1 Samuel 2:18

1 Samuel 2:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
• New International Version (NIV)But Samuel was ministering before the Lord—a boy wearing a linen ephod.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy clothed with a linen ephod.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod.

Context of 1 Samuel 2:18

16The man offering the sacrifice might reply, “Take as much as you want, but the fat must be burned first.” Then the servant would demand, “No, give it to me now, or I’ll take it by force.” 17So the sin of these young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight, for they treated the Lord’s offerings with contempt. But Samuel, though he was only a boy, served the Lord. He wore a linen garment like that of a priest. 19Each year his mother made a small coat for him and brought it to him when she came with her husband for the sacrifice. 20Before they returned home, Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the Lord give you other children to take the place of this one she gave to the Lord.”

1 Samuel 2:18 word by word

וּשְׁמוּאֵ֕ל מְשָׁרֵ֖ת אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה נַ֕עַר חָג֖וּר אֵפ֥וֹד בָּֽד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלshemû'êl · SamuelH8050
• ministeredשָׁרַתshârath · to ministerH8334
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• a childנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• girdedחָגַרchâgar · to girdH2296
• with a linenבַּדbad · linenH906
• ephodאֵפוֹד'êphôd 'êphôd · ephodH646

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 2:18

• 1 Samuel 2:11Then Elkanah returned home to Ramah without Samuel. And the boy served the Lord by assisting Eli the priest.
• 1 Samuel 3:1Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.
• 1 Samuel 22:18Then the king said to Doeg, “You do it.” So Doeg the Edomite turned on them and killed them that day, eighty-five priests in all, still wearing their priestly garments.
• Exodus 28:4These are the garments they are to make: a chestpiece, an ephod, a robe, a patterned tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother, Aaron, and his sons to wear when they serve me as priests.
• Leviticus 8:7He put the official tunic on Aaron and tied the sash around his waist. He dressed him in the robe, placed the ephod on him, and attached the ephod securely with its decorative sash.
• 2 Samuel 6:14And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 2:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Girded with a linen ephod - This the Targum translates דבוץ כרדוט אסיר asir cardut debuts, "Girded with a cardit of byssus, or fine linen." The word cardut they seem to have borrowed from the Greek , a tunic, having , i.e., sleeves that came down to, or covered, the hands. This was esteemed an effeminate garment among the Romans. See Buxtorf's Talmudic Lexicon.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Girded with a linen ephod - This was the usual dress of the priests. It does not appear whether Levites wore an ephod properly. Possibly it was a mark of Samuel‘s special dedication to the Lord‘s service that he wore one. (See the marginal reference). The ephod was sometimes used as an idolatrous implement Judges 8:27.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-26Verses 11-26 Samuel, being devoted to the Lord in a special manner, was from a child employed about the sanctuary in the services he was capable of. As he did this with a pious disposition of mind, it was called ministering unto the Lord. He received a blessing from the Lord. Those young people who serve God as well as they can, he will enable to improve, that they may serve him better. Eli shunned trouble and exertion. This led him to indulge his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18The phrase Samuel served the Lord refers to the religious duties of Levites and priests (see, for example, Numbers 3:4; 8:19, 24; Deuteronomy 18:7). Samuel, like Eli's sons, was a Levite (see study note on 1 Samuel 1:1). However, unlike Eli's sons, Samuel performed his duties well. He wore a linen garment similar to what priests wore when serving in the sanctuary (see study note on 1 Samuel 22:18).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child--This notice of his early services in the outer courts of the tabernacle was made to pave the way for the remarkable prophecy regarding the high priest's family. girded with a linen ephod--A small shoulder-garment or apron, used in the sacred service by the inferior priests and Levites; sometimes also by judges or eminent persons, and hence allowed to Samuel, who, though not a Levite, was devoted to…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 2:18

• Children
• Ephod
• Hannah
• Hophni
• Samuel

In the dictionaries

• Samuel
• Crouch
• Custom
• Dunghill
• Dust
• Ephod
• Esteem
• Fleshhook
• Hannah
• Hire

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings