The story of Samuel’s call is full of important details that are pregnant with meaning, right from the opening verses which set the stage (verses 1-3).

Here is where we learn that “Samuel was serving the LORD under Eli” (verse 1a; CEB), even though, quite unexpectedly, we hear just a few verses later that “Samuel didn’t yet know the LORD, and the LORD’s word hadn’t yet been revealed to him” (verse 7; CEB). The latter half of verse 7 makes perfect sense in context, but the first half doesn’t make sense, especially given verse 1a (see also 2:18). Perhaps it is a kind of narrative interruption or parenthetical aside added to explain the oddity of verse 1’s service to God which is then followed by the three “misses” where Samuel mistakes God’s voice for Eli’s (verses 4-8a).

But then again Samuel’s service is not entirely single-minded in verse 1. It is “under Eli” and the following account repeatedly demonstrates that Samuel is indeed under Eli -- dependent on his voice and, ultimately, his insight -- even as it also demonstrates that, after God’s ...