ELI (Heb. 'Eli, Vulg. Heli). — Ancestor of Jesus
(only in Lk. 3:25) — penultimate of the Judges; of his
judgeship, however, which lasted 40 years, nothing is known.
The only one who combined in himself the two highest
offices was also a high priest; he descended from Ithamar,
not from Eleazar.
The Bible recalls his later years in narrating the
story of Samuel (1 Sam. 1–4). He dwelt at Shiloh, near
the Tabernacle: there one day he rebuked Hannah, thinking
her drunk; but later, hearing that she was in distress, he sent
her away consoled (1 Sam. 1:12–18). Under his guardianship
Samuel grew up in the service of God, and this is his greatest
glory. Yet Eli was weak: with his sons Hophni and Phinehas,
impious and sacrilegious, he used only gentle warnings when
stern repression was needed (Samuel would act very differently
in a similar situation); for this the sins of his sons were
reckoned to him. Twice God, through a prophet’s mouth and
appearing at night to his protégé, forewarned him of the
impending chastisement: he was threatened with the loss of
the high priesthood in his family, indeed with almost total and
violent extinction of it (cf. ATTATHAR; ACHIMELECH). When
Eli was 98, in a war with the Philistines, the Ark was lost;
the news killed him (1 Sam. 2:11–4:18). His gentle spirit,
sincere piety, humble acceptance of God’s harsh will, and
care for Samuel surely won him God’s forgiveness for his
reprehensible weakness.