Subversion through Allusion in Samuel’s Call to Prophecy (1 Sam 3)

Abstract

The article explores the significance of the strange scene in 1 Sam 3 where Samuel confuses the Lord with Eli and investigates what message the author intended to convey. The article argues that the narrative of Samuel’s call addresses issues that extend beyond his circumstances. Samuel is a representative of the entire prophetic legacy, and the narrator uses the narrative’s peculiarities to validate the essence of prophecy and the prophetic role. The article also explores the similarities and differences between Samuel’s call narrative and Num 12, which claims that only Moses is a trustworthy prophet. The narrator of Samuel’s call narrative uses Num 12 subversively, lending credibility to his own narrative and reinforcing Samuel’s reliability. Ultimately, the method by which the message was conveyed is inconsequential as long as the prophet received and accurately conveyed the divine message.