Eli

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Sprung from Ithamar, Aaron's younger surviving son ( Leviticus 10:1-2;  Leviticus 10:12). (Compare Abiathar.) ( 1 Kings 2:26-27;  1 Chronicles 24:3;  2 Samuel 8:17). Compare Eleazar's genealogy, wherein Eli and Abiathar do not appear ( 1 Chronicles 6:4-15;  Ezra 7:1-5). No high priest of Ithamar's line is mentioned before Eli, whose appointment was of God ( 1 Samuel 2:30). His grandson Ahitub succeeded ( 1 Samuel 14:3). Abiathar. Ahitub's grandson, was thrust out by Solomon for his share in Adonijah's rebellion and the high priesthood reverted to Eleazar's line in Zadok ( 1 Kings 2:35). The transfer was foretold to Eli by the unnamed man of God first, and by the child Samuel next ( 1 Samuel 2:3): a punishment from God, because though Eli reproved his wicked sons Hophni and Phinehas in word he did not in act, put forth his authority as a judge to punish, coerce, and depose them, "because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not."

Another part of the curse, "I will cut off the arm of thy father's house that. there shall not be an old man in thine house," was being fulfilled in David's days, when "there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar (16) than of the sons of Ithamar" (8) ( 1 Chronicles 24:4). Eli's grace shone in the meekness with which he bowed to the Lord's sentence, "It is the Lord, let Him do what, seemeth Him good." His patriotism and piety especially appear in his intense anxiety for the safety of the ark; "his heart trembled for the ark of God." The announcement after the battle, of the slaughter of the people and even of his sons did not so much overwhelm him as that of the ark of God: instantly "he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck broke and he died; for he was old and heavy." The Hebrew Scriptures make his term of office as judge 40 years; the Greek Septuagint 20 years.

Some reconcile the two by making him co-judge with Samson for 20 years, and sole judge for 20 more years. He was 98 years of age at his death. His failing and its penalty are a warning to all parents, even religious ones, and all in authority, to guard against laxity in ruling children and subordinates in the fear of the Lord, punishing strictly, though in love, all sin, jealous for God's honor even at the cost of offending man and of painting natural parental feeling. Condoning sin is cruel to children as well as dishonoring to God. Children will respect most the parent who respects God. Perhaps Eli clung to office too long, when through age he was no longer able vigorously to fulfill it. He who cannot rule his own house is unfit to rule the house of God ( 1 Timothy 3:5).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 1 Samuel 1:3,9 1 Chronicles 24:3 2 Samuel 8:17 1 Kings 2:26,27 1 Samuel 4:18

His sons Hophni and Phinehas grossly misconducted themselves, to the great disgust of the people ( 1 Samuel 2:27-36 ). They were licentious reprobates. He failed to reprove them so sternly as he ought to have done, and so brought upon his house the judgment of God (2:22-33; 3:18). The Israelites proclaimed war against the Philistines, whose army was encamped at Aphek. The battle, fought a short way beyond Mizpeh, ended in the total defeat of Israel. Four thousand of them fell in "battle array". They now sought safety in having the "ark of the covenant of the Lord" among them. They fetched it from Shiloh, and Hophni and Phinehas accompanied it. This was the first time since the settlement of Israel in Canaan that the ark had been removed from the sanctuary. The Philistines put themselves again in array against Israel, and in the battle which ensued "Israel was smitten, and there was a very great slaughter." The tidings of this great disaster were speedily conveyed to Shiloh, about 20 miles distant, by a messenger, a Benjamite from the army. There Eli sat outside the gate of the sanctuary by the wayside, anxiously waiting for tidings from the battle-field. The full extent of the national calamity was speedily made known to him: "Israel is fled before the Philistines, there has also been a great slaughter among the people, thy two sons Hophni and Phinehas are dead, and the ark of God is taken" ( 1 Samuel 4:12-18 ). When the old man, whose eyes were "stiffened" (i.e., fixed, as of a blind eye unaffected by the light) with age, heard this sad story of woe, he fell backward from off his seat and died, being ninety and eight years old. (See Ithamar .)

Eli, Heb. eli, "my God", (  Matthew 27:46 ), an exclamation used by Christ on the cross. ( Mark 15:34 ), as usual, gives the original Aramaic form of the word, Eloi.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

Descendant of Ithamar, and high priest in Israel. It is not recorded whom he succeeded; the book of 1Samuel opens with Eli as priest. Samuel was lent to the Lord by his pious mother, and he ministered unto the Lord before Eli. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were 'sons of Belial:' they assisted their father, but interfered with the due offering of the sacrifices, and sinned greatly before the people. Eli spoke to his sons of their evil doings, but he did not with energy prevent the dishonour to the Lord. It should be remembered that the responsibility of maintaining Israel, the people of the Lord, before Him, rested on the priestly house, hence the enormity of the young men's sin, and the solemnity of Eli's negligent conduct. A man of God came and told Eli plainly that he honoured his sons before the Lord, and detailed some judgements that should befall his house, and that his two sons should be slain in one day.

As Eli allowed his sons to continue in their evil ways, God sent a message to him by Samuel, reminding him of the judgements of which the man of God had warned him, and repeating that it was because "his sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not." Alas, poor Eli merely said, "It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good." A pious remark, but which did not correct the evil. This was Eli's great failing, though he otherwise apparently cared for God's honour. He trembled when the ark of God was carried to the war, which ended so disastrously. His two sons were killed and the ark was taken by the Philistines, and 'Ichabod' — 'the glory is departed' — marked the state of Israel through Eli's sin. When Eli heard these sad tidings he fell backward, and his neck brake. He had judged Israel forty years and was 98 years old.  1 Samuel 1 -   1 Samuel 4 . Abiathar his descendant was thrust from the priesthood by Solomon that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled which He spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.  1 Kings 2:27 .

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Eli ( Ç'Li ), Summit, The Highest, according to some, Adopted Of The Lord. A noted high priest and judge of Israel. He was of the family of Ithamar, Aaron's youngest son; for his descendant Ahimelech or Abiathar,  1 Samuel 14:3;  1 Samuel 22:20;  2 Samuel 8:17, is expressly said to be of that house.  1 Chronicles 24:3. We do not know how or when the high priesthood passed from Eleazar's family to that of Ithamar; but because of Eli's sin in not restraining his ungodly sons, it reverted again to the elder line.  1 Samuel 2:22-25;  1 Kings 2:35. With the exception of this great fault, of which he was repeatedly warned, Eli appears to have been a holy man. To him was committed the charge of Samuel the prophet when a child. And his anxiety for the ark of God, carried with the Israelitish army to battle, is graphically depicted in the sacred history. He sat watching for news in the open road; and when he heard the disastrous intelligence, the death of his two sons, and, worst of all the capture of the ark by the Philistines, he who could have borne the desolation of his own house sank down in grief, and his neck brake, and he died. He was 98 years old, and had judged Israel 40 years: some of these years probably including the time of Samuel.  1 Samuel 1:1-28;  1 Samuel 2:1-36;  1 Samuel 3:1-21;  1 Samuel 4:1-22. Part of the fulfillment of the threatening against Eli's house is noted in  1 Kings 2:27.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

E'li. (Ascension). A descendant of Aaron through Ithamar, the youngest of his two surviving sons.  Leviticus 10:1-2;  Leviticus 10:12, compare  1 Kings 2:27 with  2 Samuel 8:17;  1 Chronicles 24:3. (B.C. 1214-1116). He was the first of the line of Ithamar who held the office of high priest. The office remained in his family till Abiathar was thrust out by Solomon,  1 Kings 1:7;  1 Kings 2:26-27, when it passed back again to the family of Eleazar in the person of Zadok.  1 Kings 2:35. Its return to the elder branch was one part of the punishment which had been denounced against Eli during his lifetime, for his culpable negligence,  1 Samuel 2:22-25, when his sons profaned the priesthood; compare  1 Samuel 2:27-36 with  1 Kings 2:27.

Notwithstanding this one great blemish, the character of Eli is marked by eminent piety, as shown by his meek submission to the divine judgment,  1 Samuel 3:18, and his supreme regard for the Ark of God.  1 Samuel 4:18. In addition to the office of high priest, he held that of judge. He died at the advanced age of 98 years,  1 Samuel 4:18, overcome by the disastrous intelligence that the Ark of God had been taken in battle by the Philistines, who had also slain his sons Hophni and Phinehas.

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

a high priest of the Hebrews, of the race of Ithamar, who succeeded Abdon, and governed the Hebrews, both as priest and judge, during forty years. How Eli came to the high priesthood, and how this dignity was transferred from Eleazar's family to that of Ithamar, who was Aaron's youngest son, we know not. This much, however, is certain, that it was not done without an express declaration of God's will,  1 Samuel 2:27 , &c. In the reign of Solomon, the predictions in relation to Eli's family were fulfilled; for the high priesthood was taken from Abiathar, a descendant of Eli, and given to Zadok, who was of the race of Eleazar,  1 Kings 2:26 .

Eli appears to have been a pious, but indolent man, blinded by paternal affection, who suffered his sons to gain the ascendancy over him; and for want either of personal courage, or zeal for the glory of God sufficient to restrain their licentious conduct, he permitted them to go on to their own and his ruin. Thus he carried his indulgence to cruelty; while a more dignified and austere conduct on his part might have rendered them wise and virtuous, and thereby have preserved himself and family. A striking lesson for parents! God admonished him by Samuel, then a child; and Eli received those awful admonitions with a mind fully resigned to the divine will. "It is the Lord," said he, "let him do what seemeth him good." God deferred the execution of his vengeance many years. At length, however, Hophni and Phineas, the sons of Eli, were slain by the Philistines, the ark of the Lord was taken, and Eli himself, hearing this melancholy news, fell backward from his chair and broke his neck, in the ninety-eighth year of his age,  1 Samuel 4:12;  1 Samuel 4:18 .

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

The High Priest, in the days of the judges. ( 1 Samuel 2:11) His name is very significant, meaning, my God. The sin of Eli is remarkably striking. And it teaches most powerfully. We see in him a decided proof of the great danger of consulting the feelings of nature, rather than obeying the precepts of grace. His tenderness, as a father, tempted him to lose sight of his reverence for God. He therefore contented himself with reproving his sons for their vileness, when he should have publicly stript them of their office, and banished them from his presence. And though he was admonished of this evil conduct by the child Samuel, speaking to him in a vision from the Lord, yet we find no firmness to reform. And though the Lord deferred the threatened punishment of his two sons for near twenty and seven years, yet he allowed them still to minister in the service of the sanctuary. At length the judgment came, and a most tremendous judgment it was. (See Hophni,  1 Samuel 4:12-22) How different from him, of whom it is said, "He did not acknowledge his brethren, nor know his own children!" ( Deuteronomy 33:9)

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

ELI (possibly an abbreviated form of Eliel , ‘God is high’). The predecessor of Samuel as ‘judge,’ and high priest in the sanctuary at Shiloh. Excepting in the final scene of his life, every time he comes before us it is in connexion with others who occupy the position of greater interest. Thus in his interviews with Hannah, in the first one it is she in whom the chief interest centres (  1 Samuel 1:12 ff.); in the second it is the child Samuel (  1 Samuel 1:24 ff.). The next time he is mentioned it is only as the father of Hophni and Phinehas, the whole passage being occupied with an account of their evil doings (  1 Samuel 2:12 ff.). Again, in   1 Samuel 2:27 ff., Eli is mentioned only as the listener to ‘a man of God’ who utters his prophecy of evil. And lastly, in his dealings with the boy Samuel the whole account (ch. 3) is really concerned with Samuel, while Eli plays quite a subsidiary part. All this seems to illustrate the personality of Eli as that of a humble-minded, good man of weak character; his lack of influence over his sons only serves to emphasize this estimate.

W. O. E. Oesterley.

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

At the time when Eli was chief priest and chief administrator in Israel, the tabernacle was at Shiloh, in central Israel. Eli sat outside the tabernacle to give advice and settle disputes, while his sons carried out the routine work connected with the sacrifices and ceremonies ( 1 Samuel 1:3;  1 Samuel 1:9;  1 Samuel 4:18).

Eli’s sons were corrupt, but Eli did not remove them from office, even though he disagreed with their conduct. God announced to Eli, first through a prophet and then through the boy Samuel, that he would punish Eli’s household with shame, poverty and early death. Only one would be left functioning as a priest, and eventually he too would be removed ( 1 Samuel 2:12-36;  1 Samuel 3:11-14). (For the fulfilment of these prophecies see  1 Samuel 4:11;  1 Samuel 14:3;  1 Samuel 22:11-20;  1 Kings 2:26-27.)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A high priest of the Jews, the first in the line of Ithamar,  1 Samuel 2:27 . He was also a judge of Israel forty years, and was eminent for piety and usefulness, but criminally negligent of family discipline. For this the judgments of God fell upon his house,  1 Samuel 3:11-18 . In battle with the Philistines his two sons were slain, and Israel defeated; but it was the capture of the ark of God that broke his heart,  1 Samuel 4:1-22 . The divine threatening was fully performed in the day of Abiathar, which see.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 1 Samuel 1:3 1 Samuel 3:1 1 Samuel 4:18

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Hebrews Eli', עֵלַי . i.e., עֵַלי , Ascent; Sept. ᾿Ηλι [so N.T. (See Heli) ], Josephus Ηλεί ,Vulg. Heli), the high-priest of the Jews when the ark was in Shiloh ( 1 Samuel 1:3;  1 Samuel 1:9). He was descended from Aaron through Ithamar, the youngest of his two surviving sons ( Leviticus 10:1-2;  Leviticus 10:12), as appears from the fact that Abiathar, who was certainly a lineal descendant of Eli ( 1 Kings 2:27), had a son Ahimelech, who is expressly stated to have been "of the sons of Ithamar" ( 1 Chronicles 24:3; compare  2 Samuel 8:17). With this accords the circumstance that the names of Eli and his successors in the high-priesthood up to and including Abiathar are not found in the genealogy of Eleazar ( 1 Chronicles 6:4-15; compare  Ezra 7:1-5). As the history makes no mention of any high-priest of the line of 4thamar before Eli, he is generally supposed to have been the first of that line who held the office (Josephus, Ant. 8:1, 3). From him, his sons having died before him, it appears to have passed to his grandson Ahitub ( 1 Samuel 14:3; compare however Josephus, Ant. 5:11, 2), and it certainly remained in his family till Abiathar, the grandson of Ahitub, was "thrust out from being priest unto the Lord" by Solomon for his share in Adonijah's rebellion ( 1 Kings 2:26;  1 Kings 2:2-7;  1 Kings 1:7), and the high-priesthood passed back again to the family of Eleazar in the person of Zadok ( 1 Kings 2:35). How the office ever came into the younger branch of the house of Aaron we are not informed; perhaps it was through the incapacity or minority of the then sole representative of the elder line, for it is very evident that it was no unauthorized usurpation on the part of Eli ( 1 Samuel 2:27-28;  1 Samuel 2:30). (See Ithamar).

Eli also acted as regent or civil judge of Israel after the death of Samson, being the immediate predecessor of his pupil Samuel ( 1 Samuel 7:6;  1 Samuel 7:15-17), the last of the judges. This function, indeed, seems to have been intended, by the theocratical constitution, to devolve upon the high-priest, by virtue of his office, in the absence of any person specially appointed by the divine King to deliver and govern Israel. He is said to have judged Israel 40 years ( 1 Samuel 4:18): the Septuagint makes it 20. It has been suggested, in explanation of the discrepancy, that he was Sole judge for 20 years, after having been co-judge with Samson for 20 years ( Judges 16:31). But the probability is that the number 40 is correct, but that it comprehends only the period of his administration as judge; for not only does the whole tenor of the narrative imply that this immediately succeeded the judgeship of Samson (as indeed Josephus evidently understood it; a fact apparent not only from his history, but also from the summing up of his numbers as computed by himself, Ant. 5:9; 10:3; title to book 5), but this view is evidently taken by Paul in his assignment of the period of 450 years to the judges ( Acts 13:20), a number that immediately results from simply adding together the items as given in the O.T. history, including Samson and Eli as continuous to the others. (See Judges). As Eli died at the age of ninety-eight ( 1 Samuel 4:15), the forty years (B.C. 1165-1125) must have commenced when he was fifty-eight years old. (See Lightfoot's Works, 1:53, 907, fol. Lond. 1684; Selden, De Success. In Pontif. Hebr. lib. 1, cap. 4). (See High-Priest).

Eli seems to have been a religious man, and the only fault recorded of him was an excessive easiness of temper, most unbefitting the high responsibilities of his official character. His sons Hophni and Phinehas, whom he invested with authority, misconducted themselves so outrageously as to excite deep disgust among the people, and render the services of the tabernacle odious in their eyes ( 1 Samuel 2:27-36;  1 Kings 2:27). Of this misconduct Eli was aware, but contented himself with mild and ineffectual remonstrances ( 1 Samuel 2:22-25), where his station required severe and vigorous action ( 1 Samuel 3:13). For this neglect the judgment of God was at length denounced upon his house, through the young Samuel (q.v.), who, under peculiar circumstances, had been attached from childhood to his person ( 1 Samuel 2:29;  1 Samuel 3:18). Some years passed without any apparent fulfillment of this denunciation, but it came at length in one terrible crash, by which the old man's heart was broken. The Philistines had gained the upper hand over Israel, and the ark of God was taken to the field, in the confidence of victory and safety from its presence. But in the battle which followed the ark itself was taken by the Philistines, and the two sons of Eli, who were in attendance upon it, were slain. The high-priest, then blind with age, sat by the wayside at Shiloh, awaiting tidings from the war, "for his heart trembled for the ark of God." A man of Benjamin, with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head, brought the fatal news: and Eli heard that Israel was defeated-that his sons were slain-that the ark of God was taken — at which last word he fell heavily from his seat, and died ( 1 Samuel 4:1-22). According to Schwarz (Palest. page 142), an erroneous tradition locates his grave in an elegant building at the village Charim ben-Elim, eight miles N.N.E. of Jaffa, on the shore. The ultimate doom upon Eli's house was accomplished when Solomon removed Abiathar (the last high-priest of this line) from his office, and restored the line of Eleazar, in the person of Zadok ( 1 Kings 2:27). (See Abiathar). Another part of the same sentence ( 1 Samuel 2:31-33) appears to have been taking effect in the reign of David, when we read that "there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar" — sixteen of the former, and only eight of the latter ( 1 Chronicles 24:4).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

E´li (the highest), high-priest of the Jews when the ark was in Shiloh . He was the first high-priest of the line of Ithamar, Aaron's youngest son. This is deduced from; . It also appears from the omission of the names of Eli and his immediate successors in the enumeration of the high-priests of Eleazar's line in . What occasioned this remarkable transfer is not known—most probably the incapacity or minority of the then sole representative of the elder line; for it is very evident that it was no unauthorized usurpation on the part of Eli . Eli also acted as regent or civil judge of Israel after the death of Samson. This function, indeed, seems to have been intended, by the theocratic constitution, to devolve upon the high-priest, by virtue of his office, in the absence of any person specially appointed by the Divine King, to deliver and govern Israel. He is said to have judged Israel forty years . As Eli died at the age of ninety-eight , the forty years must have commenced when he was fifty-eight years old.

Eli seems to have been a religious man; and the only fault recorded of him was an excessive easiness of temper, most unbefitting the high responsibilities of his official character. His sons, Hophni and Phinehas, whom he invested with authority, misconducted themselves so outrageously as to excite deep disgust among the people, and render the services of the tabernacle odious in their eyes. Of this misconduct Eli was aware, but contented himself with mild and ineffectual remonstrances, where his station required severe and vigorous action. For this neglect the judgment of God was at length denounced upon his house, through the young Samuel, who, under peculiar circumstances [SAMUEL], had been attached from childhood to his person . Some years passed without any apparent fulfillment of this denunciation—but it came at length in one terrible crash, by which the old man's heart was broken. The Philistines had gained the upper hand over Israel, and the ark of God was taken to the field, in the confidence of victory and safety from its presence. But in the battle which followed, the ark itself was taken by the Philistines, and the two sons of Eli, who were in attendance upon it, were slain. The high-priest, then blind with age, sat by the way-side at Shiloh, awaiting tidings from the war, 'for his heart trembled for the ark of God.' A man of Benjamin, with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head, brought the fatal news: and Eli heard that Israel was defeated—that his sons were slain—that the ark of God was taken—at which last word he fell heavily from his seat, and died (1 Samuel 4).

The ultimate doom upon Eli's house was accomplished when Solomon removed Abiathar (the last high-priest of this line) from his office, and restored the line of Eleazar in the person of Zadok [ABIATHAR].

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ē´lı̄ ( עלי , ‛ēlı̄ ): A descendant of Ithamar, the fourth son of Aaron, who exercised the office of high priest in Shiloh at the time of the birth of Samuel. For the first time in Israel, Eli combined in his own person the functions of high priest and judge, judging Israel for 40 years ( 1 Samuel 4:18 ). The incidents in Eli's life are few; indeed, the main interest of the narrative is in the other characters who are associated with him. The chief interest centers in Samuel. In Eli's first interview with Hannah ( 1 Samuel 1:12 ), she is the central figure; in the second interview ( 1 Samuel 1:24 ), it is the child Samuel. When Eli next appears, it is as the father of Hophni and Phinehas, whose worthless and licentious lives had profaned their priestly office, and earned for them the title "men of Belial" (or "worthlessness"). Eli administered no stern rebuke to his sons, but only a gentle chiding of their greed and immorality. Thereafter he was warned by a nameless prophet of the downfall of his house, and of the death of his two sons in one day ( 1 Samuel 2:27-36 ), a message later confirmed by Samuel, who had received this word directly from Yahweh Himself ( 1 Samuel 3:11 ). The prophecy was not long in fulfillment. During the next invasion by the Philistines, the Israelites were utterly routed, the ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas were both slain. When the news reached Eli, he was so overcome that he "fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck brake, and he died" ( 1 Samuel 4:18 ). The character of Eli, while sincere and devout, seems to have been entirely lacking in firmness. He appears from the history to have been a good man, full of humility and gentleness, but weak and indulgent. His is not a strong personality; he is always overshadowed by some more commanding or interesting figure.