The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 46

whitr linen, wns probably thnt wom by the Eu's COMrLICITY IN THE 81~8 OF ms SONS LrYi tcs in their ordinary ministrations ; for (w,rs. 22-26). Ver. 22. -Eli . . . heo.rd the ephod of the priests was richer both in all that his sons did. 'l'o the profanity nnd matc1ial and colour (Exod. xxviii. 6-8). As greed described in vers. 12-17 the sons of being thus the simplest ministerial garment, Eli added unchastity ; and their sin was the it ,ms apparently worn a-Jso by laymen when greater because tho women whom they cor- tnking part in any religious service, ns by rupted were those dedicatod to religious David when he danced before the ark (2 service (see Exod. xxxviii. 8). The order Sam. ,·i. 14). of ministering women instituted by Moses Yer. 19. -His mother made him a little pro bauly lasted down to the destruction coat. The coat, meil, was worn by priests of the temple, and Anna mny have belonged (Le,·. viii. 7), by kings and their sons (1 Sam. to it (Luke ii. 37); afterwards it appeared xviii. 4), by prophets (ibid. xxYiii. 14), and again in a more spiritual form in the even 'ey women (2 Sam. xiii. 18). It was an widows and deaconesses of the Christian under garment of wool, woven throu(Thout Church. The word rendered aesemblecl without seam, "ith holes for the hea~ and means "arranged in bands," aiid shows arms, and reaching nearly to the ground : not merely that they were numerous, but "·hen used by women it had sleeves (ibid.). that they had regular duties assignetl them, Under it they had a tunic or shirt fitting so and each one her proper place and office. closely that a man simply so clad was con- The frequent sacrifices, with the feasts which sidered naked (1 Sam. xix. 24), and over it followed, must have provided occupation fo1 priests and Levites wore the ephod, and sc, a large number of hands in the cleaning of also Da,id on the occasion mentioned above the utensils and the cooking of the food. (1 Chron. xv. 27). The meu seems, more- Rut though Eli heard of the depraved con- over, to have of~n been a handsome dress, duct of his son& in thus defiling those who as that of the priests was of purple-lJlue, ministered in the tabernacle, he gives them nith embroidery of pomegranates in three but the faintest rebuke, and that apparently colours, and golden bells (Exod. xxviii. 31- only because their misdeeds were in every- 34); a.ncl. when made of delicate materials for body's mouth; for the last clause of ver. the use of the rich, it and the tunic are the 23 re:i.lly is, "For I hear of your evil doings soft luxurious clothing spoken of in Matt. from all this people." Eli's old age may :ri. 8. As the meu was the ordinary dress have increased his indifference, but his re- of all classes of people, it was made for ligious character could never have had much Samuel at home, and can have no special depth or eamestness, to allow him to regard meaning; but the ephod shows that he was such heinous sins so lightly. It seems even hrought up in the daily practice of holy as if he chiefly felt the annoyance occasioned cluties. This annual present, however, of to himself by the expostulations urged upon clothing made by the mother's hands proves him "from all this people." Still all that that the dedication of her son to God was l1e says is wise and thoughtful. The sins of not allowed to intetfere with homP. affections, men in high station do not end with them- and both parents and child must have looked selves ; they make others also to transgress. forward with joy to happy meetings at each And as Eli's sons were Jehovah's ministers, recurrence of the family visit to the sanc- and they had led into wickedness those who tuary. also were bound to holy service, their mis- Vers. 20, 21.-The Lord give thee seed, concluct was a sin against Jehovah himself. &,c, The manner in which Eli blesses Vers. 24, 25.-Ye make, &c. Eli's words Elkanah shows that this surrender of a are very obscure, but "Ye make Jehovah'& very you.ng child to religious service was people to transgrese" is upon the whole the not looked upon as imposing a burden upon best rendering of the clause. Both the Sept. the sanctuary, but as the bestowal of a and Syriac have a different readin~: "Ye valued gift. Loan and lent by no means make J ehovah's people cease to worslnp him." gin tiie whole sense, which is in fact beyond In the next verse there is no sufficient reason the J,o wer of our language to express ; for for supposing that Elohim, God, here means a the Hebrew is remarkable for its manner of judge. Elohim was the head of the theocracy, saying a great deal in a few words, by using the ruler of Israel in all things, and he them indefinitely. Besides the sense, then, would set to rights these delinquencies of of lencl.ing the child to God, the Heb. also "one man against another" by the ordinary tonveys the idea of Samuc-1 having bee)I exercise of his judicial fun•ctions. So far nil obtained by prayer, but by pmyer for Jeho- is easy, and we must translate, " If one mn.n vah. Hannah had not asked simply for a sin against another, God shall judge him." son, but for a son whom she might dedicate But in the last clause there is one of those to God. And now Eli pr:1ys that Jehovah plays upon words to which the Hebrew will give her children to 1,c l!er own (see on language, with its numerous co11jugat1ons cL. L 28). so readily knds itself (see on d1. i. 28); and OD, JI, 11-26.] 'I'HE J<'InST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 41