ANOTHER LOOK AT ELI, THE PRIEST

By David Olaluwoye

Image from Adobe Stock

Romans 15:4 NIV: For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

2 Timothy 3:16 NIV: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.

I am grateful to God for the precious gift of the Holy Scriptures, which serves as a guiding light to:

1. Reveal Jesus as our ultimate example to follow.
2. Share the stories of biblical figures, from whom we can learn valuable lessons from their triumphs and mistakes.
3. Help us recognize our inadequacies and weaknesses, acknowledging our utter dependence on God’s mercy and strength to overcome them.

The scripture openly shares the flaws and mistakes of individuals in the Bible, including esteemed figures like Abraham, the father of our faith; Peter, the apostle who wrote extensively in the New Testament; and David, a man after God’s own heart. By acknowledging their weaknesses and errors, the Scripture teaches us valuable lessons, offering hope, guidance, correction, and encouragement to mature in our faith.

I’d like to explore the story of Eli, the Priest, and his role as a FATHER, and I pray that my perspective will be accurate and bless you as we examine this aspect of his life.

Firstly, Eli was a priest of the order of Aaron through Ithamar (the youngest of Aaron’s sons) Leviticus 10:12. He was the first of the line of Ithamar who held the office of the high priest. Besides being a high priest, he was also a judge. In this capacity, he judged Israel for forty years (1 Samuel 4:18). He prayed for Hannah to have her son, Samuel, who replaced him as a judge of Israel.

What about his sons?

Hophni and Phinehas brought shame to their father and sinned incessantly to denigrate the Holy Priesthood. Scripture said boldly, “They knew not the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:12).

Although the priests had the legal right to take a portion of meat from the people, they abused their authority by taking more than their allotted share, even stealing meat intended as an offering to God (as described in Leviticus 7:31–35, 8:31, and 2 Chronicles 35:13). Their rightful portion was the right shoulder and wave breast, which were consecrated to God through the burning of fat on the altar (Leviticus 3:5, 7:31, 34). However, their actions went beyond mere greed, as they also engaged in adultery with women who served the Lord, desecrating the house of God in the process (1 Samuel 2:22). Their behavior was so egregious that it sparked outrage among those who revered God, leading some to report their actions to Eli. The scripture condemns them for blaspheming the Lord and labels them as ‘sons of Belial,’ a term reserved for the most wicked individuals in the Bible.

What those who vilify Eli don’t always say is the fact that he corrected them after the reports got to him.

1 Samuel 2:22–25 NIV; Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the Lord’s people is not good. If one person sins against another, God may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will intercede for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.

This shows the reverence Eli had for the Lord and the reaction of his children to it.

Eli was an old man at this time and the rebuke the Lord gave to him was his inability to restrain them, this will only call on his failures as a father tending to the things of the Lord and ignoring his family. I read an article that said Eli should have disciplined his children after hearing the rebuke from God and the people.

I believe a few pieces of information are missing

1. Eli was an old man and I believe the scriptures said he couldn’t see at some point.

2. Hophni and Phineas weren’t kids, they were mature enough to have sex with others and even have children of their own.

The root of the problem lay not in the present, but in the foundational upbringing of Eli’s children. Despite knowing God, Eli failed to instill a deep-seated fear and reverence for Him in his sons, neglecting his primary responsibility as a father to raise them in the ways of the Lord. As Paul emphasizes in Ephesians 6:4, fathers are tasked with this duty. However, many fathers today shirk this responsibility, allowing their children to be influenced by worldly and sinful companions (1 Corinthians 15:33).

Eli’s sons were unable to resist the evil tendencies of their time, and their father’s failure to take adequate precautions contributed to their downfall. Often, children of godly men become godless due to their parents’ absorption in public life and business, neglecting their role as spiritual leaders at home.

Children learn most about Christianity by observing their parents’ example. Early childhood is the critical period for teaching and training, as habits formed then can be difficult to change later. Eli’s gentle and easy-going nature made him weak in disciplining his sons, allowing their sinful behavior to become entrenched.

To partially redeem Eli’s image, consider that he successfully raised Samuel, who didn’t follow in the footsteps of Eli’s sinful sons, Hophni and Phineas. This suggests that Eli wasn’t a completely failed parent, as he was able to guide Samuel in a positive way. Samuel’s testimony in 1 Samuel 12:1–5 highlights his integrity and righteousness, which can be attributed to Eli’s mentorship. However, Eli’s response to God’s judgment through Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:18 reveals a broken man who has reached his limit and seeks comfort in God’s sovereignty.

While Eli loved the Lord, his sons, and the cause of God, he failed to raise his children as a service to the Lord. This failure led to God’s just and fair judgment. This story serves as a reminder of the importance of raising children in a godly manner, a principle that remains relevant today.

Our prayer is “God, give us Christian homes,’ as we strive to build families that honor Him.

Shalom.