Eli
Eli (Hebrew: עֵלִי, Modern: ʿElī, Tiberian: ʿĒlī, lit. 'ascent' or 'above'; Ancient Greek: Ἠλί, romanized: Ēli; Latin: Heli, fl. c. 11th century BC) was, according to the Book of Samuel, a priest and a judge of the Israelites in the city of Shiloh, ancient Israel. When Hannah came to Shiloh to pray for a son, Eli initially accused her of drunkenness, but when she protested her innocence, Eli wished her well. Hannah's eventual child, Samuel, was raised by Eli in the tabernacle. When Eli failed to rein in the abusive behavior of his own sons, God promised to punish his family, which resulted in the death of Eli's sons at the Battle of Aphek where the Ark of the Covenant was also captured. When Eli heard the news of the captured Ark, he fell from his seat, broke his neck, and died. Later biblical passages mention the fortunes of several of Eli's descendants.
Hannah
This story of Hannah, with which the Books of Samuel begin, involves Eli. Hannah was the wife of Elkanah. She was childless. Elkanah also had another wife (Peninnah) who bore him children. Peninnah, at every chance, teased and criticised Hannah about her barrenness, to the point of Hannah's deep despair. Their husband Elkanah saw Hannah's distress, and attempted to discover the cause of her distress by asking "Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?"[2]
The story indicates that Hannah gave no answer to the questions, and instead rose and presented herself before God. She wept bitterly in the temple of Shiloh. In her despair, Hannah prayed to God for a child, and promising that if her prayer is granted, she would dedicate her son to God. When Eli found Hannah in the temple, she was praying silently with her lips moving. Eli witnessed this unusual behavior, and concluded that Hannah was intoxicated. After Hannah's explanation of her sobriety, Eli said, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have requested."[3] Hannah went home, filled with hope. Subsequently, Hannah became pregnant; her child was named Samuel. At the time to offer the yearly sacrifice at the temple, Hannah remained home. She promised to go to the temple, when Samuel was weaned and planned to leave him with Eli to be trained as a Nazirite.
The sons of Eli
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](https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Eli_%28biblical_figure%29#/media/File:Hannah_VICTORS,_Jan.jpg)1645 painting by Jan Victors of Hannah presenting her son Samuel to Eli, who is seated on the right.
The sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, meanwhile, were behaving wickedly, for example by taking for themselves all the prime cuts of meat from sacrifices, and by committing adultery with the women who serve at the sanctuary entrance. Eli was aware of their behavior but he rebuked them too lightly and ultimately did not stop them. The sons continued in their sinful behavior, and "a man of God" prophesied to Eli that Eli and his family would be punished for this, with all male descendants dying before reaching old age and being placed in positions subservient to prophets from other lineages.[4] The curse alludes to a previous promise from God of Eli's lineage continuing eternally (Eli being a descendant of Aaron, to whom the promise was initially given [Exodus 28]) (cf. similar promises to King David and Jehonadab). While this continuation was not revoked, a curse was placed on all of Eli's male descendants forever. As a sign of the acc
Quick Facts Personal life, Children ...
Eli
עֵלִי
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Detail of Eli from Samuel Relating to Eli the Judgements of God upon Eli's House (1780) by John Singleton Copley
Personal life
Children
Hophni and Phinehas
Religious life
Religion
Abrahamic
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Eli occupies a prominent place in Samaritan religious tradition, as the Samaritans attribute the schism between their community and the Jews to Eli's establishment of a rival shrine at Shiloh, challenging what they regard as the original Israelite sacred site, Mount Gerizim.