The Lord called Samuel - The voice probably came from the holy place, near to which Eli and Samuel were both lying.

That the Lord called Samuel,.... By a voice which came forth from the most holy place, from between the cherubim, the seat of the divine Majesty:

and he answered, here am I; which was not intended to declare the place where he was, but to express his readiness and cheerfulness to do any thing that was required of him.

That the LORD {e} called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

(e) Josephus writes that Samuel was 12 years old when the Lord appeared to him.

3:1-10 The call which Divine grace designs shall be made effectual; will be repeated till it is so, till we come to the call. Eli, perceiving that it was the voice of God that Samuel heard, instructed him what to say. Though it was a disgrace to Eli, for God's call to be directed to Samuel, yet he told him how to meet it. Thus the elder should do their utmost to assist and improve the younger that are rising up. Let us never fail to teach those who are coming after us, even such as will soon be preferred before us, Joh 1:30. Good words should be put into children's mouths betimes, by which they may be prepared to learn Divine things, and be trained up to regard them.