1 Samuel 2:11 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:11-26

In these verses we have the good character and posture of Elkanah's family, and the bad character and posture of Eli's family. The account of these two is observably interwoven throughout this whole paragraph, as if the historian intended to set the one over against the other, that they might set off one another. The devotion and good order of Elkanah's family aggravated the iniquity of Eli's house; while the wickedness of Eli's sons made Samuel's early piety appear the more bright and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:11

And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house ,.... Of which see 1 Samuel 1:19 . This was after he had offered the sacrifices at the feast, worshipped the Lord, and Hannah had delivered her prayer or song of praise, and both had committed Samuel to the care of Eli, and left him with him: and the child did minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest ; he not only read in the book of the law, but learned to sing the praises of God vocally, and to play upon an instrument of music used in the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 2:11

And Elkanah went to Ramah - Immediately after the 10th verse, the Septuagint add, Και κατελιπεν αυτον εκει ενωπιον Κυριου· και απηλθεν εις Αραματαια , And she left him there before the Lord, and went unto Arimathea. Thus the Septuagint suppose that the song of Hannah was composed when she brought Samuel to present him to the Lord; and as soon as she had completed this fine ode, she delivered him into the hands of Eli the high priest, and the child entered immediately on his... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:11

EXPOSITION SAMUEL 'S MINISTRATIONS AT SHILOH ( 1 Samuel 2:11-21 ). The child did minister. Left by his parents at Shiloh, Samuel ministered unto the Lord; that is, certain duties were allotted him to perform suited to his age; but few at first, when he was but three years old, but increasing in importance as time went on; for the words refer to the whole period of his service, until Eli's death. At first Samuel would be but a scholar, for, as we have mentioned on 1... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:11-19

Degenerate sons. The facts given are— 1 . Eli's sons manifest their extreme wickedness by profaning the worship of God. 2 . As a consequence, a grievous scandal is caused, and Divine worship comes into disrepute. 3 . In spite of many evil surroundings, Samuel grows up in the blameless discharge of religious duties. 4 . Hannah continues to visit and take a deep interest in her son's spiritual life. The sorrowful experience of Eli in old age is sometimes repeated in modern... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 2:11

The word “minister” is used in three senses in Scripture:(1) of the service or ministration of both priests and Levites rendered unto the Lord Exodus 28:35, Exodus 28:43 :(2) of the ministrations of the Levites as rendered to the priests, to aid them in divine Service Numbers 3:6 :(3) of any service or ministration, especially one rendered to a man of God, as that of Joshua to Moses Numbers 11:28.The application of it to Samuel as ministering to the Lord before Eli the priest accords “most... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 2:11-12

1 Samuel 2:11-12 . The child did minister unto the Lord As soon as he was capable, and in a way agreeable to his tender years, as in lighting the lamps, or in singing and playing on instruments of music. Before Eli the priest That is, under the inspection and by the direction of Eli. The sons of Eli were sons of Belial Very wicked men, Deuteronomy 13:13; being ungodly, profane, covetous, and guilty of violence and filthy lusts. They knew not the Lord They had no experimental and... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:1-11

1:1-7:17 ISRAEL UNDER ELI AND UNDER SAMUELBirth of Samuel (1:1-2:11)Elkanah was a Levite who lived in the tribal territory of Ephraim (1:1; 1 Chronicles 6:33-38). Each year he took his family to the town of Shiloh to offer sacrifices to the Lord. (Since the time of Joshua, Shiloh had been the central place of worship in Israel; Joshua 18:1,Joshua 18:10; Judges 18:31.) According to the regulations for certain sacrifices, the offerer, after offering his sacrifice, received back some of the... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 2:11

child = youth. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 Samuel 2:11

SAMUEL IN THE SERVICE OF ELI"Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy ministered to the Lord in the presence of the priest."Now the sons of Eli were worthless men; they had no regard for the Lord. 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, and he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest would... read more