ELI (Hebr. 'Elf, Vulg. Helf). - Ancestor of Gesù
(only in Lk. 3:25) and penultimate among the “Judges”;
however, nothing is known of his judgeship, which
lasted 40 years. The only one to have combined in himself
the two highest offices, he was also high priest; he was
descended from Ithamar, not from Eleazar.
The Bible recalls his last years in recounting the story
of Samuele (I Sam. 1-4). He lived at Silo, near
the Tabernacle: there one day he reproved Anna, believing her
to be drunk; but then, having heard that she was distressed, he sent her
away comforted (I Sam. 1:12-18). Under his protection Samuele,
his greatest glory, grew up in the service of God. But he was
weak: with his sons Ophni and Phinees, wicked and
sacrilegious, he used mere admonitions when severe
repression would have been necessary (Samuele will act quite differently
in a similar circumstance); for this reason the sins of his
sons were imputed to him. Twice God, through the mouth
of a prophet and by appearing one night to his pupil,
forewarned him of the imminent punishment: he was threatened
with the end of the high priesthood in his family,
indeed with its almost total and violent extinction (v. ABIA-
THAR; ACHIMELECH). When E. was 98 years old, in a war
with the Philistines, the Ark was lost: this news killed him
(I Sam. 2:11-4:18). His gentle spirit, sincere piety,
humble acceptance of the harsh divine will, and the care
devoted to Samuele certainly obtained for him from God
forgiveness for his blameworthy weakness. Gino Bressan