1 Samuel 3:10
“And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Context
Samuel was a young boy serving in the tabernacle at Shiloh under Eli, whose own sons had corrupted the priesthood. Verse 7 notes Samuel "did not yet know the LORD," and verse 1 says the Lord's word was rare in those days. This nighttime call marks God raising up a faithful prophet during a season of spiritual decline.
What Does 1 Samuel 3:10 Mean?
This verse records the moment Samuel learns to listen to God. Three times the boy had heard his name called in the night and run to Eli, assuming the old priest needed him. Only when Eli realized the Lord was calling did he teach Samuel how to answer. Now, on the fourth call, Samuel responds rightly: "Speak; for thy servant heareth." The text says the Lord "came, and stood" -- a vivid picture of God drawing near to a child in a time when, as the chapter says, the word of the Lord was rare and visions were scarce.
Notice the posture of Samuel's reply. He does not bargain, argue, or rush to speak his own mind. He offers himself as a servant whose whole task is to hear and obey. The repeated name, "Samuel, Samuel," carries a tone of tender insistence -- God knows him personally and calls him by name. This is the beginning of a lifelong prophetic ministry, and it starts not with eloquence or strength but with a willing ear. Before God could speak through Samuel to a nation, Samuel first had to learn to listen.
In the Original Language
The Hebrew word for servant, eved, denotes one who serves and belongs to a master. The verb for hear, shama, means not merely to perceive sound but to listen with the intent to obey -- the same root behind Israel's great call to "hear, O Israel."
Cross References
“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
- Isaiah 6:8
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
- John 10:27
“I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints.”
- Psalm 85:8
Application
God still calls people by name, often in quiet moments we might mistake for something ordinary. Cultivate Samuel's readiness: come to God saying "speak," with a heart already willing to obey whatever you hear.