Bad Boys

Chapter 1 and the first part of chapter 2 tells us how, because of her faithfulness, God blessed Hannah and her family.

To contrast the blessing of Hannah and her family we now look at God’s judgment on Eli’s family.

This story shows us the seriousness with which God takes priestly misconduct.

It also affirms the being related to the priest is no substitute for a relationship with God and pedigree or social power is not an alternative to purity.

1 Samuel 2:12–36 (CSB)

12 Eli’s sons were wicked men; they did not respect the Lord 13 or the priests’ share of the sacrifices from the people. When anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged meat fork while the meat was boiling 14 and plunge it into the container, kettle, cauldron, or cooking pot. The priest would claim for himself whatever the meat fork brought up. This is the way they treated all the Israelites who came there to Shiloh. 15 Even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the one who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast, because he won’t accept boiled meat from you—only raw.” 16 If that person said to him, “The fat must be burned first; then you can take whatever you want for yourself,” the servant would reply, “No, I insist that you hand it over right now. If you don’t, I’ll take it by force!” 17 So the servants’ sin was very severe in the presence of the Lord, because the men treated the Lord’s offering with contempt.

The author hold nothing back describing Eli’s sons - they are called wicked and the passage says the did not respect the Lord ,literally, they did not know the Lord,

As people would bring sacrifices the two sons would take a portion of the sacrificial meat for themselves - now to be fair, God has given them a portion but He gave them a specific portion.

Leviticus 10:14–15 CSB

14 But you and your sons and your daughters may eat the breast of the presentation offering and the thigh of the contribution in any ceremonially clean place, because these portions have been assigned to you and your children from the Israelites’ fellowship sacrifices. 15 They are to bring the thigh of the contribution and the breast of the presentation offering, together with the food offerings of the fat portions, to present as a presentation offering before the Lord. It will belong permanently to you and your children, as the Lord commanded.”

Instead of taking what was prescribed for them they decided to randomly take from the sacrifice thus potentially taking portions that were for God.

They were actually taking the fat portions before they were burnt - again this means they were taking things before the Lord had been given His portion.

Also the fact that they were consuming fat from a sacrificial animal is explicitly prohibited in the Torah.

If the person balked at the idea of giving their fat portion to the priest then they threatened to take by force.

Priestly abuse was giving religion a bad name in Israel.

18 Samuel served in the Lord’s presence—this mere boy was dressed in the linen ephod. 19 Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. 20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife: “May the Lord give you children by this woman in place of the one she has given to the Lord.” Then they would go home. 21 The Lord paid attention to Hannah’s need, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.

Where Hophni and Phinehas were wicked and despised the Lord verse 18 tells us that Samuel served.

While serving Samuel wore the ephod, a sleeveless, hip-length garment that only members of the Levitical tribe were authorized to wear. His opportunity to wear garments of privilege and position are reminiscent of both Joseph and David.

Hannah continued to come with her husband to offer the sacrifice and when she did she brought a robe for Samuel.

This robe was a longer outer garment also worm by members of the Levitical tribe involved in priestly service.

Eli would offer a blessing on Elkanah and Hannah - his request, to give the couple a child to replace the one they had given to the Lord.

God heard the request and in true Godly fashion not only met the need of a child but exceeded it with 3 sons and 2 daughters.

22 Now Eli was very old. He heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 23 He said to them, “Why are you doing these things? I have heard about your evil actions from all these people. 24 No, my sons, the news I hear the Lord’s people spreading is not good. 25 If one person sins against another, God can intercede for him, but if a person sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to their father, since the Lord intended to kill them.

The author seems to be saying that Eli did not fulfill his duty to train his children properly until he was old.

He is getting after them for all the things they were doing and now he adds the accusation of sleeping with the woman serving at the entrance.

Some women would take a Nazarite vow and serve in volunteer service - they might have been cultic prostitutes we are not sure - either way Eli’s sons were treating them as pagan shrine prostitutes.

Eli the judge used the imagery of a legal dispute in warning his sons. In a case pitting two people against each other, God could work either through his revealed law or through circumstances to exonerate the person charged with wrongdoing. However, if a person were pitted against the Lord in court, the human could expect only condemnation.

For their crimes against the Lord Hophni and Phinehas would face the death penalty.

26 By contrast, the boy Samuel grew in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people.

While the sins of Hophni and Phinehas were increasing in magnitude, Samuel’s stature and good standing was increasing.

In Samuel God had preserved a remnant of faithful servanthood at Shiloh.

27 A man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Didn’t I reveal myself to your forefather’s family when they were in Egypt and belonged to Pharaoh’s palace? 28 Out of all the tribes of Israel, I chose your house to be my priests, to offer sacrifices on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your forefather’s family all the Israelite food offerings. 29 Why, then, do all of you despise my sacrifices and offerings that I require at the place of worship? You have honored your sons more than me, by making yourselves fat with the best part of all of the offerings of my people Israel.’ 30 “Therefore, this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I did say that your family and your forefather’s family would walk before me forever. But now,’ this is the Lord’s declaration, ‘no longer! For those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disgraced. 31 Look, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your forefather’s family, so that none in your family will reach old age. 32 You will see distress in the place of worship, in spite of all that is good in Israel, and no one in your family will ever again reach old age. 33 Any man from your family I do not cut off from my altar will bring grief and sadness to you. All your descendants will die violently. 34 This will be the sign that will come to you concerning your two sons Hophni and Phinehas: both of them will die on the same day. 35 “ ‘Then I will raise up a faithful priest for myself. He will do whatever is in my heart and mind. I will establish a lasting dynasty for him, and he will walk before my anointed one for all time. 36 Anyone who is left in your family will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread. He will say: Please appoint me to some priestly office so I can have a piece of bread to eat.’ ”

An unnamed prophet came to Eli and pronounced judgment against him and his descendants.

Eli’s sons committed grave sins but Eli did not bear the responsibility for their misconduct.

Eli was condemned for his own sin - honoring his sons more than the Lord - this sin amounted to a violation of the 1st Commandment.

Their sins represent a breech of contract - God had said that Eli’s family would walk before Him forever but no more.

Because they did not honor their side of the deal God was no longer bound to honor His.

The judgment would unfold in two ways - first: the current generations of Eli’s family would suffer penalties (Eli would witness distress in the Lord’s dwelling and his sons would die on the same day.

Second - future generation of Eli’s family would suffer penalties. They would persistently experience untimely deaths - no males would live to old age this denying a significant form of power and influence in society (no elders). Eli’s descendants would be disqualified from service and the Lord would raise up another family to perform the duties associated with sanctuary worship.

The story of the downfall of the house of Eli plays an important role in Hebrew narrative because it is the last non-Zadokite priestly family with an active role in Old Testament narrative. When the Lord cursed Eli’s line, the way was cleared for Eleazar’s descendants, the promised heirs to the high priesthood, to assume their proper position. The details would be worked out in good time.