1 Samuel 3 · Verse 2

1 Samuel 3:2

And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;
1 Samuel 3:2, King James Version

1 Samuel 3:2 in other translations

BSBAnd at that time Eli, whose eyesight had grown so dim that he could not see, was lying in his room.
WEBAt that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),
ASVAnd it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could not see),
YLTAnd it cometh to pass, at that time, that Eli is lying down in his place, and his eyes have begun to be dim--he is not able to see.
DARBYAnd it came to pass at that time, when Eli lay in his place (now his eyes began to grow dim, he could not see),
BBEAnd at that time, when Eli was resting in his place, (now his eyes were becoming clouded so that he was not able to see,)
WebsterAnd it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to grow dim, that he could not see;

What does 1 Samuel 3:2 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 Eli was laid down in his place - It is very likely that as the ark was a long time at Shiloh, they had built near to it certain apartments for the high priest and others more immediately employed about the tabernacle. In one of these, near to that of Eli, perhaps under the same roof, Samuel lay when he was called by the Lord.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 3:1-10

The call which Divine grace designs shall be made effectual; will be repeated till it is so, till we come to the call. Eli, perceiving that it was the voice of God that Samuel heard, instructed him what to say. Though it was a disgrace to Eli, for God's call to be directed to Samuel, yet he told him how to meet it. Thus the elder should do their utmost to assist and improve the younger that are rising up. Let us…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 3:1-10 →

1 Samuel 3:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַֽיְהִי֙vay.Hiand it wasH1961
בַּיּ֣וֹםbai.Yomon the dayH3117
הַה֔וּאha.Hu'<the> thatH1931
וְעֵלִ֖יve.'e.Liand EliH5941
שֹׁכֵ֣בsho.Khev[was] lyingH7901
בִּמְקֹמ֑וֹbim.ko.Moin place hisH4725
וְעֵינָיו֙ve.'ei.novand eyes hisH5869
הֵחֵ֣לּוּhe.Che.luthey beganH2490
כֵה֔וֹתkhe.HotdimH3544
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
יוּכַ֖לyu.Khalhe was ableH3201
לִרְאֽוֹת\׃lir.'otto seeH7200

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 3:2

  • 1 Samuel 4:15

    Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.

  • Genesis 27:1

    And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.

  • Genesis 48:10

    Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.

  • Psalms 90:10

    The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

  • Genesis 48:19

    And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

  • 1 Samuel 2:22

    Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

  • Ecclesiastes 12:3

    In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
his eyes.
2:22; 4:15; Ge 27:1; 48:19; Ps 90:10; Ec 12:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 3:1

    And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

  • 1 Samuel 3:2

    And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;

  • 1 Samuel 3:3

    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;

Read all of 1 Samuel 3

1 Samuel 3:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y aconteció un día, que estando Eli acostado en su aposento, cuando sus ojos comenzaban á oscurecerse, que no podía ver,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il arriva en ce temps-là, qu’Éli était couché en son lieu (or ses yeux commençaient à être troubles, il ne pouvait voir);
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es geschah in selbiger Zeit, als Eli an seinem Orte lag, -seine Augen aber hatten begonnen, blöde zu werden, er konnte nicht sehen, -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Factum est ergo in die quadam, Heli jacebat in loco suo, et oculi ejus caligaverant, nec poterat videre: