, וְעֵלִ֖י שֹׁכֵ֣ב בִּמְקֹמ֑וֹ, is periphrastic.
• The Kethib reads a singular subject with a plural verb: “His eye (were defiled);” whereas, the Qere reads a plural subject and verb: וְעֵינָיו֙ “His eyes were defiled.”
• The final clause exhibits asyndeton indicating an epexegetical (explanative) remark.

Verse 3

• The first clause begins with a disjunctive waw (waw plus non-verb).
• The relative particle, אֲשֶׁר, plus שָׁ֖ם is understood as “where.”
• This verse may cause some confusion if one does not distinguish correctly the position, or relevance, of each clause within the overall structure.  Translating this verse word-for-word results in the following English rendering: “Now the lamp of God had not yet gone out and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God resided.”  This understanding seems to indicate that Samuel was sleeping in the place of the ark of God!  A more careful reading of the text, however, demonstrates a very different story.  The clause, וּשְׁמוּאֵ֖ל שֹׁכֵ֑ב, is a disjunctive phrase functioning as a parenthetical comment that is place in the middle of one idea.  The verse should be understood thusly: “Now the lamp of God had not yet gone out in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God resided; yet Samuel was asleep.”  The point of the text is not that Samuel slept in the Most Holy place, but that he was asleep before the lamp in the temple burned out.

Verse 4

• The Lord calls out and Samuel responds.

Verse 5

• The small פ indicates an open paragraph (i.e. space was left at the end of the line) in the Leningradensis B19^a Codex.  The small ס indicates a closed paragraph (i.e. only a small gap was left at the end of the paragraph before the next paragraph began on the same line).

הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים וְגָדַעְתִּי אֶת־זְרֹעֲךָ וְאֶת־זְרֹעַ בֵּית אָבִיךָ מִהְיוֹת זָקֵן בְּבֵיתֶךָ׃ 32 וְהִבַּטְתָּ צַר מָעוֹן בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־יֵיטִיב אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה זָקֵן בְּבֵיתְךָ כָּל־הַיָּמִים׃ 33 וְאִישׁ לֹא־אַכְרִית לְךָ מֵעִם מִזְבְּחִי לְכַלּוֹת אֶת־עֵינֶיךָ וְלַאֲדִיב אֶת־נַפְשֶׁךָ וְכָל־מַרְבִּית בֵּיתְךָ יָמוּתוּ אֲנָשִׁים׃ 34 וְזֶה־לְּךָ הָאוֹת אֲשֶׁר יָבֹא אֶל־שְׁנֵי בָנֶיךָ אֶל־חָפְנִי וּפִינְחָס בְּיוֹם אֶחָד יָמוּתוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם׃ 35 וַהֲקִימֹתִי לִי כֹּהֵן נֶאֱמָן כַּאֲשֶׁר בִּלְבָבִי וּבְנַפְשִׁי יַעֲשֶׂה וּבָנִיתִי לוֹ בַּיִת נֶאֱמָן וְהתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵי־מְשִׁיחִי כָּל־הַיָּמִים׃ 36 וְהָיָה כָּל־הַנּוֹתָר בְּבֵיתְךָ יָבוֹא לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לוֹ לַאֲגוֹרַת כֶּסֶף וְכִכַּר־לָחֶם וְאָמַר סְפָחֵנִי נָא אֶל־אַחַת הַכְּהֻנּוֹת לֶאֱכֹל פַּת־לָחֶם׃ ס  

Vocabulary

Verse 31

            גדע  verb: “hew, cut off” (BDB, 154)

            זקן  “old”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The waw, וְגָדַעְתִּי, is used as a temporal marker, “when.”
• The adjective, זקן, is used substantively for an old person.

Vocabulary

Verse 32

            נבט  verb (Hiphil): “look, regard”

            צר  “distress” (BDB, 865)

            מעון  “dwelling (BDB, 732)

Verse 33

            מעם  preposition: “from, from beside”

            אדב  verb (Hiphil): “cause to grieve” (BDB, 9)

            מרבית  “increase” (BDB, 916)

Verse 34

            חפני  name: “Hophni”

            פינחס  name: “Phinehas”  

Verse 35

            נאמן  “faithfulness”

משׁיח  “anointed” (BDB, 603)

Verse 36

            יתר  verb (Niphal participle): “remain, be left”

            השׁתחות  verb (Hishtaphel infinitive construct): “bow down, worship”

            אגורה  “payment” (BDB,

            ספח  verb (imperative): “attach to” (BDB, 705)

            כהנה  “priesthood” (BDB, 464)

            פת  “bit, morsel” (BDB, 837)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 32

• The phrase, כָּל־הַיָּמִים, is adverbial.

Verse 33

• The direct object of the first clause, אִישׁ, is fronted.
• The lamed with pronominal suffix indicates to whom the action refers (cf. Joüon 130g). Other examples of this phenomenon: Gen 17:12 וּבֶן־שְׁמֹנַת יָמִים יִמּוֹל לָכֶם כָּל־זָכָר  “the eight day old son shall be circumcised to you every male” or “all your males who are eight days old shall be circumcised”; Deut. 23:3גַּם דּוֹר עֲשִירִי לֹא־טָבֹא לֹו בִּקְהַל יהוה “even his tenth generation shall not enter”.
• The phrase, לְכַלּוֹת אֶת־עֵינֶיךָ, is found elsewhere in the MT only in Leviticus 26:16, where it is understood as “exhausting the eyes” or “failing of the eyes.”  Other possibilities may include that it comes from that it comes from the root כִּלָּיוֹן “failing” (BDB, 479; cf. Deut 28:65) or that it is a non-extant root from which חכלילי (cf. Gen 49:12)  is derived.
• The initial he of the Hiphil stem, וְלַאֲדִיב, has apocopated, though normally it is extant with the infinitive construct with a inseparable prefix (Joüon 54b).
• The accusative is used to show the manner of the verbal action.  Thus, “they will die in the prime of life” (cf. GKC 118q).  Another explanation is an adverbial understanding of the noun modifying the intransitive verb מות, i.e. “they will die as men.”

Verse 34

• The preposition, אֶל, can be rendered “concerning.”

Verse 36

• The participle, הַנּוֹתָר, is a substantive.