1 Samuel 3:8 (ASV)

Passage

And Jehovah called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And Eli perceived that Jehovah had called the child.

Nearby Context

1 Samuel 3:6 And Jehovah called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.

1 Samuel 3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know Jehovah, neither was the word of Jehovah yet revealed unto him.

1 Samuel 3:8 And Jehovah called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And Eli perceived that Jehovah had called the child.

1 Samuel 3:9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Jehovah; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

1 Samuel 3:10 And Jehovah came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel said, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "called", "jehovah", "samuel", "again", "third", "time", "arose", and "went". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "called" and "jehovah", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "Now Samuel did not yet know Jehovah..." into verse 9's "Therefore Eli said unto Samuel Go lie...", so "called" and "jehovah" belong inside that flow. In 1 Samuel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "called" and "jehovah" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.