1 Samuel 2:18-19 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 2:18

But Samuel ministered before the Lord ,.... The ministration of Samuel, though a child, is observed both before and after the account of the ill behaviour and wickedness of Eli's sons; partly to the shame and disgrace of them, and as serving to aggravate their sin, and make it appear the more black and heinous; and partly to his honour and reputation, that he was not corrupted and turned aside from God by their evil practices. The phrase here used is different from that in 1 Samuel 2:11 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:19

Moreover, his mother made him a little coat ,.... Suitable to his stature; this was an outer coat to wear over others, and this also was such an one as the priests wore; it is the same word that is used for the priest's robe, Exodus 28:4 , and this, it is very likely, was altogether of her own spinning, and weaving, and making up; which were works women did in those times: and this Hannah did partly out of her great love to her son Samuel, and partly to lessen the expense that Eli, or the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 2:18

Girded with a linen ephod - This the Targum translates דבוץ כרדוט אסיר asir cardut debuts , "Girded with a cardit of byssus, or fine linen." The word cardut they seem to have borrowed from the Greek χειριδωτος , a tunic, having χειριδας , i.e., sleeves that came down to, or covered, the hands. This was esteemed an effeminate garment among the Romans. See Buxtorf's Talmudic Lexicon. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 2:19

Made him a little coat - קטן מעיל meil katon , a little cloak, or surtout, an upper garment: probably intended to keep him from the cold, and to save his other clothes from being abused in his meaner services. It is probable that she furnished him with a new one each year, when she came up to one of the annual sacrifices. 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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:18

But Samuel ministered. While the misconduct of Eli's sons was thus bringing religion into contempt, and sapping the nation's morals, Samuel was advancing in years and piety, and was gaining that education which made him fit to retrieve the evil of their doings. He is still styled na'ar, a boy; for the word, according to the Rabbins, may be used up to fifteen years ( 1 Samuel 1:24 ). In the sense of servant there is no limit of age; and as it is the word translated "young men" in 1... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:19

His mother made him a little coat. The coat, meil, was worn by priests (Le 1 Samuel 8:7 ), by kings and their sons ( 1 Samuel 18:4 ), by prophets ( ibid. 1 Samuel 28:14 ), and even by women ( 2 Samuel 13:18 ). It was an under garment of wool, woven throughout without seam, with holes for the head and arms, and reaching nearly to the ground: when used by women it had sleeves ( ibid. ) . Under it they had a tunic or shirt fitting so closely that a man simply so clad was... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 2:18

Girded with a linen ephod - This was the usual dress of the priests. It does not appear whether Levites wore an ephod properly. Possibly it was a mark of Samuel’s special dedication to the Lord’s service that he wore one. (See the marginal reference). The ephod was sometimes used as an idolatrous implement Judges 8:27. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 2:19

A little coat - The robe of the ephod was also one of the garments worn by the High Priest (see Exodus 28:31 note). This pointed mention of the ephod and the robe as worn by the youthful Samuel, seems to point to an extraordinary and irregular priesthood to which he was called by God in an age when the provisions of the Levitical law were not yet in full operation, and in which there was no impropriety in the eyes of his contemporaries, seeing that nonconformity to the whole Law was the rule... read more

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:19

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 2:18

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 2:19

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:11-19

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:18

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:19

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 2:18

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 2:19

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