ft is rarely possible to transfer to another who is your opponent, will also punish you. Jnngunge the force of passages in which The same idea is found in Job ix. 33. the sense depends upon the terms in the Naturally to so mild a remonstrance, all(t original having a. double meaning. The founded upon so low a view of fb Divine verb rendered shall .fudge in the first clause nature, the sons of Eli paid but slight atten• is used again by Eli in the second, but in a tion, and by thus hardening tl1emselves in different conjugation, in which its usual sin they made their punishment inevitable, meaning is to pray. According to the "because it pleased Jehovah to slay them.,. lexicon, therefore, we must translate: "If a Man can bring upon himself neither goo,i man sin against Jehovah, who shall pray for nor evil except by the working of God's will, him!" But surely it was just the occasion and the punishment of sin is as thoroughly in which the only remedy left was inter- a part of God's will as the rewarding of cessory prayer. Bearing then in remem- righteousness. An intense conviction of the brance the use made by Eli of the verb in personality of God was the very foundation the first clause., we must translate : " Who of the religious life of the Israelites, and lies shall act as judge for him ! " "Who shall at the root of the words of Eli here and of interpose as arbitrator between him and those of Job; and it was this which made Jehovah to settle the quarrel!" The verb them ascribe to God that hardening of the itself, moreover, is a rare and old-fashioned wicked in siu which is the sure means uf one, and apparently means to settle a dis- their punishment. We ascribe it to th,, pute. So it is used of Phinehas, who by bis working of natural laws, which after all i, righteous zeal put an end to the rebellion but saying the same thing in a round-about against God's laws ; and accordingly in Ps. way; for the laws of nature, in-things moral cvi. 30, where our version renders '' executed as well as in the physical world, are the laws judgment," the Vulgate bas placavit, ap- of God. In ver. 26, in contrast with Eli's. peased Jehovah's anger. sons ripening for punishment, and daily more The sense then is, In case of wrong done abhorred of Gou aud man, we have Samuel between man and man, God as the supreme set before us advancing in age and "in favour Arbitrator settles the dispute ; but where the with Jehovah and also with men," like him of two parties are God and man, what third whom in so many respects he was a type- power is there which can interfere 1 The (Luke ii 52), our blessed Lord. quarrel must go on to the bitter end and God,
HOMILETICS. Vers. 11-19.-Degenerate sons. The facts given are-1. Eli's sons manifest their extreme wickedness by profaning the worship of God. 2. As a consequence, a grievous scandal is caused, and Divine worship comes into disrepute. 3. In spite- of many evil surroundings, Samuel grows up in the blameless discharge, of reli- g·ious duties. 4. Hannah continues to visit and take a deep interest in her son's spiritual life. The sorrowful experience of Eli in old age is sometimes repeated in modern times. Many a good man is bowed down even to the grave hy the irre- ligion of sons of whom better things had been expected. No more painful condition can a father be in than when he scarcely dare name his children to those who ask after their welfare. The world and the Church look on with wonder and pain at the- spectacle of vile children issuing from a pious home. The feeling of surprise with which men read of the family of the high priest of Israel becoming so utterly ,vicked' is attended with the conviction that desperately bad youths ought never to issue from Christian homes. Such an event is contrary to all just expectations. The pres1tmp- tion that the offspring of pious parents would be holy is based on various considern- tions, which for the most part apply to the case of Eli. 1. There are various promises and statements to ebcourage the belief that the children of tl1e pious win share in special mercies (e. g. Deut. xxx. 2, 6; Prov. xxii. 6; Isa. xliv. 7; Mai. ii. 15; 1 Cor. vii. 14). 2. In so far as susceptibility to relir,ious impressions is affectc,l by inherited qualities, they have an advantage over others. 3. The means of grrt.:f', instruction, example, and prayer are more employed for them than for the majority. 4. The power of early habit, which plays so important a part in the formation of character, is liTcely to be on the :ride of godliness where religious influences early operate. The causes which account for the ungodliness of the children of the pi,J11~ nre diverse, intricate, nnd partly inscrutable. A broad margin must be left for th,~ mysterious action of n free being, even under the most favour:,ble conditions. ll 42 THE FIRST BOOK OF S,DlUEL. [en. 11. 11-2G.