1 Samuel 4:18 - 22

18 When the messenger mentioned what had happened to the Ark of God, Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and overweight. He had been Israel’s judge for forty years.

19 Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near her time of delivery. When she heard that the Ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth. 20 She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. “Don’t be afraid,” they said. “You have a baby boy!” But she did not answer or pay attention to them.

21 She named the child Ichabod (which means “Where is the glory?”), for she said, “Israel’s glory is gone.” She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and husband were dead. 22 Then she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.”

4:17 Your two sons … are dead is the sign that Eli had been told to expect as a forewarning of the near demise of his house (2:34), but it seems that he is even more concerned about the ark.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 499.

7. How can I trust that the Bible is still God’s Word today? I trust the Bible is still God’s Word today because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He was God and said His words would never pass away. Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired the writing of the Scripture, determined the canon of Scripture and protected the copying of Scripture so that we might know Him and worship Him to this day.

(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)

1 Samuel 4:18 - 22

18 When the messenger mentioned what had happened to the Ark of God, Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and overweight. He had been Israel’s judge for forty years.

19 Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near her time of delivery. When she heard that the Ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth. 20 She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. “Don’t be afraid,” they said. “You have a baby boy!” But she did not answer or pay attention to them.

21 She named the child Ichabod (which means “Where is the glory?”), for she said, “Israel’s glory is gone.” She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and husband were dead. 22 Then she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.”

4:17 Your two sons … are dead is the sign that Eli had been told to expect as a forewarning of the near demise of his house (2:34), but it seems that he is even more concerned about the ark.

4:19 Bowed is literally “crouched,” the position for giving birth. It was probably a premature delivery brought on by shock.


Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 499.

7. How can I trust that the Bible is still God’s Word today? I trust the Bible is still God’s Word today because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He was God and said His words would never pass away. Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired the writing of the Scripture, determined the canon of Scripture and protected the copying of Scripture so that we might know Him and worship Him to this day.

(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)

1 Samuel 4:12-22

12 A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battlefield and arrived at Shiloh later that same day. He had torn his clothes and put dust on his head to show his grief. 13 Eli was waiting beside the road to hear the news of the battle, for his heart trembled for the safety of the Ark of God. When the messenger arrived and told what had happened, an outcry resounded throughout the town.

14 “What is all the noise about?” Eli asked.

The messenger rushed over to Eli, 15 who was ninety-eight years old and blind. 16 He said to Eli, “I have just come from the battlefield—I was there this very day.”

“What happened, my son?” Eli demanded.

17 “Israel has been defeated by the Philistines,” the messenger replied. “The people have been slaughtered, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were also killed. And the Ark of God has been captured.”

18 When the messenger mentioned what had happened to the Ark of God, Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and overweight. He had been Israel’s judge for forty years.

19 Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near her time of delivery. When she heard that the Ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth. 20 She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. “Don’t be afraid,” they said. “You have a baby boy!” But she did not answer or pay attention to them.

21 She named the child Ichabod (which means “Where is the glory?”), for she said, “Israel’s glory is gone.” She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and husband were dead. 22 Then she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.”

4:12 The messenger ran a distance of nearly 22 miles (35 km). Tearing one’s clothes, often along with putting dirt on one’s head, was the normal reaction to grief or horror in the OT (e.g., 2 Sam. 1:2, 11; 3:31; 13:19, 31; 15:32; Job 2:12).

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 499.

7. How can I trust that the Bible is still God’s Word today? I trust the Bible is still God’s Word today because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He was God and said His words would never pass away. Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired the writing of the Scripture, determined the canon of Scripture and protected the copying of Scripture so that we might know Him and worship Him to this day.

(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)

1 Samuel 4:12-22

12 A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battlefield and arrived at Shiloh later that same day. He had torn his clothes and put dust on his head to show his grief. 13 Eli was waiting beside the road to hear the news of the battle, for his heart trembled for the safety of the Ark of God. When the messenger arrived and told what had happened, an outcry resounded throughout the town.

14 “What is all the noise about?” Eli asked.

The messenger rushed over to Eli, 15 who was ninety-eight years old and blind. 16 He said to Eli, “I have just come from the battlefield—I was there this very day.”

“What happened, my son?” Eli demanded.

17 “Israel has been defeated by the Philistines,” the messenger replied. “The people have been slaughtered, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were also killed. And the Ark of God has been captured.”

18 When the messenger mentioned what had happened to the Ark of God, Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and overweight. He had been Israel’s judge for forty years.

19 Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near her time of delivery. When she heard that the Ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth. 20 She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. “Don’t be afraid,” they said. “You have a baby boy!” But she did not answer or pay attention to them.

21 She named the child Ichabod (which means “Where is the glory?”), for she said, “Israel’s glory is gone.” She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and husband were dead. 22 Then she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.”

4:11 The capture of the ark, which symbolizes God himself, and the death of the priests is a kind of “humiliation” of God’s name, prefiguring the humiliation of Christ in his crucifixion. But it all takes place in accordance with God’s sovereign purpose (2:34–35; Acts 2:23; 4:25–28).


Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 499.

7. How can I trust that the Bible is still God’s Word today? I trust the Bible is still God’s Word today because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He was God and said His words would never pass away. Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired the writing of the Scripture, determined the canon of Scripture and protected the copying of Scripture so that we might know Him and worship Him to this day.

(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)

1 Samuel 4:12-22

12 A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battlefield and arrived at Shiloh later that same day. He had torn his clothes and put dust on his head to show his grief. 13 Eli was waiting beside the road to hear the news of the battle, for his heart trembled for the safety of the Ark of God. When the messenger arrived and told what had happened, an outcry resounded throughout the town.

14 “What is all the noise about?” Eli asked.

The messenger rushed over to Eli, 15 who was ninety-eight years old and blind. 16 He said to Eli, “I have just come from the battlefield—I was there this very day.”

“What happened, my son?” Eli demanded.

17 “Israel has been defeated by the Philistines,” the messenger replied. “The people have been slaughtered, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were also killed. And the Ark of God has been captured.”

18 When the messenger mentioned what had happened to the Ark of God, Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and overweight. He had been Israel’s judge for forty years.

19 Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near her time of delivery. When she heard that the Ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth. 20 She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. “Don’t be afraid,” they said. “You have a baby boy!” But she did not answer or pay attention to them.

21 She named the child Ichabod (which means “Where is the glory?”), for she said, “Israel’s glory is gone.” She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and husband were dead. 22 Then she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.”

4:21–22 Like Eli, Phinehas’s wife seems more concerned with the ark than with her husband. Ichabod means “where is the glory?” She mourns for Israel without the presence of God. Departed (Hb. galah) does not mean just to “go away,” but to be “exiled” (see ESV footnote). She doesn’t know that the Lord is going to demonstrate his glory in the land of Philistia, as seen in ch. 5.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 499–500.

7. How can I trust that the Bible is still God’s Word today? I trust the Bible is still God’s Word today because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He was God and said His words would never pass away. Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired the writing of the Scripture, determined the canon of Scripture and protected the copying of Scripture so that we might know Him and worship Him to this day.

(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)

7. How can I trust that the Bible is still God’s Word today? I trust the Bible is still God’s Word today because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He was God and said His words would never pass away. Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired the writing of the Scripture, determined the canon of Scripture and protected the copying of Scripture so that we might know Him and worship Him to this day.

(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)

1 Samuel 4:12-22

The Death of Eli
12 A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battlefield and arrived at Shiloh later that same day. He had torn his clothes and put dust on his head to show his grief. 13 Eli was waiting beside the road to hear the news of the battle, for his heart trembled for the safety of the Ark of God. When the messenger arrived and told what had happened, an outcry resounded throughout the town.

14 “What is all the noise about?” Eli asked.

The messenger rushed over to Eli, 15 who was ninety-eight years old and blind. 16 He said to Eli, “I have just come from the battlefield—I was there this very day.”

“What happened, my son?” Eli demanded.

17 “Israel has been defeated by the Philistines,” the messenger replied. “The people have been slaughtered, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were also killed. And the Ark of God has been captured.”

18 When the messenger mentioned what had happened to the Ark of God, Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and overweight. He had been Israel’s judge for forty years.

19 Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near her time of delivery. When she heard that the Ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth. 20 She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. “Don’t be afraid,” they said. “You have a baby boy!” But she did not answer or pay attention to them.

21 She named the child Ichabod (which means “Where is the glory?”), for she said, “Israel’s glory is gone.” She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and husband were dead. 22 Then she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.”

Brandon emphasized that God’s glory is not simply brightness or beauty; it carries weight, significance, and authority. Isaiah’s response to God was not a casual one, he was filled with awe and wonder when he encountered God's glory. 

• What tends to make God feel small or ordinary to us, even though we know He is infinitely holy and glorious? 
• How can familiarity with church, Scripture, worship, or Christian language sometimes make it easier to lose our sense of awe?
• When was the last time you genuinely felt awe toward God? What was happening, and what about God captured your attention?

Brandon pointed out that “the weight of our sin blinds us to the weight of His glory.” Eli and his sons had become so accustomed to dishonoring God that they could treat His sacrifices with contempt and still remain in positions of spiritual authority. 

• Why is persistent, tolerated sin so spiritually dangerous? 
• Where do you think Christians are most tempted to become comfortable with sin because it has been present in their lives for so long? 
• What makes repentance harder when sin has become familiar?

There is a strong connection between Eli sitting on his “throne” at the beginning of his story and falling from that throne at the end. Eli had honored his sons above God, and Israel had attempted to use God’s presence for their own purposes. 

• Share an area of life where surrendering control to God has been difficult for you.
• Have you seen any ways God has been exposing your need for control or challenging your desire to remain “on the throne” in that area?

1 Samuel 4 ends with Ichabod, “the glory has departed”, but scripture points us forward to John 1:14: “The Word became flesh… We have seen His glory.” The glory that Israel could not control and that Moses could not fully behold came near to us in Jesus. The cross shows us both how seriously God takes our sin and how far He was willing to go to redeem us. 

• Why do we sometimes find it easier to focus on God’s forgiveness than on the weight of what Jesus endured to make that forgiveness possible?
•  Where do you personally need to recover a sense of wonder at what Christ has done?

Brandon ended the message by connecting God’s glory to our calling: Jesus is the light of the world, and those who follow Him are called to reflect that light so that others ultimately give glory to the Father. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 

• What are some things that can begin to carry more weight in our lives than God does?
• How do we recognize when something good has started taking a place that belongs to God?
• Where is God calling you to stop living for your own glory and intentionally live for His? Could be in your career, relationship, finances, habits, etc.

1 Samuel 4:1-11
1 And Samuel’s words went out to all the people of Israel.

The Philistines Capture the Ark

At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. The Israelite army was camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines were at Aphek. 2 The Philistines attacked and defeated the army of Israel, killing 4,000 men. 3 After the battle was over, the troops retreated to their camp, and the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord allow us to be defeated by the Philistines?” Then they said, “Let’s bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. If we carry it into battle with us, it will save us from our enemies.”

4 So they sent men to Shiloh to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were also there with the Ark of the Covenant of God. 5 When all the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud it made the ground shake!

6 “What’s going on?” the Philistines asked. “What’s all the shouting about in the Hebrew camp?” When they were told it was because the Ark of the Lord had arrived, 7 they panicked. “The gods have come into their camp!” they cried. “This is a disaster! We have never had to face anything like this before! 8 Help! Who can save us from these mighty gods of Israel? They are the same gods who destroyed the Egyptians with plagues when Israel was in the wilderness. 9 Fight as never before, Philistines! If you don’t, we will become the Hebrews’ slaves just as they have been ours! Stand up like men and fight!”

10 So the Philistines fought desperately, and Israel was defeated again. The slaughter was great; 30,000 Israelite soldiers died that day. The survivors turned and fled to their tents. 11 The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were killed.

4:11 The capture of the ark, which symbolizes God himself, and the death of the priests is a kind of “humiliation” of God’s name, prefiguring the humiliation of Christ in his crucifixion. But it all takes place in accordance with God’s sovereign purpose (2:34–35; Acts 2:23; 4:25–28).

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 499.

6. Is the Bible God’s Word? Jesus proved He is God by rising from the dead and said the Old Testament was God’s Word and gave authority to the Apostles to write the words of the New Testament, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that all the words of the Bible are God’s Word.

(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)

1 Samuel 4:4–9

4 So they sent men to Shiloh to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were also there with the Ark of the Covenant of God. 5 When all the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud it made the ground shake!

6 “What’s going on?” the Philistines asked. “What’s all the shouting about in the Hebrew camp?” When they were told it was because the Ark of the Lord had arrived, 7 they panicked. “The gods have come into their camp!” they cried. “This is a disaster! We have never had to face anything like this before! 8 Help! Who can save us from these mighty gods of Israel? They are the same gods who destroyed the Egyptians with plagues when Israel was in the wilderness. 9 Fight as never before, Philistines! If you don’t, we will become the Hebrews’ slaves just as they have been ours! Stand up like men and fight!”

4:6 In Samuel, the term Hebrews is usually used by the Philistines as a designation for the Israelites (14:11; 29:3). The term apparently derives from the name Eber (Gen. 10:21–25). So in the biblical tradition, “Hebrew” is an ethnic term (see Gen. 14:13) distinct from religio-political designations such as “Israel,” “sons of Israel,” etc.

4:7–8 A god … the gods. The Hebrew word for “god(s)” in both cases is ’elohim, the plural of ’eloah (“god”). Elohim is the usual word to refer to the God of Israel (e.g., Gen. 1:1); the plural form is used to express majesty, but it is always used with a singular verb. In 1 Sam. 4:7, the Philistines think that the ark is a god (or God) that has come (singular); in v. 8, they use the plural form for “struck.” The narrator seems to be mocking their misunderstanding of the one God of Israel. Exodus 7–12 describes how God “struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague.” Struck the Egyptians … in the wilderness probably reflects the Philistines’ ignorance about the exact course of events during Israel’s wilderness wanderings.

4:10 Israel was defeated. In view of v. 3, one cannot suppose that the Philistines on their own were the cause. every man to his home. Literally, “every man to his tent.” This is a common cliché for disbanding an army, either by decision (Judg. 20:8; 1 Sam. 13:2; 2 Sam. 20:1, 22; 1 Kings 12:16) or because of defeat (2 Sam. 18:17; 19:8; 2 Chron. 25:22).


Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 498–499.

6. Is the Bible God’s Word? Jesus proved He is God by rising from the dead and said the Old Testament was God’s Word and gave authority to the Apostles to write the words of the New Testament, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that all the words of the Bible are God’s Word.

(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)

1 Samuel 4:4–11

4 So they sent men to Shiloh to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were also there with the Ark of the Covenant of God. 5 When all the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud it made the ground shake!

6 “What’s going on?” the Philistines asked. “What’s all the shouting about in the Hebrew camp?” When they were told it was because the Ark of the Lord had arrived, 7 they panicked. “The gods have come into their camp!” they cried. “This is a disaster! We have never had to face anything like this before! 8 Help! Who can save us from these mighty gods of Israel? They are the same gods who destroyed the Egyptians with plagues when Israel was in the wilderness. 9 Fight as never before, Philistines! If you don’t, we will become the Hebrews’ slaves just as they have been ours! Stand up like men and fight!”

10 So the Philistines fought desperately, and Israel was defeated again. The slaughter was great; 30,000 Israelite soldiers died that day. The survivors turned and fled to their tents. 11 The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were killed.

4:10 Israel was defeated. In view of v. 3, one cannot suppose that the Philistines on their own were the cause. every man to his home. Literally, “every man to his tent.” This is a common cliché for disbanding an army, either by decision (Judg. 20:8; 1 Sam. 13:2; 2 Sam. 20:1, 22; 1 Kings 12:16) or because of defeat (2 Sam. 18:17; 19:8; 2 Chron. 25:22).

4:11 The capture of the ark, which symbolizes God himself, and the death of the priests is a kind of “humiliation” of God’s name, prefiguring the humiliation of Christ in his crucifixion. But it all takes place in accordance with God’s sovereign purpose (2:34–35; Acts 2:23; 4:25–28).


Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 499.

6. Is the Bible God’s Word? Jesus proved He is God by rising from the dead and said the Old Testament was God’s Word and gave authority to the Apostles to write the words of the New Testament, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that all the words of the Bible are God’s Word.

(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)

1 Samuel 4:1–4

1 And Samuel’s words went out to all the people of Israel.

The Philistines Capture the Ark

At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. The Israelite army was camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines were at Aphek. 2 The Philistines attacked and defeated the army of Israel, killing 4,000 men. 3 After the battle was over, the troops retreated to their camp, and the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord allow us to be defeated by the Philistines?” Then they said, “Let’s bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. If we carry it into battle with us, it will save us from our enemies.”

4 So they sent men to Shiloh to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were also there with the Ark of the Covenant of God.

4:3–4 from Shiloh. The ark of the covenant had been “in the temple of the LORD” in Shiloh (3:3). (On the details of the ark, cf. Ex. 25:10–22; 37:1–9; and illustration.) Moses was commanded by the Lord to put the tablets of the covenant, or the “testimony,” into the ark (Ex. 25:16; Deut. 10:5; cf. 1 Kings 8:9). Cherubim often appear in the iconography of the ancient Near East as hybrid figures, with animal and human characteristics. enthroned. The ark was the visible sign of the holy presence of the Lord, whose real throne is on high, above the heavens. But it was more than just a sign, for the ark was also the focal point of God’s actual presence among his people (Ex. 25:22 says, “There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you …”; cf. Num. 7:89; also Ex. 29:42–43; 30:6, 36; 37:1–9; 40:34–38; Lev. 16:2; Num. 17:4). The conception of the ark as a visible sign of the Lord’s presence gave a military importance to the ark (as can be seen in Num. 10:33–36 and Joshua 3–4; 6); it functioned as a battle safeguard and showed that the Lord was present and fighting for Israel. This understanding was certainly behind the actions of the elders in the present story. They may have thought that the Lord smote them because they had not trusted in the ark and had neglected it. Or perhaps they just thought that it would perform a miracle if used magically. That the ark would inevitably grant victory was a persistent idea that even the present story was not able to dispel. For the phrase the LORD of hosts, see note on 1 Sam. 1:3; cf. chart. Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD … that it may come among us. The Hebrew might also mean “that he [the LORD] may come,” but in either case, the elders are treating the Lord as a thing. By saying “bring,” the narrator is probably conveying the idea that the people treated this sacred object disrespectfully as an instrument through which victory might be attained. Surely, the covenant people had lost the sense of awe toward God’s holy presence. They brought from there the ark. The verb is literally “carried” (Hb. nasa’); to “carry” the ark by its poles was the proper way to move it (Ex. 25:14); see also 2 Sam. 6:13; cf. 2 Sam. 6:3, where “carried” is literally “made to ride” (Hb. rakab). That Hophni and Phinehas (cf. 1 Sam. 2:12–17, 27–36) were there suggests that they supported the move, at least to some extent. Eli, however, seems to have had reservations (4:13).

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 498.

6. Is the Bible God’s Word? Jesus proved He is God by rising from the dead and said the Old Testament was God’s Word and gave authority to the Apostles to write the words of the New Testament, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that all the words of the Bible are God’s Word.

(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)

1 Samuel 4:1-11
1 And Samuel’s words went out to all the people of Israel.

The Philistines Capture the Ark

At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. The Israelite army was camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines were at Aphek. 2 The Philistines attacked and defeated the army of Israel, killing 4,000 men. 3 After the battle was over, the troops retreated to their camp, and the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord allow us to be defeated by the Philistines?” Then they said, “Let’s bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. If we carry it into battle with us, it will save us from our enemies.”

4 So they sent men to Shiloh to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were also there with the Ark of the Covenant of God. 5 When all the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud it made the ground shake!

6 “What’s going on?” the Philistines asked. “What’s all the shouting about in the Hebrew camp?” When they were told it was because the Ark of the Lord had arrived, 7 they panicked. “The gods have come into their camp!” they cried. “This is a disaster! We have never had to face anything like this before! 8 Help! Who can save us from these mighty gods of Israel? They are the same gods who destroyed the Egyptians with plagues when Israel was in the wilderness. 9 Fight as never before, Philistines! If you don’t, we will become the Hebrews’ slaves just as they have been ours! Stand up like men and fight!”

10 So the Philistines fought desperately, and Israel was defeated again. The slaughter was great; 30,000 Israelite soldiers died that day. The survivors turned and fled to their tents. 11 The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were killed.

4:1b–22 Capture of the Ark. After suffering defeat in battle at the hands of the Philistines, the people of Israel try to use the ark of the covenant to ensure victory; instead, the Philistines defeat them again, killing Eli’s two sons and taking the ark into exile. When Eli hears of it, he suddenly dies. For reflections on these events cf. Ps. 78:58–66 and Jer. 7:8–15.

4:1b The Philistines make their first appearance in 1–2 Samuel. Aphek was 8 miles (13 km) east of Tel Aviv, north of the Philistia plain, and just to the west of the hill country of Ephraim. The Shillo River, which goes through the center of Ephraim, comes out of the mountains nearby. The location of Ebenezer is uncertain, but it may have been a site 2 miles (3.2 km) farther east. The Philistines were interested in expanding their control to the north.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 497–498.

6. Is the Bible God’s Word? Jesus proved He is God by rising from the dead and said the Old Testament was God’s Word and gave authority to the Apostles to write the words of the New Testament, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that all the words of the Bible are God’s Word.

(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)

6. Is the Bible God’s Word? Jesus proved He is God by rising from the dead and said the Old Testament was God’s Word and gave authority to the Apostles to write the words of the New Testament, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that all the words of the Bible are God’s Word.

(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)

1 Samuel 4:1-11
1 And Samuel’s words went out to all the people of Israel.

The Philistines Capture the Ark

At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. The Israelite army was camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines were at Aphek. 2 The Philistines attacked and defeated the army of Israel, killing 4,000 men. 3 After the battle was over, the troops retreated to their camp, and the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord allow us to be defeated by the Philistines?” Then they said, “Let’s bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. If we carry it into battle with us, it will save us from our enemies.”

4 So they sent men to Shiloh to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were also there with the Ark of the Covenant of God. 5 When all the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud it made the ground shake!

6 “What’s going on?” the Philistines asked. “What’s all the shouting about in the Hebrew camp?” When they were told it was because the Ark of the Lord had arrived, 7 they panicked. “The gods have come into their camp!” they cried. “This is a disaster! We have never had to face anything like this before! 8 Help! Who can save us from these mighty gods of Israel? They are the same gods who destroyed the Egyptians with plagues when Israel was in the wilderness. 9 Fight as never before, Philistines! If you don’t, we will become the Hebrews’ slaves just as they have been ours! Stand up like men and fight!”

10 So the Philistines fought desperately, and Israel was defeated again. The slaughter was great; 30,000 Israelite soldiers died that day. The survivors turned and fled to their tents. 11 The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were killed.

Israel had lived in ongoing rebellion against God, but when things went wrong, they seemed shocked that God would allow them to experience the consequences of their sin. Brandon emphasized that sin doesn't simply disappear because we identify ourselves as God's people.

• When your life is smooth and running well, how often do you actually think about God, or does He mostly enter your mind when a problem pops up?
• Brandon mentioned that God’s discipline is actually loving protection. Can you share a time when a painful consequence ended up being God kindly rescuing you from a worse path?

After losing the first battle, Israel didn't stop and seek God. Instead, they came up with their own solution: bring the ark into battle and make God work on their behalf. They were looking to the ark to save them rather than looking to the Lord Himself.

• What is a situation recently where you caught yourself trying to force or manipulate an outcome before you even thought to ask God what He wanted?
• What do you typically turn to when you start feeling anxious about something you can't control?

The Israelites wanted God's presence to give them victory, but they weren't interested in submitting themselves to the God whose presence they wanted. BLESSINGS without BOWING. We can also find ourselves desiring God's blessings while resisting God's authority.

• Where do you see people wanting God’s protection or blessings without actually wanting His authority show up most clearly in everyday culture? 
• What is an area of your life where you find yourself asking God for a specific outcome, but hesitate to ask Him what He wants?

Israel had the right object, the Ark of the Covenant, but they had the wrong relationship with the God it represented. They had religious symbols, religious leaders, religious history, and religious activity, yet their hearts were far from God. RELIGION without RELATIONSHIP.

• What are some things that can make a person look spiritually healthy to other Christians while hiding the reality that their heart is becoming distant from God?
• Why do you think outward religion can sometimes feel safer than genuine relationship with God?

Brandon challenged us to examine whether what is happening on the outside matches what is happening on the inside. RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY or RELATIONAL PROXIMITY.

• If you removed the visible markers of your Christianity: church attendance, serving, Bible reading, giving, ministry involvement, Christian vocabulary, etc. what evidence would remain that you actually love, trust, and treasure Christ? 
• What do you think relational proximity to Christ produces in a person's life that religious activity alone cannot?

1 Samuel 3:9-21

9 So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.

10 And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”

And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

11 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. 12 I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. 13 I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them. 14 So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings.”

Samuel Speaks for the Lord

15 Samuel stayed in bed until morning, then got up and opened the doors of the Tabernacle as usual. He was afraid to tell Eli what the Lord had said to him. 16 But Eli called out to him, “Samuel, my son.”

“Here I am,” Samuel replied.

17 “What did the Lord say to you? Tell me everything. And may God strike you and even kill you if you hide anything from me!” 18 So Samuel told Eli everything; he didn’t hold anything back. “It is the Lord’s will,” Eli replied. “Let him do what he thinks best.”

19 As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him, and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable. 20 And all Israel, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord. 21 The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh and gave messages to Samuel there at the Tabernacle.

3:11 This is the Lord’s first word to Samuel as a prophet. It is often difficult for the recipient to receive the Lord’s initial revelation; cf. Moses (Ex. 4:13) and Isaiah (Isa. 6:9).

3:12 all that I have spoken. Cf. 2:27–36.

3:13 The MT reads “blaspheming for themselves” (see ESV footnote). In Hebrew the phrases blaspheming God and “blaspheming for themselves” differ by just one consonant. That consonant was left out by pious scribes so that in copying they would not even need to write the offensive phrase “blaspheming God.” Cf. Ex. 22:28; Lev. 24:15.

3:14 Eli’s house has despised God’s sacrifices and offerings (2:29), and hence these things will have no efficacy on their behalf. Though normal or inadvertent sins of priests could be atoned for by offering (Lev. 4:3–12), Eli’s sons sinned defiantly, and their guilt could not be removed (Num. 15:30; see also Heb. 10:26), as Eli himself recognizes (1 Sam. 2:25).

3:17 May God do so to you and more also if is a form of solemn appeal to the Lord, a kind of oath. Cf. Ruth 1:17; 1 Sam. 14:44; 25:22; 2 Sam. 3:9; 19:13; 1 Kings 19:2.

3:18 It is the LORD. Eli accepts the judgment humbly.

3:19 the LORD … let none of his words fall to the ground. I.e., all that Samuel spoke was fulfilled, and thus he could be known as a prophet (Deut. 18:21–22). On the relationship between the prophet and the word of the Lord, see Jer. 20:8–9; Amos 3:8.

3:19 Samuel’s calling at an early age prefigures the intimacy with God that Christ as the Son enjoys with the Father from all eternity.

3:20 From Dan to Beersheba is the traditional limits of Israel to the north and south (Judg. 20:1; 2 Sam. 17:11).


Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 497.

5. Why do I follow Jesus? I follow Jesus because Jesus rose from the dead proving that He is the way, the truth and the life.

(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)

1 Samuel 3:8-10

8 So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. 9 So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.

10 And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”

And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

3:10 Samuel! Samuel! The Lord called other people twice by name at a crucial point in their lives; e.g., Abraham (Gen. 22:11), Jacob (Gen. 46:2), and Moses (Ex. 3:4).

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 496–497.

5. Why do I follow Jesus? I follow Jesus because Jesus rose from the dead proving that He is the way, the truth and the life.

(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)

1 Samuel 3:11-18

11 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. 12 I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. 13 I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them. 14 So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings.”

15 Samuel stayed in bed until morning, then got up and opened the doors of the Tabernacle as usual. He was afraid to tell Eli what the Lord had said to him. 16 But Eli called out to him, “Samuel, my son.”

“Here I am,” Samuel replied.

17 “What did the Lord say to you? Tell me everything. And may God strike you and even kill you if you hide anything from me!” 18 So Samuel told Eli everything; he didn’t hold anything back. “It is the Lord’s will,” Eli replied. “Let him do what he thinks best.”.

3:11 This is the Lord’s first word to Samuel as a prophet. It is often difficult for the recipient to receive the Lord’s initial revelation; cf. Moses (Ex. 4:13) and Isaiah (Isa. 6:9).

3:12 all that I have spoken. Cf. 2:27–36.

3:13 The MT reads “blaspheming for themselves” (see ESV footnote). In Hebrew the phrases blaspheming God and “blaspheming for themselves” differ by just one consonant. That consonant was left out by pious scribes so that in copying they would not even need to write the offensive phrase “blaspheming God.” Cf. Ex. 22:28; Lev. 24:15.

3:14 Eli’s house has despised God’s sacrifices and offerings (2:29), and hence these things will have no efficacy on their behalf. Though normal or inadvertent sins of priests could be atoned for by offering (Lev. 4:3–12), Eli’s sons sinned defiantly, and their guilt could not be removed (Num. 15:30; see also Heb. 10:26), as Eli himself recognizes (1 Sam. 2:25).

3:17 May God do so to you and more also if is a form of solemn appeal to the Lord, a kind of oath. Cf. Ruth 1:17; 1 Sam. 14:44; 25:22; 2 Sam. 3:9; 19:13; 1 Kings 19:2.

3:18 It is the LORD. Eli accepts the judgment humbly.


Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 497.

5. Why do I follow Jesus? I follow Jesus because Jesus rose from the dead proving that He is the way, the truth and the life.

(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)

1 Samuel 3:4-10

4 Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!”

“Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” 5 He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did.

6 Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!”

Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

“I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”

7 Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. 8 So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. 9 So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.

10 And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”

And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

3:7 Samuel did not yet know the LORD in a personal relationship, though of course he knew about him.

3:10 Samuel! Samuel! The Lord called other people twice by name at a crucial point in their lives; e.g., Abraham (Gen. 22:11), Jacob (Gen. 46:2), and Moses (Ex. 3:4).


Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 496–497.

5. Why do I follow Jesus? I follow Jesus because Jesus rose from the dead proving that He is the way, the truth and the life.

(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)

1 Samuel 3:1-3

1 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.

2 One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God.

3:1 Samuel, like the natural sons of Eli (2:17), is a young man. The word of the LORD was rare in those days, but that is about to change.

3:3 The lamp of God was placed in the tent of meeting, outside the veil before the Most Holy Place, where the ark was, and burned every day from evening to morning (Ex. 27:20–21; Lev. 24:1–3). It had not yet gone out, so the time was probably just before dawn. The ark of God had probably been placed in Shiloh when the tent of meeting was set up there in Josh. 18:1. In Judg. 20:26–27 the ark is said to have been in Bethel, but it was apparently moved back to Shiloh.


Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 496.

5. Why do I follow Jesus? I follow Jesus because Jesus rose from the dead proving that He is the way, the truth and the life.

(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)

5. Why do I follow Jesus? I follow Jesus because Jesus rose from the dead proving that He is the way, the truth and the life.

(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)

1 Samuel 3
The Lord Speaks to Samuel

1 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.

2 One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. 4 Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!”

“Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” 5 He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did.

6 Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!”

Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

“I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”

7 Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. 8 So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. 9 So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.

10 And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”

And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

11 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. 12 I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. 13 I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them. 14 So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings.”

Samuel Speaks for the Lord

15 Samuel stayed in bed until morning, then got up and opened the doors of the Tabernacle as usual. He was afraid to tell Eli what the Lord had said to him. 16 But Eli called out to him, “Samuel, my son.”

“Here I am,” Samuel replied.

17 “What did the Lord say to you? Tell me everything. And may God strike you and even kill you if you hide anything from me!” 18 So Samuel told Eli everything; he didn’t hold anything back. “It is the Lord’s will,” Eli replied. “Let him do what he thinks best.”

19 As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him, and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable. 20 And all Israel, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord. 21 The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh and gave messages to Samuel there at the Tabernacle.

1 Samuel 2:27-36
 
27 One day a man of God came to Eli and gave him this message from the Lord: “I revealed myself to your ancestors when they were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. 28 I chose your ancestor Aaron from among all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer sacrifices on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the priestly vest as he served me. And I assigned the sacrificial offerings to you priests. 29 So why do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings? Why do you give your sons more honor than you give me—for you and they have become fat from the best offerings of my people Israel!

30 “Therefore, the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I promised that your branch of the tribe of Levi would always be my priests. But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me. 31 The time is coming when I will put an end to your family, so it will no longer serve as my priests. All the members of your family will die before their time. None will reach old age. 32 You will watch with envy as I pour out prosperity on the people of Israel. But no members of your family will ever live out their days. 33 The few not cut off from serving at my altar will survive, but only so their eyes can go blind and their hearts break, and their children will die a violent death. 34 And to prove that what I have said will come true, I will cause your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, to die on the same day!

35 “Then I will raise up a faithful priest who will serve me and do what I desire. I will establish his family, and they will be priests to my anointed kings forever. 36 Then all of your surviving family will bow before him, begging for money and food. ‘Please,’ they will say, ‘give us jobs among the priests so we will have enough to eat.’”

2:27 A man of God is a synonym for “prophet” (e.g., 9:6; 2 Kings 1:9). Thus the LORD has said is the regular prophetic “messenger formula.” In Samuel this formula appears also in 1 Sam. 10:18; 15:2; 2 Sam. 7:5, 8; 12:7, 11; 24:12. In the ancient world, messengers were supposed to recite their messages verbatim, so the messenger would begin with “[The sender] has spoken thus” and use the first person in the body of the message (e.g., Gen. 45:9).

2:29 You is plural here. The form of the verb scorn indicates a habitual action. By scorning the offerings, Eli is scorning the Lord and honoring his sons, while the Lord honors those who honor him and lightly esteems those who despise him (v. 30).

2:30 Though the Lord promised, he can revoke his promise for willful disregard of the terms of the promise. Far be it from me is a statement of strong denial of the previous statement (e.g., Gen. 44:7; 1 Sam. 12:23; 2 Sam. 20:20; cf. also 1 Sam. 20:9).

2:31–34 This is a curse for breaking the Lord’s covenant, with punishment given in words of curses similar to the curses in the covenant. Behold, the days are coming is an eschatological formula often found in the Prophets. The only one who shall be spared is Abiathar, who escaped when the priests of Nob were killed (22:20). Solomon later banished him to Anathoth; see 1 Kings 2:26–27, where it is stated that the banishment was a fulfillment of the prophecy against Eli. Jeremiah was probably descended from this house (Jer. 1:1). All the descendants is a general statement, because there are references to those who were left (see the previous clause in 1 Sam. 2:33, as well as v. 36). Eli will not live to experience the punishment, but the death of his two sons on the same day will be a sign to him that the prophecy is true.

2:35 The faithful priest with a sure house is probably Zadok, priest under David and a descendant of Ithamar’s brother Eleazar, son of Aaron (2 Sam. 8:17; 1 Chron. 24:3; see also Judg. 20:28). The Hebrew word “faithful” is the same as “sure” later in the sentence: the ne’eman priest will have a ne’eman house. The anointed is the king. The wording here is similar to that in 2 Samuel 7, where David is promised a “sure” house (2 Sam. 7:16).

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 495–496.

4. Can a person be good enough to go to heaven? No. Because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He is God, I believe a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)

1 Samuel 2:18-21, 26
 
18 But Samuel, though he was only a boy, served the Lord. He wore a linen garment like that of a priest. 19 Each year his mother made a small coat for him and brought it to him when she came with her husband for the sacrifice. 20 Before they returned home, Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the Lord give you other children to take the place of this one she gave to the Lord.” 21 And the Lord blessed Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.

26 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew taller and grew in favor with the Lord and with the people.

2:18–21 The story returns to another na‘ar (“young man, boy”), Samuel (cf. note on vv. 12–17, “young man”). Before, Samuel was ministering “in the presence of Eli the priest” (v. 11), but now he is ministering simply before the LORD, in the garment of a priest. The linen ephod was probably a simple tunic or apron worn by priests (22:18) or sometimes by others, as by David as he brought the ark to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6:14).

2:26 Similar language is used in Luke 2:52 to describe the physical and spiritual growth of the boy Jesus.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 495.

4. Can a person be good enough to go to heaven? No. Because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He is God, I believe a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)

1 Samuel 2:27–30

27 One day a man of God came to Eli and gave him this message from the Lord: “I revealed myself to your ancestors when they were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. 28 I chose your ancestor Aaron from among all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer sacrifices on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the priestly vest as he served me. And I assigned the sacrificial offerings to you priests. 29 So why do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings? Why do you give your sons more honor than you give me—for you and they have become fat from the best offerings of my people Israel!

30 “Therefore, the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I promised that your branch of the tribe of Levi would always be my priests. But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me.

2:27–28 Did I indeed reveal …? Did I choose him …? These are rhetorical questions, expecting “Yes, indeed!” as an answer. The house of your father in vv. 27, 28, 30 is a technical term referring to Eli’s extended family. “Your father” probably refers specifically to Ithamar, son of Aaron, who was made a priest of the Lord at Mount Sinai along with his father and brothers (Ex. 28:1; cf. 1 Chron. 24:3). Eli was a descendant of this house, according to 1 Chron. 24:3, where it is stated that his great-great-great-grandson Ahimelech was “of the sons of Ithamar.” The descent from Eli to this Ahimelech is as follows: Eli—Phinehas—Ahitub (1 Sam. 14:3)—Ahimelech—Abiathar (22:20)—Ahimelech (2 Sam. 8:17; 1 Chron. 24:6). The duties of the priest were to go up to the Lord’s altar, i.e., (1) to burn offerings on the altar (e.g., Lev. 1:9), which was connected with the privilege of being sustained from portions of the sacrifices, a privilege that Eli’s sons were abusing (1 Sam. 2:12–17); (2) to burn incense on the altar of incense (Ex. 30:1; see Luke 1:9); and (3) to wear an ephod before God. This ephod was probably not the linen garment of 1 Sam. 2:18, but the jeweled breastplate described in Exodus 28 that symbolized the people of Israel, with pockets for the sacred lots (for priests casting lots, see Lev. 16:8, etc.). According to 1 Sam. 21:9, that ephod was later kept in the sanctuary of Nob, and Abiathar took it with him when he escaped to David (23:6). I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire. Except for the case of burnt offerings, which were wholly burned, when an offering was made, part was burned as a “memorial portion,” but the rest of the grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings and a part of the peace offerings were normally eaten by the priests (Lev. 6:14–18; 7:1–38).

2:27 A man of God is a synonym for “prophet” (e.g., 9:6; 2 Kings 1:9). Thus the LORD has said is the regular prophetic “messenger formula.” In Samuel this formula appears also in 1 Sam. 10:18; 15:2; 2 Sam. 7:5, 8; 12:7, 11; 24:12. In the ancient world, messengers were supposed to recite their messages verbatim, so the messenger would begin with “[The sender] has spoken thus” and use the first person in the body of the message (e.g., Gen. 45:9).

2:29 You is plural here. The form of the verb scorn indicates a habitual action. By scorning the offerings, Eli is scorning the Lord and honoring his sons, while the Lord honors those who honor him and lightly esteems those who despise him (v. 30).

2:30 Though the Lord promised, he can revoke his promise for willful disregard of the terms of the promise. Far be it from me is a statement of strong denial of the previous statement (e.g., Gen. 44:7; 1 Sam. 12:23; 2 Sam. 20:20; cf. also 1 Sam. 20:9).


Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 495–496.

4. Can a person be good enough to go to heaven? No. Because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He is God, I believe a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)

1 Samuel 2:18-25

18 But Samuel, though he was only a boy, served the Lord. He wore a linen garment like that of a priest. 19 Each year his mother made a small coat for him and brought it to him when she came with her husband for the sacrifice. 20 Before they returned home, Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the Lord give you other children to take the place of this one she gave to the Lord.” 21 And the Lord blessed Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.

22 Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. He knew, for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle. 23 Eli said to them, “I have been hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are doing. Why do you keep sinning? 24 You must stop, my sons! The reports I hear among the Lord’s people are not good. 25 If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede?” But Eli’s sons wouldn’t listen to their father, for the Lord was already planning to put them to death.

2:18–21 The story returns to another na‘ar (“young man, boy”), Samuel (cf. note on vv. 12–17, “young man”). Before, Samuel was ministering “in the presence of Eli the priest” (v. 11), but now he is ministering simply before the LORD, in the garment of a priest. The linen ephod was probably a simple tunic or apron worn by priests (22:18) or sometimes by others, as by David as he brought the ark to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6:14).

2:22–23 The women were not Canaanite cult prostitutes, as is sometimes speculated. Lying with them was considered among the sons’ evil dealings.

2:25 if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him? This shows the need for a mediator between man and God. Because of Eli’s sons’ willful rejection of him, it was the will of the LORD to put them to death. When God is determined to destroy, no human intercession is effective. For the writers of the Bible, the fact that divine providence and human character mingle means that destinies are regarded as ultimately the result of the divine will. The most obvious example is Pharaoh in Ex. 7:13, 22, etc. But this does not mean that people are not accountable; Hophni and Phinehas had rejected God, even ignoring their father’s warning.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 495.

4. Can a person be good enough to go to heaven? No. Because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He is God, I believe a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)

1 Samuel 2:11-17

11 Then Elkanah returned home to Ramah without Samuel. And the boy served the Lord by assisting Eli the priest.

Eli’s Wicked Sons

12 Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord 13 or for their duties as priests. Whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, Eli’s sons would send over a servant with a three-pronged fork. While the meat of the sacrificed animal was still boiling, 14 the servant would stick the fork into the pot and demand that whatever it brought up be given to Eli’s sons. All the Israelites who came to worship at Shiloh were treated this way. 15 Sometimes the servant would come even before the animal’s fat had been burned on the altar. He would demand raw meat before it had been boiled so that it could be used for roasting.

16 The man offering the sacrifice might reply, “Take as much as you want, but the fat must be burned first.” Then the servant would demand, “No, give it to me now, or I’ll take it by force.” 17 So the sin of these young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight, for they treated the Lord’s offerings with contempt.

2:13–14 The priests were to be supported by portions of the sacrifices of the people. In various parts of the Mosaic law the portion to be given to the priests is specified for various sacrifices, e.g., Deut. 18:3 (shoulder, cheeks, and stomach) and Lev. 7:31–32 (breast and right thigh). But the practice in 1 Sam. 2:13–14 has little in common with the regulations on priestly rights.

2:15–16 This is an extraordinary situation: the priest, who was supposed to know the rules of sacrifice, was engaging in behavior that shocked even the ordinary worshiper. The fat was normally removed from certain internal organs and offered as a burnt offering to God (see Ex. 29:13; Lev. 3:3–5). Also, the priest would normally take his share right after killing the animal, before giving it to the worshiper.

2:17 It was because the sons of Eli did not know the Lord (v. 12) that they could treat with contempt his holy sacrifices that he had commanded for worship.


Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 494–495.

4. Can a person be good enough to go to heaven? No. Because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He is God, I believe a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)

4. Can a person be good enough to go to heaven? No. Because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He is God, I believe a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)

1 Samuel 2:11-36

11 Then Elkanah returned home to Ramah without Samuel. And the boy served the Lord by assisting Eli the priest.

Eli’s Wicked Sons

12 Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord 13 or for their duties as priests. Whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, Eli’s sons would send over a servant with a three-pronged fork. While the meat of the sacrificed animal was still boiling, 14 the servant would stick the fork into the pot and demand that whatever it brought up be given to Eli’s sons. All the Israelites who came to worship at Shiloh were treated this way. 15 Sometimes the servant would come even before the animal’s fat had been burned on the altar. He would demand raw meat before it had been boiled so that it could be used for roasting.

16 The man offering the sacrifice might reply, “Take as much as you want, but the fat must be burned first.” Then the servant would demand, “No, give it to me now, or I’ll take it by force.” 17 So the sin of these young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight, for they treated the Lord’s offerings with contempt.

18 But Samuel, though he was only a boy, served the Lord. He wore a linen garment like that of a priest. 19 Each year his mother made a small coat for him and brought it to him when she came with her husband for the sacrifice. 20 Before they returned home, Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the Lord give you other children to take the place of this one she gave to the Lord.” 21 And the Lord blessed Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.

22 Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. He knew, for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle. 23 Eli said to them, “I have been hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are doing. Why do you keep sinning? 24 You must stop, my sons! The reports I hear among the Lord’s people are not good. 25 If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede?” But Eli’s sons wouldn’t listen to their father, for the Lord was already planning to put them to death.

26 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew taller and grew in favor with the Lord and with the people.

A Warning for Eli’s Family

27 One day a man of God came to Eli and gave him this message from the Lord: “I revealed myself to your ancestors when they were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. 28 I chose your ancestor Aaron from among all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer sacrifices on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the priestly vest as he served me. And I assigned the sacrificial offerings to you priests. 29 So why do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings? Why do you give your sons more honor than you give me—for you and they have become fat from the best offerings of my people Israel!

30 “Therefore, the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I promised that your branch of the tribe of Levi would always be my priests. But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me. 31 The time is coming when I will put an end to your family, so it will no longer serve as my priests. All the members of your family will die before their time. None will reach old age. 32 You will watch with envy as I pour out prosperity on the people of Israel. But no members of your family will ever live out their days. 33 The few not cut off from serving at my altar will survive, but only so their eyes can go blind and their hearts break, and their children will die a violent death. 34 And to prove that what I have said will come true, I will cause your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, to die on the same day!

35 “Then I will raise up a faithful priest who will serve me and do what I desire. I will establish his family, and they will be priests to my anointed kings forever. 36 Then all of your surviving family will bow before him, begging for money and food. ‘Please,’ they will say, ‘give us jobs among the priests so we will have enough to eat.’”

1 Samuel 2:1-11

Hannah’s Prayer of Praise
2 Then Hannah prayed:
“My heart rejoices in the Lord!
    The Lord has made me strong.[a]
Now I have an answer for my enemies;
    I rejoice because you rescued me.
2 No one is holy like the Lord!
    There is no one besides you;
    there is no Rock like our God.
3 “Stop acting so proud and haughty!
    Don’t speak with such arrogance!
For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done;
    he will judge your actions.
4 The bow of the mighty is now broken,
    and those who stumbled are now strong.
5 Those who were well fed are now starving,
    and those who were starving are now full.
The childless woman now has seven children,
    and the woman with many children wastes away.
6 The Lord gives both death and life;
    he brings some down to the grave[b] but raises others up.
7 The Lord makes some poor and others rich;
    he brings some down and lifts others up.
8 He lifts the poor from the dust
    and the needy from the garbage dump.
He sets them among princes,
    placing them in seats of honor.
For all the earth is the Lord’s,
    and he has set the world in order.
9 “He will protect his faithful ones,
    but the wicked will disappear in darkness.
No one will succeed by strength alone.
10     Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.
He thunders against them from heaven;
    the Lord judges throughout the earth.
He gives power to his king;
    he increases the strength[c] of his anointed one.”
11 Then Elkanah returned home to Ramah without Samuel. And the boy served the Lord by assisting Eli the priest.

2:10 For the kingship of the Lord and his role as judge, see Ps. 96:10. The ends of the earth almost always appears in the context of describing the Lord’s uniqueness, majesty, and dominion (e.g., Ps. 67:7; 98:3; Prov. 30:4; Isa. 52:10; Mic. 5:4; Zech. 9:10). Since there was as yet no king in Israel, it is possible that the last two lines are a comment by the narrator rather than part of Hannah’s prayer. The law made provision for a king, however, and the institution was well known in Israel even before it was practiced (Judg. 8:22; 9:6; 1 Samuel 8), so there is no reason to think that these are not Hannah’s words. His anointed, or “his messiah,” appears here for the first time in the Bible (though Hb. mashiakh, “anointed,” is used of priests, e.g., Lev. 4:3). In the OT, priests and prophets are also referred to as “anointed,” but in Samuel most references are royal. Though the anointing of kings is known from various places in the ancient Near East, “messiah” as a royal title is attested only in the Bible. The song concludes with a twofold plea for the Lord to raise the king of Israel to a position of power and prominence worthy of the great God who appointed him.

Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 494.

3. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? Since “all have sinned” and the “wages of sin is death,” Jesus had to die on the cross to pay the fine for my sin so I could be right with God.

(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)