But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
Parallel translations
- WEB But Samuel ministered before Yahweh, being a child, clothed with a linen ephod.
- BSB Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod.
- NKJV But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod.
- NASB Now Samuel was ministering before the Lord, as a boy wearing a linen ephod.
- NLT But Samuel, though he was only a boy, served the Lord. He wore a linen garment like that of a priest.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
In contrast, the boy Samuel ministered before the Lord, clothed in a linen ephod. His faithful service shines against the priests' corruption.
Overview
The narrative deliberately returns to Samuel, whose devout service contrasts with the wickedness just described. The linen ephod marked him as one set apart for sacred ministry, young as he was. This repeated contrast highlights how God was raising up a faithful servant even as He prepared to judge the unfaithful.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Exod 28:4And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
- 1 Sam 3:1And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
- 1 Sam 2:11And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.
- 2 Sam 6:14And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
- 1 Sam 22:18And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.
- 1 Chr 15:27And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen.
- 1 Sam 2:28And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?
- Lev 8:7And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith.
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 2:18 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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