1 Samuel 2:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

NIV: Now Eli, who was very old, heard 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.

NASB: Now Eli was very old; and he heard about everything that his sons were doing to all Israel, and that they slept with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting.

CSB: Now Eli was very old. He heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

NLT: Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. He knew, for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle.

KJV: Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

NKJV: Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

That this verse notes Eli's advanced age likely means that the story has jumped forward in time. But not much seems to have changed. Eli's sons are still behaving as "worthless men" (1 Samuel 2:12). Eli heard what his sons were up to. They were abusing their power as priests over Israel for their own selfish gain (1 Samuel 2:12–17). In doing so, they were sinning against "all Israel." The people would come from near and far to offer sacrifices to the Lord to be at peace with God. The actions of Eli's sons interfered in the relationship between God and His people.

Even further, Eli knows they are having sex with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Hophni and Phinehas were using their positions as priests to sleep with women sent to serve the Lord at the sanctuary in Shiloh. Commentators note these were almost certainly not Canaanite cult prostitutes, but rather Hebrew women serving in some capacity outside the tabernacle. Exodus 38:8 mentions their work in describing the great bronze basin there: "He made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered in the entrance of the tent of meeting."

The tent of meeting was the place where God met with His people. The priests were responsible to keep the lamps burning all night long (Exodus 27:21). The holiness of that place only further highlights the sinfulness of Eli's sons, who took advantage of the women who served there.

First Samuel 2:22–26 describes Eli's rebuke of his sons Hophni and Phinehas for their abuse of their power as priests over Israel. In addition to taking the best cuts of meat for themselves, the pair have been sleeping with the female servants at the sanctuary. The news of their corruption is spreading everywhere. Eli asks who will intercede for them when they sin directly against the Lord. Still, they refuse to repent because the Lord has already marked them for death. Samuel, meanwhile, continues to grow in favor with the Lord and with other people.

After delivering Samuel to the Lord, Hannah offers a poetic prayer of praise. The sons of Eli the priest are evil, depraved men who abuse their power as priests. They coerce worshippers to give them additional meat. They sleep with women who serve at the sanctuary. In contrast, Samuel grows in favor with God and others as he grows up physically. Hannah and Elkanah continue to go to Shiloh yearly; they also have more children. Eli rebukes his sons, but they don't repent. The Lord tells Eli that all his descendants will die young and his two rebellious sons will die on the same day. The Lord will raise up a faithful priest to do His will.

The prior chapter explained how Hannah cried out to God for a son, and that her request was granted. First Samuel 2 begins with Hannah's praise to the Lord in response. Samuel remains in Shiloh where he ministers and matures. By contrast, Eli's sons are wicked and abuse their power as priests. A prophet reveals that God will cause all Eli's descendants to die young and his two sons to die on the same day. The Lord will raise up a faithful priest from another part of the family line. This provides background for Samuel's call from God in chapter 3.

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.