1 Samuel 2:12-36

12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the LORD. 13 The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, 14 and he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. 15 Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw.” 16 And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat first, and then take as much as you wish,” he would say, “No, you must give it now, and if not, I will take it by force.” 17 Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD, for the men treated the offering of the LORD with contempt.

18 Samuel was ministering before the LORD, a boy clothed with a linen ephod. 19 And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May the LORD give you children by this woman for the petition she asked of the LORD.” So then they would return to their home.

21 Indeed the LORD visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the LORD.

22 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. 23 And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. 24 No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the LORD spreading abroad. 25 If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the LORD to put them to death.

26 Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the LORD and also with man.

27 And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Did I indeed reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt subject to the house of Pharaoh? 28 Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel. 29 Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’ 30 Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the LORD declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. 32 Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever. 33 The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants of your house shall die by the sword of men. 34 And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day. 35 And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever. 36 And everyone who is left in your house shall come to implore him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and shall say, “Please put me in one of the priests’ places, that I may eat a morsel of bread.”’”

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time


The book of judges ends with, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Jdg 21:25) and it appears the priests were no different. Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were serving as priests but they did not know the Lord. They treated the sacrifices people made to God with contempt by taking the best portions of meat for themselves—sometimes by force. They also engaged in the Canaanite cultic practice of temple prostitution.

Eli is described as being very old when he confronts his sons on the wrong they were doing. This suggests that Eli had neglected his responsibility as a parent earlier on. Eli warned his sons with an illustration of a legal dispute. If two men have a dispute then God can mediate to exonerate the one charged with wrongdoing. But if someone is to stand trial against God, he can expect only condemnation. Hophni and Phinehas had committed a capital offense (Lev 7:25; 22:9) and could expect the death penalty. They didn’t heed their father’s warning because God had already determined that He would bring justice into this situation.

In contrast to the family of Eli, Samuel’s family is shown to continue living righteously. They continue to travel to the tabernacle each year for the festivals. Hannah hasn’t abandoned her son but continues in her motherly love and responsibility, caring for his needs and bringing him a new robe each year. God didn’t forget Hannah either but gave her more than she prayed for. She was blessed with a larger family—three sons and two daughters. In contrast to Eli’s sons who descended in wickedness, Samuel grew in stature and favour with the Lord (a similar description was made of Jesus as he grew as a boy).

An unnamed man of God came to Eli and pronounced God’s judgment on him and his sons. God declared that their priesthood would end because they had done what was evil. It is revealed that despite his warning, Eli was complicit in his sons’ sin by eating the meat his sons had taken by force. By not taking decisive action against his sons, he had honoured his sons above God. God would not completely terminate the office of priest but He would raise up a faithful priest whose line would be established and he would minister before God’s anointed one (the king) forever. This was fulfilled when the priesthood was taken from Abiathar, a descendant of Arron’s son Ithamar, and given to Zadok, a descendant of Aaron’s son Eleazar (1 Kings 2:27,35). But ultimately the Anointed One and the faithful Priest are both fulfilled in Jesus Christ who is both Priest and King (Heb 5:6; Rev 19:16).

This story is a reminder to me that circumstances are not an excuse for the choices we make. Samuel had very little contact with his parents while he grew up in the presence and example of two wicked priests, yet he grew in stature and favour with the Lord. We each need to make our own choice to live God’s way and it is a choice we need to renew every day (Luke 9:23). Every day you are not consciously choosing to follow God is a day you are drifting a little from Him.


Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

The Centurion’s Faith: Matthew 7-8