1 Samuel 3:4 (YLT)

Passage

and Jehovah calleth unto Samuel, and he saith, `Here <FI>am<Fi> I.'

Nearby Context

1 Samuel 3:2 And it cometh to pass, at that time, that Eli is lying down in his place, and his eyes have begun to be dim--he is not able to see.

1 Samuel 3:3 And the lamp of God is not yet extinguished, and Samuel is lying down in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God <FI>is<Fi> ,

1 Samuel 3:4 and Jehovah calleth unto Samuel, and he saith, `Here <FI>am<Fi> I.'

1 Samuel 3:5 And he runneth unto Eli, and saith, `Here <FI>am<Fi> I, for thou hast called for me;' and he saith, `I called not; turn back, lie down;' and he goeth and lieth down.

1 Samuel 3:6 And Jehovah addeth to call again Samuel, and Samuel riseth and goeth unto Eli, and saith, `Here <FI>am<Fi> I, for thou hast called for me;' and he saith, `I have not called, my son, turn back, lie down.'

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "jehovah", "calleth", "samuel", "saith", and "here". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "jehovah" and "calleth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "And the lamp of God is not..." into verse 5's "And he runneth unto Eli and saith...", so "jehovah" and "calleth" 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 "jehovah" and "calleth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.