Eli the Priest

2022-04-14

Eli was the priest in Shiloh who was also a judge. While he appeared to be a man who knew the Lord, he did not teach his sons the way of the Lord, who were considered “sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD” (1 Samuel 2:12). Because Eli’s sons were vile, and he did nothing to restrain them, his entire family would eventually be put off from the priesthood, and his sons would die the same day. His sons soon died in a battle against the Philistines, and the ark was taken. The prophecy concerning Eli’s family being put from the priesthood did not come to pass until the days of Abiathar (1 Kings 2:27).

Eli was the one who blessed Hannah before the birth of Samuel and after she had dedicated him to the Lord. Hannah left her son with Eli, and Eli essentially became a father to him and trained him in the Lord’s service.

Like Eli, not training our children in the ways of the Lord will affect our family for generations to come. Also, the sins they learn from us by example, they also will do. The gluttony of Eli became his sons’ sin also, but worse, for they forced people to give raw sacrificial meat to them, contrary the law of God.

Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. (1 Samuel 2:30)

This is a part of the Judges of Israel series. To go back to the table of contents, proceed here.