Eli was the high priest and judge in Israel for 40 years, serving at the tabernacle in Shiloh. He is known for raising the young Samuel, but also for his failure to correct his wicked sons Hophni and Phinehas, which led to God's judgment against his house.
Eli saw Hannah praying silently in the temple and initially thought she was drunk. When he realized she was praying out of deep distress, he blessed her and said that God would grant what she asked for.
15"No, my lord," Hannah answered. "I am a woman in deep distress. I have not been drinking wine or strong drink; I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD.
20Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, "May the LORD give you children by this woman in place of the one asked for and given to the LORD." Then they would return home.
21And the LORD showed his care for Hannah: she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.
Hophni and Phinehas disgraced the priestly service, and Eli only gently rebuked them. A man of God came with a message that Eli's house would be punished because he honored his sons more than God.
22Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing 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.
25If one person sins against another, God may mediate for him; but if someone sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?" His sons, however, would not listen to their father, for it was the LORD's will to put them to death.
27A man of God came to Eli and said to him, "This is what the LORD says: Did I not reveal myself plainly to your father's house when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh?
28Out of all the tribes of Israel I chose your father to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the ephod before me. And I gave your father's house all the offerings made by fire by the Israelites.
29Why then do you trample on my sacrifice and my offering, which I commanded for my dwelling? You honor your sons above me, fattening yourselves on the choicest part of every offering my people Israel bring.
30Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: I did indeed promise that your house and your father's house would minister before me forever. But now the LORD declares: Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be treated with contempt.
33Every one of your line whom I do not cut off from my altar will be spared only to wear out your eyes with weeping and to grieve your heart, and all your descendants will die in the prime of life.
The Lord called to Samuel during the night while he lay in the sanctuary. Eli finally understood that it was the Lord who was calling and instructed Samuel to respond. Samuel then received a solemn message about judgment upon Eli's house.
6Again the LORD called, "Samuel!" Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, "Here I am; you called me." "I did not call, my son," he said. "Go back and lie down."
8A third time the LORD called Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli understood that it was the LORD who was calling the boy.
9So Eli said to Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
13I have told him that I am judging his house forever because of the sin he knew about: his sons were bringing a curse on themselves, and he did not restrain them.
17"What did he say to you?" Eli asked. "Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, and deal with you all the more, if you hide from me a single word of all that he said to you."
When the Philistines captured the ark of the covenant in battle and both of Eli's sons were killed, the 98-year-old blind Eli fell backward from his chair upon hearing the news, broke his neck, and died.
13When he arrived, there was Eli, sitting on his seat beside the road, watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. The man came into the city to tell the news, and the whole city cried out.
17The messenger answered, "Israel fled before the Philistines. There was a great slaughter among the troops. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured."
18When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his seat beside the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was old and heavy. He had led Israel forty years.