Eli עֵלִי
High priest and judge of Israel at Shiloh
Who is Eli in the Bible?
Eli was the high priest and judge of Israel who served at the tabernacle in Shiloh during a pivotal period in Israel's history (1 Samuel 1:3, 3:1). He is best known for his role in the life of the prophet Samuel, whom he raised after Hannah dedicated the child to God's service (1 Samuel 1:25-28). Though Eli was a faithful priest, his sons Hophni and Phinehas were wicked and corrupted the priesthood, and Eli's failure to discipline them severely brought divine judgment upon his household (1 Samuel 2:12-17, 2:27-36). Eli judged Israel for forty years but grew old and blind, and he died upon hearing that the Ark of the Covenant had been captured by the Philistines in battle (1 Samuel 4:15-18). His legacy is marked by the tension between his personal faithfulness and his inability to control his family, making him a cautionary figure about parental responsibility and the consequences of permissiveness.
Biography
Eli, a prominent figure in 1 Samuel, served as the high priest and judge of Israel at the tabernacle in Shiloh. He first appears in the narrative when Hannah, the mother of Samuel, prays at the tabernacle (1Sa.1.9-17). Eli initially misunderstands her prayer but later blesses her. After Samuel's birth, Hannah dedicates him to serve under Eli at the tabernacle (1Sa.1.25-28). However, Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were wicked and did not follow God's ways (1Sa.2.12-17). Eli failed to restrain their behavior, leading to a prophecy of judgment against his family (1Sa.2.27-36). Eli continued to serve as the high priest and judge, while Samuel grew up in the tabernacle (1 Samuel 3). In his old age, Eli received news of Israel's defeat by the Philistines, the capture of the Ark of the Covenant, and the death of his sons. Upon hearing this, Eli fell backward, broke his neck, and died at the age of 98 (1Sa.4.12-18). His death marked the end of an era and the beginning of Samuel's leadership as a prophet and judge.
Family
In Scripture
2 biblical books1 Samuel 5 verses
- 1 Samuel 1:3
"Year after year Elkanah would go up from his city to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD."
- 1 Samuel 1:9
"So after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD."
- 1 Samuel 1:12
"As Hannah kept on praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth."
- 1 Samuel 1:13
"Hannah was praying in her heart, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk"
- 1 Samuel 1:14
"and said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put away your wine!”"
1 Kings 1 verse
- 1 Kings 2:27
"So Solomon banished Abiathar from the priesthood of the LORD and thus fulfilled the word that the LORD had spoken at Shiloh against the house of Eli."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | עֵלִי |
Eli
functions of high priest and judge, judging Israel for 40 years (1Sa 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 (1Sa 1:12 ff), she is the central figure; in the second interview (1Sa 1:24 ff), 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 (1Sa 2:27-36), a message later confirmed by Samuel, who had received this word directly from Yahweh Himself (1Sa 3:11 ff). 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" (1Sa 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.
A. C. Grant
e'-li or a'-le, la'-ma, sa-bak'-tha-ni.
See ELOI.
e-li'-ab ('eli'abh, "God is father"):
(1) Prince of the tribe o