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Eli

the priest of Shiloh

Who was Eli?

Occupation
Priest of the Lord and judge of Israel 1 Samuel 1:9; 1 Samuel 4:18
Eli, an artistic recreation

What the Bible says

1 Samuel 1:9; 1 Samuel 3:3; 1 Samuel 4:18

So Anna arose after she had eaten and drunk in Silo: And Heli the priest sitting upon a stool, before the door of the temple of the Lord:

1 Samuel 1:17, 24-28

17Then Heli said to her: Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition, which thou hast asked of him. 24And after she had weaned him, she carried him with her, with three calves, and three bushels of flour, and a bottle of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord in Silo. Now the child was as yet very young: 25And they immolated a calf, and offered the child to Heli. 26And Anna said: I beseech thee, my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord: I am that woman who stood before thee here praying to the Lord. 27For this child did I pray, and the Lord hath granted me my petition, which I asked of him. 28Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord all the days of his life, he shall be lent to the Lord. And they adored the Lord there. And Anna prayed, and said:

1 Samuel 3:8-9

8And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose up and went to Heli. 9And said: Here am I: for thou didst call me. Then Heli understood that the Lord called the child, and he said to Samuel: Go, and sleep: and if he shall call thee any more, thou shalt say: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and slept in his place.

Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.

The path of Eli

  1. Before Jesus. Eli was a priest in Shiloh. His two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were also priests of the Lord. 1 Samuel 1:3, 9
  2. Before Jesus. He saw Hannah moving her lips without a sound and thought she was drunk. When she explained, he sent her away in peace. 1 Samuel 1:12-17
  3. With Jesus. Hannah brought her son Samuel to him once the boy was weaned. The boy stayed to serve the Lord with Eli. 1 Samuel 1:24-28; 1 Samuel 2:11
  4. With Jesus. Eli blessed Elkanah and Hannah when they went back home. The Lord visited Hannah, and she had three more sons and two daughters. 1 Samuel 2:20-21
  5. With Jesus. His sons sinned gravely and treated the offerings of the Lord with contempt. Eli scolded them, but they did not listen to him. 1 Samuel 2:17, 22-25
  6. With Jesus. A man of God announced a punishment for his family. 1 Samuel 2:27, 31
  7. With Jesus. The man of God gave Eli a sign: his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, would die on the same day. And the Lord would choose a faithful priest. 1 Samuel 2:34-35
  8. With Jesus. One night the Lord called Samuel. Eli understood that it was the Lord, and he taught Samuel how to answer. 1 Samuel 3:8-9
  9. Afterward. Samuel told him everything the Lord had said. Eli answered that the Lord should do what seemed good to him. 1 Samuel 3:18
  10. Afterward. Israel lost a battle against the Philistines. Then the people carried the ark from Shiloh to the camp, and Eli’s two sons went with it. 1 Samuel 4:2-4
  11. Afterward. The Philistines captured the ark, and Eli’s two sons died in the battle. When Eli heard about the ark, he fell from his chair and died. 1 Samuel 4:11, 17-18
  12. Afterward. Many years later, King Solomon took the priesthood away from Abiathar. That fulfilled what the Lord had said in Shiloh about Eli’s family. 1 Kings 2:27

Words of Eli

“Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition, which thou hast asked of him.” 1 Samuel 1:17

When Hannah explained to him that she was praying.

“Do not so, my sons: for it is no good report that I hear, that you make the people of the Lord to transgress.” 1 Samuel 2:24

When he learned what his sons were doing.

“Go, and sleep: and if he shall call thee any more, thou shalt say: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.” 1 Samuel 3:9

When he understood that it was the Lord who was calling Samuel.

What they were like

The greatest thing they did

Not to be confused with

What people ask

Why did Eli think Hannah was drunk?

Because Hannah was praying silently: her lips were moving, but her voice could not be heard. 1 Samuel 1:12-14

What did Eli’s sons do wrong?

They sinned gravely before the Lord and treated the offerings with contempt. They did not listen to their father. 1 Samuel 2:17, 25

Why did God punish Eli’s family?

The Lord told Samuel that Eli knew what his sons were doing and did not correct them. 1 Samuel 3:13

How did Eli die?

He was ninety-eight years old. When he heard that the Philistines had captured the ark of God, he fell from his chair and died. 1 Samuel 4:15, 18

What does the Church say about Eli?

The Catechism says that Samuel learned from Eli the priest how to listen to the word of God. Catechism 2578

What did Eli ask Samuel the next morning?

Eli asked Samuel to tell him everything the Lord had said, without hiding anything from him. 1 Samuel 3:16-17

What happened to Shiloh later?

Centuries later, the Lord spoke through the prophet Jeremiah. He told the people to go to Shiloh and see what he had done there because of Israel’s wickedness. Jeremiah 7:12

Daily life He sat on a chair beside the door of the sanctuary of the Lord. 1 Samuel 1:9 He blessed Elkanah and Hannah when they went back home. 1…

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Who Eli is connected to

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