The Sons of Eli

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Marital Distress and Sacrificial Delays

COMMENTARY

The actions of Eli's sons were interpreted as causing significant marital distress due to delays in offering sacrifices. Rabbeinu Bachya, a medieval Jewish commentator, provides a nuanced interpretation of these actions, emphasizing the importance of timely religious observance.

וישכב את בלהה, “he slept with Bilhah.” Our sages in Shabbat 55, describe this act as בלבל מצעו של אביו, “he disturbed the couch of his father.” When his father referred to the incident on his deathbed (Genesis 49,4), he too used the same expression, saying אז חללת יצועי עלה, “then you desecrated Him who mounted my couch.” Yaakov did not criticize Reuven for sleeping with Bilhah but for mounting the couch on which his father used to sleep with. her.
You find something similar in Samuel I 2,22 where the sons of the High Priest Eli are accused of sleeping with the women (married women) who…

Rabbeinu Bahya, Bereshit 35:22:1

Contempt for the Offerings

KABBALAH

Their primary sin was their contemptuous treatment of the offerings of the Lord, rather than the literal act of lying with the women who assembled at the Tent of Meeting. The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, offers a mystical interpretation of the Torah, focusing on the deeper, esoteric meanings behind biblical narratives.

R. Hiya cited in this connection: “Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how that they lay with the women that did service at the door of the tent of meeting” (I Sam. 2, 22). ‘Are we to believe’, he said, ‘that the priests of the Lord actually did such a thing? And what, in fact, were their sins as recorded by the Scripture? Merely that they “dealt contemptuously with the offering of the Lord” (Ibid. 17), and that “the custom of the priests with the people was that, when any man offered sacrifice……

Zohar, Vayishlach 21:214

Eli's Confrontation with His Sons

TANAKH

Eli directly confronts his sons about their sinful actions and the negative reports he has received from the people of Israel. In the book of Samuel I, Eli rebukes his sons for their immoral behavior and the negative reports he has received from the people of Israel about their actions.

Now Eli was very old. When he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who performed tasks at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I get evil reports about you from the people on all hands. Don’t, my sons! It is no favorable report I hear the people of the LORD spreading about.

I Samuel 2:22-24

Reincarnation of Transgressors

REFERENCE

The souls of Hophni and Phinehas, who were known for their transgressions, are believed to have been reincarnated multiple times to rectify their past sins. In his encyclopedic work, Rabbi Hayyim Joseph David Azulai delves into the Kabbalistic concept of reincarnation, exploring how these souls reappeared throughout history.

[The souls of ] Nadav and Abihu came into Chophni and Phinehas, sons of Eli. And afterward, they came into the two sons of Samuel. And since they they sinned with meat, that is why they came back [again] as those men who were called crows in the days of Elijah, may he be remembered for the good. [From] Sefer Archei HaKinnuim of Rabbi Moshe Zakhut, may his memory be blessed. But, at first glance, this is difficult: As in our Talmud, the first chapter of Chullin, it is shown that they were actual crows and not men…

Devash LeFi, Letter Chet 14

Reevaluating Hophni and Pinehas

TALMUD

The assertion that Hophni and Pinehas did not sin challenges common interpretations and highlights their status as priests of God. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani, quoting Rabbi Yonatan, uses a verse from I Samuel to argue for the innocence of Hophni and Pinehas.

Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: Anyone who says that the sons of Eli sinned is nothing other than mistaken, as it is written: “And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Pinehas, were there priests of the Lord” (I Samuel 1:3).

Shabbat 55b:12

Reevaluating the Sons of Eli

MIDRASH

The sons of Eli, Chaphni and Phineas, are often misunderstood figures in Jewish history, and this text offers a reinterpretation of their actions. Ein Yaakov, a compilation of Talmudic stories and interpretations, argues that the accusations against Eli's sons are based on misinterpretations of the text.

R. Samuel b. Nachmeini in the name of R. Jonathan, said: "Whoever says that the children of Eli sinned errs, because it it said (I Sam. 1, 3.) And at that place were the two sons of Eli, Chaphni and Phineas, priests of the Lord. He agrees with Rab who said that Phineas did not sin. [And since the Scriptures put both Phineas and Chaphni on an equal footing, we understand through this that] just as Phineas did not commit any sin, so also Chaphni did not commit a sin. But what does the passage (I. Sam…

Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Shabbat 5:6

The Severity of Delayed Sacrifices

TALMUD

The delay in performing sacrifices for women after childbirth was considered as severe as actual misconduct. The Talmud in Tractate Yoma discusses how delaying these sacrifices hindered the mitzva of procreation and was equated to a grave sin.

that they deferred the sacrifice of their bird-offerings by women after childbirth; nevertheless, the verse ascribes to them as if they lay with them. These women came to the Tabernacle to sacrifice doves or pigeons as bird-offerings as part of their purification process, which would permit them to engage in sexual relations with their husbands. Eli’s sons delayed the sacrifice of these offerings and thereby delayed the return of these women to their husbands and their fulfillment of the mitzva of procreation…

Yoma 9b:1

The Divine Judgment on Eli's Household

SECOND TEMPLE

The divine communication to Samuel foretells the punishment of Eli's household and the transfer of the priesthood due to Eli's failure to prioritize God's worship over his family. Josephus, in his first-century historical work, recounts this pivotal moment in Jewish history, emphasizing the consequences of neglecting divine commandments.

4. Now when Samuel was twelve years old, he began to prophesy: and once when he was asleep, God called to him by his name; and he, supposing he had been called by the high priest, came to him: but when the high priest said he did not call him, God did so thrice. Eli was then so far illuminated, that he said to him, "Indeed, Samuel, I was silent now as well as before: it is God that calls thee; do thou therefore signify it to him, and say, I am here ready." So when he heard God speak again, he desired him to speak, and to deliver what oracles he pleased to him…

The Antiquities of the Jews 5:10:4

The Fulfillment of Eli's Prophecy

TANAKH

The dismissal of Abiathar by Solomon marks the fulfillment of a divine prophecy concerning Eli's descendants. The Book of Kings I recounts how Solomon's actions led to the realization of God's prophecy made at Shiloh regarding Eli's lineage.

So Solomon dismissed Abiathar from his office of priest of GOD—thus fulfilling what GOD had spoken at Shiloh regarding the house of Eli.

I Kings 2:27

The Downfall of Eli's Family

COMMENTARY

The story of Eli's family serves as a powerful example of divine justice and the consequences of failed leadership. The Book of Samuel, part of the Nevi'im (Prophets) in the Hebrew Bible, recounts the divine condemnation of Eli and his descendants, drawing a parallel to the future downfall of King Saul.

The long condemnation of Eli by YHWH through an anonymous “man of God” that ends the chapter in vv.27-36 leaves no doubt about the fate of the priest and his descendants. It mirrors what will happen to Sha’ul, Israel’s first king, later in the book.

The Early Prophets, by Everett Fox, Samuel, Part I; The Last Judges; Eli and Shemuel, The Song of Hanna; Eli and His Sons 5

Divine Retribution and Miraculous Events

MIDRASH

The sins of Eli's family led to divine retribution and miraculous events, including a plague of mice and the return of the Ark to the Israelites. Louis Ginzberg’s early 20th-century work, Legends of the Jews, recounts these events in a continuous narrative drawn from a vast array of midrashic sources.

The sons of Eli brought misfortune also upon the whole of Israel. To their sins and the ease with which the people condoned them was attributed the unhappy issue of the war with the Philistines. The holy Ark, the receptacle for the broken table of the law, which accompanied the people to the camp, did not have the expected effect of compelling victory for the Israelites. What Eli feared happened. He enjoined upon his sons not to appear before him if they should survive the capture of the Ark. But they did not survive it…

Legends of the Jews 4:3:14

The Heroic Defenders of the Ark

COMMENTARY

Hofni and Pinhas are often remembered for their sins, but their heroic defense of the Ark of God during battle reveals a different, sacrificial side. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's modern translation and commentary on the Hebrew Bible offers a fresh perspective on the actions of Hofni and Pinhas, emphasizing their role as protectors of a national symbol.

The Ark of God was captured. When the Israelite camp dispersed, the ark, which was very heavy, was left behind and taken by the Philistines. And as a result, the two sons of Eli, Hofni and Pinhas, died. Perhaps they died heroically in an attempt to defend the ark, which was a national symbol. The sons of Eli, as priests, were certainly not military commanders or soldiers. Instead, they came to the battlefield to assist in the transportation of the ark. They probably stood next to the ark and attempted to prevent the Philistines from touching it…

Steinsaltz on I Samuel 4:11

The Greed of Hophni and Phinehas

JEWISH THOUGHT

Hophni and Phinehas are infamous for their greed and corruption, which had a detrimental impact on the worshippers' experience. Dr. Erica Brown recounts the moral and spiritual failings of Eli’s sons, emphasizing the importance of integrity in religious leadership.

The text oddly goes into great detail about the subtle way in which Eli’s sons profited from sacrifices. Eli’s sons were not the only ones who participated in these crimes; his grandsons were also guilty, with leadership credibility spilling over from one generation to the next. Priests were materially supported by the people who were obligated by Jewish law to provide portions of their own harvest and sacrifices to ensure that the priesthood was sustained with dignity. The young priest was entitled to take from a sacrifice already in preparation what could reasonably be carried off with his…

Leadership in the Wilderness; Authority and Anarchy in the Book of Numbers, Part II, Chapter 7; The Dark Hours of Leadership 50

The Righteousness of Eli

MIDRASH

Eli's long life and old age were attributed to his engagement in Torah study, despite the wickedness of his sons. Aggadat Bereshit, a medieval midrashic text, explores the consequences of Eli's sons' actions and the significance of Torah study.

Chapter 41: Prophets [1] And Eli was very old. "And he heard all that his sons did" (1 Samuel 2:22). "Fortunate is the man who listens to me, etc., for whoever finds me, etc. But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul, etc." (Proverbs 8:34-36). What caused Eli to live a long life and age greatly? It was because he was engaged in Torah study, as it is written, "And Eli the priest was sitting on the seat [by the doorpost of the temple]" (1 Samuel 1:9), which is the meaning of "Fortunate is the man, etc." (Proverbs 8:34). Why did it say "whoever finds me, etc…

Aggadat Bereshit 41:1

Tragic Demise Unveiled

COMMENTARY

The deaths of Hophni and Phinehas are a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative. Rashi, the renowned 11th-century French biblical commentator, provides insight into their deaths as recounted in Psalms 78:64 and 1 Samuel 4.

His priests fell by the sword Hophni and Phinehas.

Rashi on Psalms 78:64:1

Elkanah's Pilgrimage to Shiloh

COMMENTARY

Elkanah's dedication to making annual pilgrimages to Shiloh and encouraging others to join him underscores the importance of communal worship and sacrifice before the establishment of Jerusalem as the central place of worship. The Tze'enah Ure'enah, a Yiddish commentary on the Torah and Haftarot, provides insights into the religious practices and dedication of Elkanah, set in the context of Shiloh as the central place of worship.

“This man used to go up from his town” [1:3]. Elkanah went every year to Shiloh for the festival. He was righteous and he called many people on the way to go with him to Shiloh and he brought sacrifices to the city of Shiloh. Since Jerusalem did not yet exist to bring sacrifices there, everything was brought to Shiloh. The priest called Eli had two children. One was called Hophni and the other was called Phinehas.

Tze'enah Ure'enah, Haftarot, First Day of Rosh Hashanah 3

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