The focus of 1 Samuel 3:1–21 is the reversal of the lack of the word of the Lord. The chapter begins with a statement that the word of the Lord was rare (1 Samuel 3:1) and concludes with the word of the Lord coming to all Israel (1 Samuel 4:1a).1
This chapter is often considered to be a prophetic call narrative, giving details as to how a prophet received his call from the Lord. In recent times, however, some commentators argue that it should rather be seen as an auditory message dream theophany,2 though there is no resemblance to any dream in the description of events.3
Within the book of Samuel as a whole, the calling of Samuel affirms that the prophetic office stands above that of the king. It is by the word of the prophet Samuel that kingship will be established in Israel. Since kingship comes from the word of a prophet, all kings are thus accountable to the prophetic word.4
For the narrative itself, a chiastic structure can be identified, which places emphasis on the prophecy of judgment that is given to the house of Eli:5
A: Absence of the prophetic word (1 Samuel 3:1)
B: Eli’s decline (1 Samuel 3:2)
C: The Lord calls Samuel (1 Samuel 3:3–9)
D: A prophecy of judgment on the house of Eli given to Samuel (1 Samuel 3:10–15)
C’: Eli calls Samuel and requests a report (1 Samuel 3:16–18)
B’: Samuel grows as a man of God (1 Samuel 3:19a)
A’: The presence of the prophetic word (1 Samuel 3:19 – 4:1a)
1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.