It happened at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),
"The lamp of God had not yet gone out." The purpose of this clause is to fix the time of day, which was very early in the morning before the light of the seven golden candlesticks (lampstands) had gone out.  Some deny that this was the candlestick, pointing out that it was to "burn always"  (Exodus 27:20), but there are two excellent reasons, either one of which, nullifies such an objection: (1) In the first place, "The instructions for the seven-branched candlestick to "burn always" apparently meant it would be perpetually relighted."[13] (2) The second reason is that the reprobate sons of Eli who were in charge of things would have done it "their way" instead of the way God commanded it, if such had pleased them.