opened: 1Sa 1:9, Mal 1:10 Samuel: Samuel reverenced Eli as a father, and feared to distress him by shewing what God had purposed to do. It does not appear that God commanded Samuel to deliver this message; he therefore did not attempt it till adjured by Eli. It might be supposed that Samuel would have been so full of ecstasy as to have forgotten his ordinary service, and run amongst his friends to tell them of the converse he had with God in the night, but he modestly keeps it to himself. Our secret communion with God is not to be proclaimed on the house-top. feared: Jer 1:6-8, 1Co 16:10, 1Co 16:11 Reciprocal: 1Sa 2:11 - minister 1Sa 3:1 - the child 1Ch 9:27 - the opening Est 6:12 - came again Dan 8:27 - and did