1 Samuel 3 Chapter Introduction

Structure and Formatting

This chapter continues the first section of the book, chapters 1–7, which describe Samuel as a religious leader of Israel. This chapter tells how Yahweh revealed to Samuel that he would judge and punish Eli and his descendants because Eli’s sons had dishonored him by stealing from his offerings. This chapter also tells how Samuel grew up to be a respected prophet of Yahweh.

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Chapter

How did the tent of meeting come to have “doors” (3:15)?

The author says in 3:15 that Samuel “opened the doors of the house of Yahweh.” While the Bible itself does not record these developments, it appears that during the time when the tent of meeting was in Shiloh, the Israelites built some structures around it or made some changes to it so that people entered and left through doors rather than through curtains. These structural changes or additions are not significant to the biblical story itself, so you do not need to call attention in the text of your translation or in a footnote to this change from curtains to doors.