and God’s lamp hadn’t yet gone out, and Samuel had laid down in Yahweh’s temple, where God’s ark was;
Parallel translations
- KJV And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;
- BSB Before the lamp of God had gone out, Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was located.
- NKJV and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the Lord where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down,
- NASB and 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 was,
- NLT The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God.
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
Before the lamp of God went out, Samuel lay down in the temple near the ark. The setting is the holy place where God dwelt among His people.
Overview
The golden lampstand, not yet extinguished, marks the late hour and perhaps hints that the light of God's presence had not wholly departed from Israel. Samuel sleeps near the ark, the symbol of God's throne and presence. The sacred setting and Samuel's nearness to the ark fittingly precede God's direct address to him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Lev 24:2–4“Command the children of Israel, that they bring to you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.
- Ps 27:4One thing I have asked of Yahweh, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in Yahweh’s house all the days of my life, to see Yahweh’s beauty, and to inquire in his temple.
- Ps 5:7But as for me, in the abundance of your loving kindness I will come into your house. I will bow toward your holy temple in reverence of you.
- Exod 27:20–21“You shall command the children of Israel, that they bring to you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.
- Ps 29:9Yahweh’s voice makes the deer calve, and strips the forests bare. In his temple everything says, “Glory!”
- 1 Sam 1:6Her rival provoked her severely, to irritate her, because Yahweh had shut up her womb.
- 2 Chr 13:11and they burn to Yahweh every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense. They also set the show bread in order on the pure table; and the lamp stand of gold with its lamps, to burn every evening; for we keep the instruction of Yahweh our God, but you have forsaken him.
- Exod 30:7–8Aaron shall burn incense of sweet spices on it every morning. When he tends the lamps, he shall burn it.
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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 3:3 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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