And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;

And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could not see),

And it came to pass one day when Heli lay in his place, and his eyes were grown dim, that he could not see:

And it came to pass at that time, when Eli lay in his place (now his eyes began to grow dim, he could not see),

And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to grow dim, that he could not see;

And it cometh to pass, at that time, that Eli is lying down in his place, and his eyes have begun to be dim, he is not able to see.

And at that time, when Eli was resting in his place, (now his eyes were becoming clouded so that he was not able to see,)

Then it happened that, on a certain day, Eli was lying in his place. And his eyes had dimmed, so that he was unable to see.

The passage should be rendered thus: "And it came to pass at that time that Eli was sleeping in his place; and his eyes had begun to grow dim; he could not see. And the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was; and the Lord called Samuel, etc." Eli's old age and dimness of sight is probably mentioned as the reason why Samuel thought Eli had called him. Being a blind and feeble old man, he was likely to do so if he wanted anything, either for himself, or for the service of the temple.

Eli was laid down in his place - It is very likely that as the ark was a long time at Shiloh, they had built near to it certain apartments for the high priest and others more immediately employed about the tabernacle. In one of these, near to that of Eli, perhaps under the same roof, Samuel lay when he was called by the Lord.

And it came to pass at that time, when Eli [was] laid down in his (c) place, and his eyes began to wax dim, [that] he could not see;
(c) In the court next to the tabernacle.

And it came to pass at that time,.... When the word of the Lord was scarce and precious, and there was no open vision; or, as Ben Gersom, the same day the man of God came to Eli at night, the following affair happened:
when Eli was laid down in his place; on his bed to sleep, in one of the chambers or apartments of the tabernacle; for as there were such in the temple for the priests, so in that:
and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; to help himself to anything he might want when in bed; which seems to be the reason Samuel lay near him, and why, when he heard his voice, he immediately ran to him, supposing he needed his assistance. Some, as Kimchi and others, understand this not of the eyes of his body, but of his mind; and that the Holy Spirit, as a spirit of prophecy, was departing from him, because of his connivance at the sins of his sons; and so the following prophecy came not to him, but to Samuel.

His place - In the court of the tabernacle.