The First Book of Samuel, otherwise called the First Book of the Kings
1 Samuel 2
Chapter II · Vol. II, pp. 631–633
1 Hannah's song in thankfulness to God. 12 The sin of Eli's sons. 18 Samuel's ministry. 20 By Eli's blessing Hannah is more fruitful. 22 Eli reproveth his sons. 27 A prophecy against Eli's house.
1 And Hannah aprayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD; bmine horn is exalted in the LORD; my cmouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I drejoice in thy salvation.
2 Theree is none holy as the LORD:1 for there is none besides thee; neither is there any rock like our God.
e Ex.15.11. Ps.73.25; 86.8; 89.6,8. Is.40.17. Jos.24.19. De.3.24; 32.4,30,31,39. 1 Co.10.4.
1 Holiness in God is his entire separation from evil, and his entire devotedness of zeal to his own glory. In God, holiness is original; in man, derivative. None can therefore be holy as the Lord; men become holy because he is holy.—C.
3 Talkf no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is ga God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
f Mat.3.9,10. Jude 15. Pr.29.23; 8.13. Lu.14.11.
A.M. 2877 B.C. 1127
g Ps.147.5. Je.17.10; 16.19. He.4.12,13.
5 They ithat were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the kbarren hath born seven; and lshe that hath many children is waxed feeble.
8 Hep raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the qpillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he hath set the world upon them.3
9 He rwill keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be ssilent in darkness;4 for tby strength shall no man prevail.
r Ps.91.11; 121.5,8; 94.18. Pr.16.9.
s Ps.94.17; 9.17. Job 5.14. Is.15.1. Je.8.14. Ec.5.17. Zep.1.15. Mat.22.12.
4 'This is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, but men have loved darkness;' that is, the banishment of God and his truth from all their thoughts, wherefore, in judgment, when their actions are weighed, they are cast into outer darkness. There, while infidelity and pride are silent for ever, their inheritance is 'weeping and gnashing of teeth.'—C.
t Ps.33.16. Pr.21.31. Ec.9.11. ch.17.49. Zec.4.6. Job 9.4; 40.2,11,12.
10 Theu adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD xshall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall ygive strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.5
u ch.7.10; 12.18. 2 Sa.22.14,15. Ps.2.9.
x ch.vii.xvii. 2 Sa.v.viii. Ps.2.8,9; 22.27,29. Is.45.22.
y Ps.18.32-48; 89.3,4,21-37. Mat.28.18. 2 Sa.viii.x.
5 That is, his Messiah, in whose future appearing Hannah expresses her faith. The horn is the emblem of power.—C.
11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house; and the child did zminister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.
z ver.18; ch.1.28; 3.1,15.
12 Now athe sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.6
a De.13.13. Ju.19.22. ch.10.27; 25.17. 2 Sa.16.7; 23.6. 1 Ki.21.10. 2 Co.6.15. Tit.1.16. 1 Jn.2.3,4. Je.9.3. Ho.4.1,6. Mal.2.8. Ro.1.28-30.
6 Sons of worthlessness, as the expression signifies—for man has no worth, but as he knows God to be his God, and has chosen him for his sure portion.—C.
13 And the priest's custom with the people was, that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand;
14 And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; ball that the flesh-hook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.
b Is.56.11. Ex.29.27,28. Le.7.34.
15 Also, before cthey burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently,7 and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.8
7 Heb. as on the day.
A.M. 2879 B.C. 1125
8 What a melancholy example of religious defection?, when the lips of the people and not of the priests retain the knowledge of God, and when they who should inculcate piety are the most prominent in violating the law.—C.
17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was veryd great before the LORD;9 for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
d Ge.10.10; 13.13. Mal.2.8. Ho.4.1.
9 The portions which legally belonged to the priest out of these offerings were 'the heave-leg' and 'the wave-breast.' These portions he was to receive after the fat of the sacrifice had been burned upon the altar, Le.7.30-34. To take the flesh, and roast it for food, before the offering to God was completed, was a crime amounting to robbery of God.—P.
19 Moreover, his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him ffrom year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
f ch.1.3,21. Ex.23.14-17; 34.23. De.16.16.
20 And Eli gblessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan1 which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home.
21 And the LORD hvisited Hannah, so that she conceived, and ibare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel kgrew before the LORD.2
22 Now Eli lwas very old, and heard all that his sons mdid unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that nassembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
23 And he said unto them, oWhy do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings3 byp all this people.
24 Nay, my sons; for it is qno good report that I hear: ye make the LORD's people to4 transgress.5
q 1 Ti.3.7. ver.17,22.
4 Or, to cry out.
5 Amongst the greatest evils of sin is its multiplying in others. Hence the special evil of sin in men of rank, from them it propagates more speedily, and their judgment is the more heavy from the Lord.—C.
25 If rone man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but sif a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they thearkened not unto the voice of their father, because6 the LORD would slay them.
s Nu.15.30. ch.3.14. Ge.13.13.
t 2 Ch.25.16. Pr.15.10. Ps.69.27. 1 Jn.2.11,19. Jn.12.39,40.
6 For 'because,' the translation should be 'wherefore' or 'therefore,' as in Ps.116.10.—C.
27 And there came xa man of God unto Eli,8 and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Didy I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?
28 And zdid I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and adid I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?
29 Wherefore bkick ye at my sacrifice,9 and at mine offering, which I have commanded cin my habitation; and dhonourest thy sons above me,1 to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
A.M. 2898 B.C. 1106
b De.32.15. ver.13-17. Mal.1.12,13.
9 They despised the part allotted to the priest by the law, and would choose what pleased their own epicurean tastes.—C.
d Le.19.15. Mat.10.37. Lu.14.26.
1 Eli not only allowed his sons to take what part they pleased, instead of the part appointed by the law, but he also permitted them to take it before the sacrifice was offered, thus honouring them above God.—C.
30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, eI said indeed, that thy house, and the house of thy father,2 should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, fBe it far from 3me; for gthem that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
2 i.e. Ithamar.
f 2 Ch.15.2.
3 Such promises are sometimes called conditional. But this is a mode of speaking not perfectly safe. If it were, then the fulfilment of God's promises would depend on the creature, and not on God. Such promises are not conditional; they are simply promises with a declared or implied threatening. In this case the threatening is inflicted, and Eli's house is cast out.—C.
31 Behold, the days come, that I hwill cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.
h Job 22.9. Ps.37.17. ch.4.11; 22.18, &c. 1 Ki.2.26,27.
32 And thou shalt see ian enemy4 in my habitation in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.
i Or, the affliction of the tabernacle for all the wealth which God would have given Israel, ch.4.11. Ps.78.59-64. 1 Ki.2.26,27.
4 Not a rival priest in his office, but the Philistine enemy in possession of his ark and sanctuary, and wasting the wealth of Israel.—C.
33 And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.5
5 Heb. men.
34 And this shall be ka sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.
35 And lI will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will mbuild him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine Anointed for ever.
l Eze.44.15. 1 Ch.29.22. 1 Ki.1.8,45; 2.27,35. He.7.24-28.
m ch.25.28. Ex.1.21. 1 Ki.2.24. Nu.25.13. Eze.44.15. 2 Ch.6.8-15. Ne.12.10,11.
36 And it shall come to pass, that every one that nis left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver, and a morsel of bread,6 and shall say, Put7 me, I pray thee, into one of the priest's offices,8 that I may eat a piece of bread.
6 Just as a man discovers his own appearance better by looking into a mirror than by examining himself; so men are frequently led to self-examination and repentance rather by the afflictions that come through their families, than by any spontaneous movement of their own minds. The history of Eli is written not as a record of an obscure though public man, but as a warning to all fathers, especially to those in office, to chasten their children while there is hope.—C.
7 Heb. join.
8 Or, somewhat about the priesthood.
Notes
[Ver. 3. By him actions are weighed. The idea of actions being weighed, as in the balance of God, is one well calculated to lead us to examine ourselves. Whether we will hear, or whether we will forbear, God will weigh.—Note, How needful then to pray, God be merciful to us sinners! How blessed our refuge in the 'blood that cleanseth from all sin!' C.]
Ver. 35. [These words are prophetical. They have reference to Eli's successors, Samuel and Zadok; but this reference is only primary. Of neither of them could it be said, 'He shall walk before mine Anointed for ever.' They embrace the whole line of the priesthood, as types; and are perfectly fulfilled in the person and work of the Messiah. P.]
Reflections.—We owe to God the most exalted praises upon receipt of his favours. Yea, pleasant and valuable mercies should always lead to an affecting contemplation of the excellences which are in God himself. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he often shows them things to come. Nothing is returned with such certainty and interest as that which is lent to the Lord: and early activity in God's service is a hopeful presage of an eminently useful life. But dreadful and threatening is the appearance when those who fill the highest offices in church or state become absolute monsters in impiety, lust, and rapacity. It is criminal to administer to such only a soft rebuke; and their contempt of reproof is an awful prelude of near and certain destruction. God permits such contemners to proceed in their wickedness till they have ripened themselves for ruin. Parents' indulgence of their children in sin may occasion fearful distresses to their family and nation; and the most tremendous judgments appear marked out for those who disregard even the mildest reproofs of their parents. The more remarkable the favours which have been abused, the more tremendous the judgments which may be expected; and sharers in sin shall share in correspondent punishment. But God's work and cause will never fall to the ground for want of hands to carry it on. Though ministers' wickedness may destroy themselves, it cannot destroy the ministry. The church is founded on a Rock, which the gates of hell cannot prevail against. Jesus, the faithful priest on his throne, is her principal governor, who can turn out her wicked officers, and fill their room with such as will be faithful unto death.