Editing Samuel (section)

===Calling===
Samuel worked under Eli in the service of the shrine at Shiloh. One night, Samuel heard a voice calling his name. According to the first-century Jewish historian [[Josephus]], Samuel was 12 years old.<ref name="Josephus">{{cite web|last=Josephus|title=Book 5 Chapter 10 Section 4|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/josephus/ant-5.htm|work=[[Antiquities of the Jews]]|publisher=Sacred Texts|access-date=7 October 2011}}</ref> Samuel initially assumed it was coming from [[Eli (Bible)|Eli]] and went to Eli to ask what he wanted. Eli, however, sent Samuel back to sleep. After this happened three times, Eli realised that [[Bath ḳōl|the voice]] was the Lord's, and instructed Samuel on how to answer:

<blockquote>If He calls you, then you must say, "Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears".<ref>{{bibleverse|1|Samuel|3:9|NKJV}}</ref></blockquote>

Once Samuel responded, the Lord told him that the wickedness of the [[Hophni and Phinehas|sons of Eli]] had resulted in their dynasty being condemned to destruction.<ref name=oca/> In the morning, Samuel was hesitant about reporting the message to Eli, but Eli asked him to honestly recount to him what he had been told by the Lord. Upon receiving the communication, Eli merely said that the Lord should do what seems right unto him.

Samuel grew up and "all Israel [[from Dan to Beersheba]]" came to know that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord.<ref>{{bibleverse|1|Samuel|3:20|NKJV}}</ref> Anglican theologian [[Donald Spence Jones]] comments that "the minds of all the people were thus gradually prepared when the right moment came to acknowledge Samuel as a God-sent chieftain".<ref>[http://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/1_samuel/3.htm Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers on 1 Samuel 3], accessed 21 April 2017</ref>