Study Desk

She conceived; and in due time she gave birth to a son, whom she named Sh'mu'el, "because I asked Adonai for him."

I prayed for this child, and Adonai has granted the request I asked of him.

"Stop your proud boasting! Don't let arrogance come from your mouth! For Adonai is a God of knowledge, and he appraises actions.

The well-fed hire themselves for bread, while those who were hungry hunger no more. The barren woman has borne seven, while the mother of many wastes away.

He raises the poor from the dust, lifts up the needy from the trash pile; he gives them a place with leaders and assigns them seats of honor. "For the earth's pillars belong to Adonai ; on them he has placed the world.

He will guard the steps of his faithful, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness. For it is not by strength that a person prevails —

‘Eli's sons were scoundrels who had no regard for Adonai .

He would stick it in the pan, kettle, caldron or pot; and the cohen would take for himself whatever the fork brought up. This is how they dealt with all the people of Isra'el who came there to Shiloh.

If a person commits a sin against another person, the judges can mediate between them. But if a person commits a sin against Adonai , who can intercede for him?" However, they wouldn't pay attention to what their father said, because Adonai had decided to kill them.

So why are you showing such disrespect for my sacrifices and offerings, which I ordered to be made at my dwelling? Why do you show more honor to your sons than to me, making yourselves fat with the choicest parts of all the offerings of Isra'el my people?'

I will raise up for myself a faithful cohen who will do what I want and what I intend. I will make his family faithful, and he will serve in the presence of my anointed one forever.

Everyone left in your family will come, prostrate himself before him for a silver coin or a loaf of bread, and say, "Please, won't you give me some work as a cohen, so I can have a scrap of bread to eat?"'"

Once, during that period, ‘Eli had gone to bed — his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that it was hard for him to see.

For I have told him that I will execute judgment against his family forever, because of his wickedness in not rebuking his sons, even though he knew that they had brought a curse on themselves.

Therefore I have sworn to the family of ‘Eli that the wickedness of ‘Eli's family will never be atoned for by any sacrifice or offering."

Adonai continued appearing in Shiloh, for Adonai revealed himself to Sh'mu'el in Shiloh by the word of Adonai .

When the army had returned to camp, the leaders of Isra'el asked, "Why has Adonai defeated us today before the P'lishtim? Let's bring the ark for the covenant of Adonai from Shiloh to us, so that he will come among us and save us from our enemies."

So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark for the covenant of Adonai -Tzva'ot, who is present above the k'ruvim. The two sons of ‘Eli, Hofni and Pinchas, were there with the ark for the covenant of God.

When the ark for the covenant of Adonai entered the camp, all Isra'el gave a mighty shout that resounded through the land.

As soon as he mentioned what had happened to the ark of God, ‘Eli fell backward off his seat next to the gate, broke his neck and died; for he was an old man, and heavy. He had judged Isra'el forty years.