שמואל א, פרק ג׳, פסוק י״ז

Following a dramatic night of divine revelation, Eli the priest confronts young Samuel with a firm demand for total transparency. Eli has no doubt that God was the one who called and spoke to the boy, so he immediately asks what the message was [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. He places heavy pressure on Samuel, insisting that he share every detail of the vision without holding anything back [מלבי״ם]. To ensure Samuel complies and hides no information [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ], Eli binds him with a severe oath, asking that God punish the boy if he conceals even a single word.

The nature of Eli's oath is understood in two main ways. The primary approach views his words as a standard, accepted formula for swearing an oath [רד״ק]. It functions as a polite but implied threat where the speaker deliberately trails off rather than explicitly detailing the exact punishment. The clear intent is that God should bring severe harm upon Samuel if he hides any part of the message [מצודת דוד, רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Ironically, Eli issues this threat without realizing that the very prophecy Samuel is about to reveal contains a devastating curse against Eli's own family [רלב״ג].

On the other hand, an alternative approach interprets Eli's words not just as a general threat, but as a specific, concrete curse. According to this view, Eli swore that just as his own sons were unfit to inherit his leadership, Samuel's sons would also fail to take his place [רד״ק]. Tragically, this curse ultimately came true. Even though Samuel fulfilled Eli's condition and shared the entire prophecy without holding back, he never had worthy sons to continue his legacy. This incident serves as the source for a profound lesson: a curse uttered by a wise man, even if it is attached to a condition that is never broken, will eventually come to pass [רש״י, רלב״ג].