שמואל א, פרק ג׳, פסוק כ״א

After a long period of silence where prophetic visions were rare and precious, a profound spiritual shift took place in Israel. The primary approach among commentators is that prophecy now returned to being a frequent occurrence, with God revealing Himself on a regular basis [רש״י].

While it is clear that divine communication was restored, commentators explore exactly who experienced these ongoing revelations in Shiloh. One perspective holds that the prophecy was directed exclusively toward Samuel. From this point forward, he received a steady stream of visions. Some of these messages were meant for private individuals seeking guidance, while others were broad directives meant to guide the entire nation and its leaders. Through this constant divine communication, Samuel stepped into the role of Israel's spiritual leader, guiding the people even while Eli the priest was still alive [רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. A specific tradition suggests that the initial message of this new era was a command for the Israelites to go to war against the Philistines [רד״ק].

However, other commentators note a broader dynamic at play. They explain that the abundance of prophecy brought into the world through Samuel was so powerful that it overflowed to others. Because God revealed Himself to Samuel, the spiritual gates were opened for his students and the other prophets of that generation, allowing God to appear to them as well [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם].

Within this shared prophetic experience, a clear distinction existed between the levels of prophecy. The other prophets of the generation experienced God's revelation as a fleeting sight, flashing briefly like lightning before disappearing. For Samuel, however, the revelation was complete, clear, and absolute [מלבי״ם]. Furthermore, his experience was not merely visual. He actually heard the voice of God speaking clear, direct words to Him [מצודת דוד].