The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 61

EXPOSITION. THE DIVINE JUDOMENT UPON ELI AND morality declined ; then there was a short ms nousE (vers. 27-36). Ver. 27.-There violent crash, and the house of Eli met its came a man of God. The title man of doom. God is the usual appellation of a pro_phet The prophet begins by enumerating Jeho- in the books of Judges, Samuel, and Kmgs, vah's mercies to "the house of thy father," and as such is applied by Manoah to the that is, the whole family of Aaron, in angel who appeared to him (Judges xiii. selecting them for the priesthood (on the 6, 8). Though the recorded interpositions choice of the house of Aaron, see Exorl. of the Deity in those times were generally xxviii., xxix. ), and in richly endowing the by an~els, stiH the readiness with which office with so large a portion of every sa- Manoan gave his visitant this title makes crifice. These portions are termed literally it probable that prophets did appear from firi71{Js, or fire-sacrifices, but the tern1 soon time to time ; and the mission of one, became general, and in Lev. xxiv. 7, 9 is though, as here, ,.,;thout a name, is re- applied even to the shew-hread. Added corded in. J u<lges vi. 8. As regards the then to the tithes, and to the cities with date of this visitation of the man of God, we their suburbs given them to inhabit, this find that Eli was ninety-eight years of age share of every sacrifice gave the house of when the ark was captured (eh. iv. 15). At Aaron great wealth, and with it they had also that time Samuel was not merely -a man, high rank. There was no one above them but one whose reputation was established in Israel except the kings. In Sparta we· throughout the ,vhole land, and who was find that one of the endown1ents of the probably regarded not merely as a prophet, kings was the skins of animals offered in but as Eli's successor in the office of judge sacrifice (Herod., vi. 56). Why then do. (eh. iii. 19, 20). But Eli was "very old" Eli and his sons, who benefit so greatly by (eh. ii. 22} when he rebuked his sons, pro- them, "kick at Jehovah's sacrifices and bably between seventy and eighty,· for offerings!" The word is taken from Deut. Samuel is then called a child (ver. 26); xxxii. 15, and refers to the efforts of a pam- whereas h!l can scarcely have been much less pered steer violently to shake off the yoke. than thirty years of age when the Philistines Eli's sons treat the ordinances which have destroyed Shiloh .. In eh. viii. 1-:3, when the raised them to rank, and given them wealth misconduct of Samuel's own sons led to the and power, as if they were an injury and revival of the agitation for a kin , he is him- wrong. And Eli, insteaJ of removing them· self descril;>ed as already " old ;9' but as he from the office which they disgrace<l, pre- lived on till nearly the end of Saul's reign, ferred the ties of relationship to his duty to ho could not at that time have been much God and the moral welfare of the people. more than sixty. Even when God spake Ver. 30. -I said indeed. By thus acting by him to Eli he is still descri!x-(l as a boy, Eli ~ecame an accomplice in the irreligion- na' ar ( eh. iii. 1 ), though the higher positir,n of his sons, and God therefore revokes his to which he had attained, as is proved by his grant of a perpetual priesthood. The pro- duties, would lead to the conclusion that he mise had been made to Aaron's family as was then verging on manhood. As some time a whole (Exod. xxix. 9), and had then been would naturally elapse between two such renewed to the house of Eleazar (Num. nv. solemn warnings, we may feel sure that the 13). But the house of Ithamar was now visit of the man of God occurred shortly in the ascendant, probably owing to Eli's after Samuel's dedication. Then, as Eli own ability, who during the anarchical times neglected the warning, and the wickedness of the Judges had won for himself, first, the of his sons grew more inveterate, some eight civil power, and then, upon some fitting or ten years afterwards the warning was opportunity, the high priesthood also, though repeated in sharper tones by the voice of his I suppose the heads of the houses of Eleazar own youthful attendant. Meanwhile Eli o.nd Itho.mar were nlwnys persons of great seems himself to have grown in persono.l importance, and high priests in a certain piety, but he could do nothing now for his sense. Eli had now the priority, and had sons. Past eighty years of age, the time of he and his family proved worthy, the pos- activity had gone by, and resignation was session of this high station mi~ht hnvo been the sole virtue that was left for him to prac- confirmed to them. Like Saul in the king- tise, And so the wo.rning given by the dom, they proved unworthy of it, and so they mouth of Samuel is stern and final. Ten or lost it for ever. Their names, as we hav~ fifteen more years must elapse before the seen above, do not even occur in the gene- rnin came. But the gloom wns deepening ; alogies. the Philistines were increasing in power, and I said . . . . but now .Tehovah saith. the valour of Israel was decaying ns its Cnn then o. promise of God be ;\'ith,lm ,ru ~  56 THE FIHST llOOK OF SAMUEL. [CH. II. 27-36.