Late at night in the Tabernacle of Shiloh, a quiet transition of spiritual leadership begins to unfold. The stillness of the early morning hours, set against the backdrop of the Holy of Holies, provides the setting for a young boy's first prophetic revelation just before the break of a new day.
At this early hour, the lamps of the Menorah, which burned from evening until morning, had not yet gone out [מצודת דוד, רלב״ג, רד״ק]. Alternatively, another light providing illumination in the sanctuary was still burning [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This predawn period is considered the most fitting time for true dreams and prophecy. Free from the noise and distractions of the day, the mind is clear, and a person is fully prepared to receive spiritual insight [מלבי״ם, רלב״ג, אברבנאל]. Practically, the lingering light allowed Samuel to see that no one else was in the area, leading him to assume that Eli was the one calling him [אברבנאל].
On a deeper, symbolic level, the burning lamp represents the human soul and the spirit of prophecy. It points to God's careful providence in maintaining a continuous chain of leadership. Before the sun set on Eli the Priest and his prophetic vision faded, Samuel's light began to shine. God ensured that the generation would never be left without spiritual guidance [רד״ק, אברבנאל].
The image of Samuel resting in the sacred space presents a legal difficulty, as it is strictly forbidden for anyone other than kings of the Davidic line to sit or lie down in the inner courtyard. To resolve this, the primary approach among commentators is that Samuel was actually sleeping in a permitted area outside the main sanctuary, in the quarters where the Levites kept guard near Eli. It was the lamp, not Samuel, that was located inside the inner sanctuary [רש״י, מנחת שי, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].
The specific presence of the Ark of God in this setting offers further insight, with commentators presenting two main perspectives. One approach suggests that the location of the Ark explains the nature of the voice Samuel was about to hear. It was not a standard human call, but a miraculous voice that originated from the Holy of Holies, right above the Ark, and traveled outward to where Samuel was lying [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אברבנאל]. A second, more conceptual approach suggests that the setting reflects Samuel's state of mind rather than his physical placement. Although he was lying in his bed outside, his thoughts were completely immersed in the sanctuary and the Ark of the Covenant. Lying awake in quiet meditation about the holiness of the Ark is exactly what prepared his mind and opened his soul to receive a profound Divine revelation [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל].