Study Desk

The sin of the young men was very great before the LORD; for the men despised the offering of the LORD.

`Eli blessed Elkana and his wife, and said, the LORD give you seed of this woman for the petition which was asked of the LORD. They went to their own home.

He said to them, Why do you such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.

No, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: you make the LORD's people to disobey.

If one man sin against another, God shall judge him; but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding, they didn't listen to the voice of their father, because the LORD was minded to kill them.

Therefore the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, says, I said indeed that your house, and the house of your father, should walk before me forever: but now the LORD says, Be it far from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

It shall happen, that everyone who is left in your house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and shall say, Please put me into one of the Kohanim' offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.

He ran to `Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. He said, I didn't call; lie down again. He went and lay down.

The LORD called yet again, Shemu'el. Shemu'el arose and went to `Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. He answered, I didn't call, my son; lie down again.

The LORD called Shemu'el again the third time. He arose and went to `Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. `Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.

Therefore `Eli said to Shemu'el, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call you, that you shall say, Speak, the LORD; for your servant hears. So Shemu'el went and lay down in his place.

The LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Shemu'el, Shemu'el. Then Shemu'el said, Speak; for your servant hears.

For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons did bring a curse on themselves, and he didn't restrain them.

The LORD appeared again in Shiloh; for the LORD revealed himself to Shemu'el in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

The Pelishtim were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. They said, Woe to us! for there has not been such a thing heretofore.

The Pelishtim fought, and Yisra'el was struck, and they fled every man to his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Yisra'el thirty thousand footmen.

When he came, behold, `Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching; for his heart trembled for the ark of God. When the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.

It happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that [`Eli] fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck broke, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. He had judged Yisra'el forty years.

His daughter-in-law, Pinechas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the news that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and brought forth; for her pains came on her.

About the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, Don't be afraid; for you have brought forth a son. But she didn't answer, neither did she regard it.