(9) Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. (10) And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
Samuel thus instructed, is now prepared to make answer, to the call of God, when that call should be renewed. I would have the Reader remark with me, two things in these verses. One is, that the Lord now calls Samuel by name twice, Samuel, Samuel. As if, after the first discoveries of his love, his manifestations are fuller, and larger. And the other is, that though Eli commanded Samuel to say, Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth; Samuel omitted the word Lord: perhaps, Samuel hesitated to call the Person speaking Jehovah, until be was more fully convinced that it was Jehovah. This glorious incommunicable Name of Jehovah, all the seed of Israel were taught from their youth, to be very cautious in the use of: and never were allowed to use, but upon the most solemn occasions.