Samuel's innocence and the godlessness of Eli's sons contrast strongly in this pericope (section). Samuel would succeed and become a channel of God's blessing. Eli's sons would fail, would become a source of frustration to Eli and to the Israelites, and would ultimately perish.
"The section [2:11-4:1] poignantly illustrates the theme of Hannah's Song' as it is epitomized in 2:7b, he brings low, and also exalts'. For it is under the auspices of God who has determined the ruin of Hophni and Phinehas that Samuel makes his mark."31
Eli's sons were not only evil in their personal lives, but they flagrantly disregarded the will of God even as they served as leaders of Israel's worship of Yahweh. They neither knew the Lord (in the sense of paying attention to Him, v. 12) nor treated His offerings as special (v. 17; cf. Mal. 1:6-14). The writer documented these evaluations with two instances of their specific practices (vv. 13-14, and 15-16). The Law ordered the priests to handle the offerings in particular ways to respect God's holiness (cf. Lev. 3:3, 5; 7:34; Deut. 18:3). However, Eli's sons served God the way they chose (cf. Korah's behavior in Num. 32). The priests were to take what the offerers gave them, but Eli's sons took what they wanted from them (vv. 13-14). The priests were to burn the best part of the sacrifices on the altar as offerings to God, but Eli's sons took the best part for themselves (vv. 15-16). Meat was luxurious food in Israel's economy, so Eli's sons were living off the fat of the land. Thus they were worthless men (v. 12, i.e., wicked in God's sight; cf. 1:16).
"To this day, arrogant assertiveness and self-seeking are temptations to all those in positions of great power in society."32
"Their sin was particularly egregious since they were supposed to be teaching morality and representing the people of God (2:22-25; cf. 2 Chron. 17:7-9)."33
In the previous paragraphs two statements about the main characters described them and framed the paragraph: they did not regard the Lord, and they despised the Lord's offerings (vv. 12, 17). Likewise in this one the writer described Samuel as "before the Lord"at the beginning and at the end (vv. 18, 21). Even though he was very young and his service was probably menial at this time (cf. 3:15), Samuel lived sensitively before God. The writer did not stress this sensitive spirit here; he only hinted at it. However it comes out clearly later (e.g., ch. 4).
In the central part of this section (vv. 18-19) the writer documented the support and encouragement to serve the Lord that Samuel received from his parents. The linen ephod was a priestly garment as was the robe (cf. Exod. 28:31; 2 Sam. 6:16).34Hannah's dressing Samuel as a little priest shows that she respected this office and wanted her son to grow up valuing it.35
Hannah's obedience resulted in God blessing Elkanah and Hannah even more (vv. 20-21). Among other blessings, God gave Hannah five additional children by overcoming her barrenness and making her fertile (cf. Exod. 1:21; Ps. 127:3). Furthermore Samuel continued to develop in a promising manner (cf. Luke 2:40, 52).
The sons of Eli followed the example of Canaanite worship rather than the instruction of the Mosaic Law. Ritual prostitution was part of Canaanite worship, and Eli's sons seem to have adopted this custom. Even when their father confronted them with their sin Eli's sons refused to repent. Frequently old men demonstrate wisdom, but Eli was not wise enough to restrain the sinful behavior of his sons.
The women referred to were evidently volunteer helpers in the service of the sanctuary (cf. Exod. 38:8). Unintentional sin was pardonable under Mosaic law, but highhanded deliberately rebellious sin was not, particularly ritual prostitution (cf. Num. 25:1-5; Deut. 23:17; Amos 2:7-8). The punishment for highhanded sin was death (Num. 15:30). God initially judged Eli's sons by giving them hard hearts as a result of their sin before He brought final destruction on them (cf. Exod. 7:3; Rom. 1:24).
Earlier in Israel's history another Phinehas, the godly son of another priest, Eleazar, had executed an Israelite named Zimri and a Moabite woman named Cozbi for practicing sexual immorality in the tabernacle (Num. 25). Now this Phinehas, a priest and the son of another priest, Eli, was practicing sexual immorality in the tabernacle. How far the priests had departed from the Lord during the approximately 300 years that separated these incidents!
While Eli's sons were growing in disfavor with the Lord and the Israelites (vv. 22-25), Samuel was growing in favor with both (v. 26; cf. Luke 2:52) because he was obeying God.
The rest of the chapter explains why God would put Eli's sons to death (v. 25). The specific criticism that the man of God (a prophet, cf. 9:9-10) directed against Eli and his sons was two-fold. They had not appreciated God's grace extended to them in the Exodus deliverance nor the opportunity to serve Him as priests (vv. 27-29). "Kick at"(NASB, v. 29; cf. Deut. 32:15) means to "scorn"(NIV, Heb. ba'at). It is a serious matter to undervalue the grace of God. God had initiated blessing, but they had not responded appropriately, namely, with gratitude, trust, and obedience. Eli's guilt (v. 29) lay in his failure to rebuke his sons severely for their sin (3:13) though he did warn them of God's judgment (2:25). He also enjoyed the fruits of their disobedient worship (2:13-16). Had Eli grown fat from eating the best portions that his sons extorted from the people (cf. 4:18)?
Many students of this book have identified verse 30 as its key verse because it articulates the principle that the books of Samuel illustrate. Every section of 1 and 2 Samuel demonstrates the truth of this statement.
God's judgment on Eli and his sons was that He would dishonor them. God had promised that Levi's descendants would serve Him forever as priests, namely, as long as Israel existed as a nation (Exod. 29:9; Num. 25:13). Now God revealed that He would cut off Eli's branch of the Levitical family tree. Eli was a descendant of Levi through Levi's son Ithamar. His descendants ceased to function as priests when Solomon dismissed Abiathar as high priest. Abiathar escaped the slaughter of the priests at Nob (22:17-20), but Solomon defrocked him because he supported Adonijah (1 Kings 2:27, 35).
The faithful priest God promised to raise up (v. 35) was initially Samuel (3:1, 20; 7:9; 9:2-13). Zadok, a descendant of Levi's son Eleazar, replaced Abiathar as high priest in Solomon's day (1 Kings 2:35).36The Lord's anointed (v. 35) was the king of Israel. One of his descendants would be Messiah. Ezekiel 44:15 and 48:11 refer to the continuing ministry of Zadok's descendants when Messiah reigns in His future millennial kingdom.37Verse 36 evidently continues to describe the fate of Eli's descendants after God deposed Abiathar.38
Notice the chiastic (crossing) structure of chapter 2 focusing on Eli's blessing of Samuel's parents.
"A.The song of Hannah, concluding with reference to the Lord's anointed (2:1-10)
B.Samuel ministers before the Lord (2:11)
C.The sins of Eli's sons (2:12-17)
D.Samuel ministers before the Lord (2:18-19)
E.Eli blesses Samuel's parents (2:20-21a)
D.'Samuel grows in the Lord's presence (2:21b)
C.'The sins of Eli's sons (2:22-25)
B.'Samuel grows in the Lords' presence (2:26)
A.'The oracles of the man of God, concluding with reference to the Lord's anointed (2:27-36)"39
This section reveals the importance and power of parental influence. Eli had placed more importance on his sons' personal preferences than he had on God's preferences; he had honored them more than Him (v. 29). Consequently they became worthless men (v. 12) whom God finally killed prematurely. Hannah, on the other hand, encouraged her son, Samuel, to value the service of God. Consequently he developed into a godly man whom God and other people honored and respected (v. 26). Eli's sons despised God and abused other people (vv. 17, 22). Samuel feared God and became a great blessing to other people.
This chapter also shows that godly influence can be more powerful than ungodly influence and can overcome many natural obstacles. God enabled Hannah to influence Samuel for good even though she seldom saw him, lived miles from him, and could not prevent the daily wicked influence of Eli's sons over him. Her previous dedication of him to the Lord was undoubtedly a factor in her success. Her continuing encouragement to serve God and her prayers for Samuel were other important factors.
God has not blessed with godly offspring all parents who have had the same desires for their children as Hannah did. Children are responsible for their own decisions as they grow up (Ezek. 18:4, 20). Some choose to turn away from the Lord. Nevertheless this story shows what canhappen. Children can grow up in an ungodly environment away from their parents' personal supervision and still become godly. The influence of a wise and godly parent can overcome many other ungodly influences in a child's life.
