And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God [was], and Samuel was laid down [to sleep];
Ver. 3. And ere the lamp of God went out,] i.e., Early in the morning, before it was day. For they did not then burn daylight, as the superstitious Papists do by their tapers burning upon their altars at noonday. The morning is the fittest time for meditation and prayer.
And Samuel was laid down to sleep.] In some of the Levites' lodgings, and not far from Eli, on whom he waited.