1 Samuel 2 – Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: 1 Sam 2:12-18,26

12 Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord. 13 Now it was the practice of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat was being boiled 14 and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. Whatever the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. 15 But even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, ‘Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.’

16 If the person said to him, ‘Let the fat be burned first, and then take whatever you want,’ the servant would answer, ‘No, hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.’

17 This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt. 18 But Samuel was ministering before the Lord – a boy wearing a linen ephod.

26 And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favour with the Lord and with people.

A. Find Out:

1. Why were Eli’s sons described as wicked? v.12
2. What sort of meat were they taking? v.15
3. What had they been doing? v.16b
4. What were they doing with God’s offering? v.17
5. But what was Samuel doing? v.18
6. What was happening to him? v.26

B. Think:

1. How would you describe the spiritual leaders of that time?
2. What effect would their behaviour have had upon the people?
3. How does our example affect others?

C. Comment:

     When animal sacrifices were brought to the Lord, sometimes the priest was allowed to eat part of it after it was cooked (e.g. Leviticus 6:24-26, 7:6, 7:14,15) BUT it was not to include blood or fat (see Leviticus 3:16,17).

     Now when we look at Eli’s sons, we have a picture of priests who were self-centred and abusing the ceremony of offerings. First of all they took the meat before it was properly cooked, second they took the fat, and third they threatened people offering the meat. In every way these men, who should have been an example of holiness, were instead an example of self-centred, godless, irreligious unbelievers! A people will only be as good as its leaders and it is not surprising, therefore, that the spiritual state of Israel was very poor. As we go on we will see just how poor! Almost by contrast, young Samuel is quietly serving the Lord as he grows up and what he does brings pleasure to both God and man. Although others are being unrighteous, Samuel appears to remain righteous.

D. Application?

1. When God makes laws, it is with a purpose. Our part is simply to obey when He instructs.
2. Can people see Jesus in us or are we models of watery religion?
3. Can I be an example of righteousness in the midst of unrighteous people?

Passage: 1 Sam 2:18-25

18 But Samuel was ministering before the Lord – a boy wearing a linen ephod. 19 Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. 20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, ‘May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the Lord.’ Then they would go home. 21 And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.

22 Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 23 So he said to them, ‘Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. 24 No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the Lord’s people is not good. 25 If one person sins against another, God may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will intercede for them?’ His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.

A. Find Out:

1. How often did Hannah see Samuel? v.19
2. What blessing did Eli give Elkanah? v.20
3. How did the Lord bless Hannah? v.21
4. What did Eli say his sons were doing? v.25a
5. What was their response? v.25b
6. Why? v.25c

B. Think:

1. What do verses 18-21 tell us about the Lord?
2. What do verses 22-25 tell us about the Lord?
3. How do the two halves of this passage contrast?

C. Comment:

     Again today we see the evil of these sons of Eli who, we saw previously, were treating the Lord with contempt by the way they were handling the sacrifices. Now we have seen that they were also sexually immoral. The word of this came to Eli’s ears but as an old man he has long ago lost any influence over them. If he had exercised greater responsibility in bringing them up this would never be happening now. When he speaks to them, they ignore the old man. The Bible says that this was because it was the Lord’s will to destroy them. What we have here is the Lord refusing to intervene to convict them by His Spirit for repentance. He has determined that they should receive His public judgement for their public sins.

     By contrast, the picture of Elkanah’s family is a picture of peace, joy and blessing. Hannah now is able to bear a large family and Samuel is growing up to be an upright young man watched over by God. What a contrast between Elkanah and Eli! Here today we get a very clear teaching: the example and guidance of a godly father can have great influence upon his family while the godless father leaves his family to run riot. How this applies so much to our nation today!

D. Application?

1. Parents should start training their children when they are young.
2. Leaders have greater responsibility and will be disciplined more firmly for failure.

Passage: 1 Sam 2:27-36

27 Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Did I not clearly reveal myself to your ancestor’s family when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh? 28 I chose your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings presented by the Israelites. 29 Why do you scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honour your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?”

30 ‘Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: “I promised that members of your family would minister before me for ever.” But now the Lord declares: “Far be it from me! Those who honour me I will honour, but those who despise me will be disdained. 31 The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age, 32 and you will see distress in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age. 33 Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants will die in the prime of life.

34 ‘“And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you – they will both die on the same day. 35 I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always. 36 Then everyone left in your family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread and plead, ‘Appoint me to some priestly office so that I can have food to eat.’”’

A. Find Out:

1. Of what 2 things does God accuse Eli? v.29
2. What principle does God state in verse 30?
3. What does God say He’ll do to Eli’s family? v.31,32
4. What will happen to survivors? v.33
5. What will happen to Eli’s two sons? v.34
6. Then what will the Lord do? v.35

B. Think:

1. What were the origins of Eli’s family?
2. What responsibility did he therefore have?
3. How had he failed in that?

C. Comment:

     This is a time for accounting. Some godly man comes to Eli with a prophecy that calls him to account. There are three parts to it.

     First the PAST: he reminds Eli that God has established the priesthood to bring people to Him. Eli was part of that priestly family and had the privileges AND responsibilities that went with it.

     Second the PRESENT: he states that Eli is today not giving respect to the sacrificial system by the casual way he is overseeing what is happening and, even more, by allowing his sons to act as they are, he shows he cares more about them than he does about God.

     Third the FUTURE: he lays down a clear principle in verse 30 saying that as Eli despises God, the Lord will cast him off. The Lord will bring to an end Eli’s family, and specifically his two sons will die on the same day. God will not tolerate His representative’s constant abuse of His name. These are serious words that come to Eli but they come in order to give him TIME to DO something about it. Even now he could repent and put things right. Even now he could plead for God’s mercy. God doesn’t need to speak but He does in order to give us the opportunity to repent. God doesn’t delight in the death of any man, He wants repentance (see Ezekiel 18:32). In Eli, He doesn’t find it!

D. Application?

1. God’s grace looks for repentance.
2. Repentance releases God’s mercy.