This page gives you ready-to-use study questions for 1 Samuel 3, the chapter where the boy Samuel first hears the LORD call his name at night in the temple at Shiloh. It is written for a small group leader, a Sunday school class, or someone studying the passage on their own. Each question comes with a discussion note so you can lead the conversation without preparing a separate summary.
1 Samuel 3 at a Glance
The chapter opens with a sober picture: the word of the LORD is rare, Eli the priest is aging and nearly blind, and his sons have been corrupting the worship of the temple. Samuel serves under Eli, sleeping near the ark, when a voice calls him three times. Each time he runs to Eli, who finally realizes that God is calling the boy and instructs him how to answer.
The LORD then gives Samuel a hard message of judgment against Eli’s house. Samuel is afraid to repeat it, but Eli insists, and Samuel tells him everything. The chapter closes with Samuel growing in stature, his words proven true across Israel, and the LORD appearing again at Shiloh through his word.
Observation Questions
Use these questions at the start of the session to make sure everyone is clear on what the text says before anyone interprets it. Let people answer from the passage itself, and ask them to point to a verse for each answer. Keep the pace brisk so the group does not stall on details.
1 Samuel 3:4
The LORD called Samuel; and he said, “Here I am.”
(WEB)
This short verse captures the moment of God’s first recorded call to Samuel and his immediate reply. Reading it aloud emphasizes the simplicity of his response, which becomes the model for the whole chapter. It is a good place to begin the session.
1 Samuel 3:9-10
9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down. It shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, the LORD; for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 The LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak; for your servant hears.”
(WEB)
These verses contain Eli’s instruction and Samuel’s prayer of readiness, the heart of the chapter’s teaching on listening. Reading them together shows how one mentor’s guidance leads to a direct encounter with God. Let the group hear the words “Speak, for your servant hears” as a prayer.
1 Samuel 3:13-14
13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves, and he didn’t restrain them. 14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be removed with sacrifice or offering forever.”
(WEB)
These verses state God’s reason for judging Eli’s house, centering on the sons’ sins and Eli’s failure to restrain them. Reading the passage aloud helps the group feel its seriousness and prepares them for the discussion of accountability. Pause to let the weight of the words be felt.
1 Samuel 3:15-18
15 Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the LORD’s house. Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. 16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, “Samuel, my son!” He said, “Here I am.” 17 He said, “What is the thing that he has spoken to you? Please don’t hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that he spoke to you.” 18 Samuel told him every bit, and hid nothing from him. He said, “It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him.”
(WEB)
This passage shows Samuel’s fear, his honesty with Eli, and Eli’s humble acceptance of God’s word. Reading it aloud gives the group a sense of the emotional and relational drama at the center of the chapter. It is an ideal passage for reflection on courage and humility.
1 Samuel 3:19-21
19 Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD. 21 The LORD appeared again in Shiloh; for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the LORD’s word.
(WEB)
These closing verses describe Samuel’s growth, his recognition across Israel, and the LORD’s continued self-revelation at Shiloh. Ending the reading here reminds the group that God’s faithfulness carries the story forward. Use this reading to close the discussion on a note of hope.
Memory Verse for 1 Samuel 3
1 Samuel 3:10
The LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak; for your servant hears.”
(WEB)
This verse is the chapter’s clearest summary of the posture God wants from his people: attentive, ready, and humble. Encourage the group to memorize it and to repeat it as a short prayer when they begin their time with Scripture. Memorizing it together helps keep the chapter’s central lesson in view throughout the week.
A Closing Prayer for the Group
Father, we thank you that you speak, and that you spoke to a young boy in a quiet temple long ago. Help us to hear your voice in Scripture, in prayer, and in the counsel of trusted believers. Make us ready to answer as Samuel did, saying, “Speak, for your servant hears.” Give us humble hearts like Eli’s, willing to receive hard truths and to trust your good purposes. Let our lives grow in faithfulness, so that others may recognize your word at work among us. Amen.
