1 Samuel 3:11Yahweh said to Samuel, "Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle.
The setting
Still in the Holy Place at Shiloh. God is about to tell 12-year-old Samuel that Eli's family will be destroyed. The boy must carry this terrible message. Modern-day West Bank.
The emotion here: awe-struck and burdened by the weight of what he was hearing
The original word
tsalal (תָּצַלְנָה) — ears will ring/tingle, like after an explosion or traumatic shock
Why it matters
Samuel was probably only 12 years old when given this devastating prophecy
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Samuel 3:11
God is warning Samuel that what He's about to say will be so shocking it will physically affect people who hear it
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about Samuel being honored with his first prophecy, but God was actually giving a child the terrible job of announcing his mentor's downfall.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Samuel 3:11
Bible Genome reading
1 Samuel 3:11 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Samuel 3:11 comes from the book of 1 Samuel, written during the judges period. The setting is the Temple. These words are attributed to God. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is prophetic. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine judgment, prophecy. Notable phrases: ears shall tingle. This verse contains a promise of God. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does 1 Samuel 3:11 mean to you, today?
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