Eli was the priest at Shiloh, where the tabernacle stood, and judged Israel for forty years. He was there when Hannah prayed and when she brought her son Samuel to serve. He raised the boy, and when God called Samuel in the night, it was Eli who realized what was happening and taught him to answer.
His own sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were worthless priests who stole from the offerings and slept with the women who served at the entrance. Eli rebuked them but did nothing more. A man of God and then Samuel himself told him judgment was coming. Eli accepted it. When news came that the ark was captured and his sons were dead, he fell backward from his seat by the gate and died.
“
It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him.
Name means
Possibly “ascended” or “my God”
Home
Shiloh
Role
High priest and judge of Israel for forty years
Read in
Eli's story
The seat by the gate
Beginning
Misjudging Hannah
He thinks she is drunk, then blesses her.
High point
Raising Samuel
The boy Samuel serves the LORD under him.
Low point
Worthless sons
His sons abuse their office; he rebukes them weakly and is warned.
High point
Speak, LORD
He teaches Samuel to answer God's call and accepts the hard word.
Ending
The ark is taken
Hearing the ark is captured, he falls from his seat and dies.
Starts as Israel's priest and judge. Ends as an old man who mentored a prophet and lost his house.
Where Eli lived and went
Only places Scripture records. Softer, dotted pins are traditional or uncertain sites. Tap a pin for the passage.
HomeMinistryKey momentTraditional or uncertainPinch or use + to zoom. Tap a cluster to spread it out.
Eli's whole story happens at Shiloh.
How Eli is wired
The Peacemaker
Enneagram 9, Reformer wing
To keep the peace and avoid painful confrontation.
This one is debated. Here's why we land here.
At their best, toward 3 Under stress, toward 6
Why we think so
1
He avoids hard action. He rebukes his sons with words but does not remove them. ()
2
He did not restrain them. God says he knew and did not stop them. ()
3
He accepts. He receives judgment without argument. ()
The 1 wing shows in his concern for the ark and right worship. ()
The Achiever. At his best he points someone else to God. ()
The Loyalist. Under stress he withdraws and lets things slide. ()
The case for 6
Some read Eli as a Loyalist, anxious and trembling for the ark and loyal to his family over God ().
Other lenses
Big Five. Read from what is recorded in Joshua and Judges.
ReservedOutgoing
SteadyReactive
ChallengingAccommodating
SpontaneousDisciplined
TraditionalCurious
DISC style: Gentle, passive, weary
Strengths & struggles
What's good in Eli
Blessed Hannah once he understood (). Patient mentor to Samuel, teaching him to listen to God (). Humble before God's word, even against himself (). Cared most about the ark of God ().
Where Eli struggles
Quick to misjudge (). Rebuked his sons but did not restrain them (). God said he honored his sons above God ().
What Eli wanted most
Scripture does not say directly. He trembled most for the ark of God ().
Eli was a priest who failed to guard God's house. Jesus is the faithful high priest who never fails.
God promised to raise up for himself a faithful priest who would do what was in his heart and mind (). Hebrews says Jesus is a high priest holy, innocent and unstained, who always lives to intercede for us (). Where Eli gave way, Jesus is faithful over God's house as a son ().
Questions to sit with
1
Eli helped Samuel hear God, but avoided a hard conversation at home. Where are you avoiding a conversation you need to have?
2
Who taught you to say, “Speak, LORD, for your servant hears”? Who could you teach?
Study Eli with your group
Ready-to-lead group studies with discussion questions and a leader's note are on the way.
