1 Samuel 2:17

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 2:17

Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord ,.... That is, the sons of Eli; for they were the ringleaders who set these bad examples, which other priests followed, and therefore the sin is ascribed to them; and which was sadly aggravated by taking what was not their own, and by taking it in a forcible manner, and before the Lord had his part in the offering, and all this done in the tabernacle, in the presence of God; which plainly showed that they had not the fear of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 2:17

Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great - That is, Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli. Men abhorred the offering - As the people saw that the priests had no piety, and that they acted as if there was no God; they despised God's service, and became infidels. A national priesthood, when the foundation is right, may be a great blessing; but if the priesthood becomes corrupt, though the foundation itself stand sure, the corruption of the national manners... 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 2:17

The offering of the Lord - Minchah, here in the general sense of “gift or offering” to God (compare Malachi 1:10-11; Malachi 3:3). In its restricted sense, it is used of the meat offerings, the unbloody sacrifices, and is then coupled with bloody sacrifices, sacrifices of slain beasts. (See 1 Samuel 2:29.) read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 2:16-17

1 Samuel 2:16-17. Nay, but thou shalt give it me now, &c. This was the very height of haughty impiety. That such submissive language did not prevail with them to have so much respect for God, as to permit his portion to be presented to him in the first place, especially as they offered to the priest more than his share afterward, manifested excessive profaneness and contempt of things sacred. To what pitch of wickedness may not a man arrive who has shaken off the fear of God, and all... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:12-36

Judgment on the family of Eli (2:12-3:18)Eli the priest had become the judge, or chief administrator, in Israel. He sat at the door of the house of God where people could freely meet him to seek his advice or ask for directions in disputes (see 1:9; 4:18). His sons, it seems, carried out the routine work in connection with the sacrifices and ceremonies.According to the Levitical law, the portion of the sacrifice that was for God had to be burnt on the altar first, after which the priest and the... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 2:17

sin . Hebrew. chata'. App-44 . men . Hebrew. 'enosh. App-14 . read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 2:11-17

1. Eli’s sons’ wickedness 2:11-17Eli’s sons were not only evil in their personal lives, but they flagrantly disregarded the will of God even as they served as leaders of Israel’s worship. They neither knew the Lord (in the sense of paying attention to Him, 1 Samuel 2:12) nor treated His offerings as special (1 Samuel 2:17; cf. Malachi 1:6-14). The writer documented these evaluations with two instances of their specific practices (1 Samuel 2:13-16). The Law ordered the priests to handle the... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 2:11-36

B. The Contrast between Samuel and Eli’s Sons 2:11-36Samuel’s innocence and the godlessness of Eli’s sons contrast strongly in this pericope (section of text). Samuel would succeed and become a channel of God’s blessing. Eli’s sons would fail, would become a source of frustration to Eli and the Israelites, and would ultimately perish."The section [1 Samuel 2:11 to 1 Samuel 4:1] poignantly illustrates the theme of ’Hannah’s Song’ as it is epitomized in 1 Samuel 2:7 b, ’he brings low, and also... read more

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