Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.
The verse records that Eli was ninety-eight years old and that his eyes were dim so that he could not see. It identifies him as the aged priest who was in office when the Lord called Samuel during the night. It belongs to the scene where he waited anxiously at Shiloh for news from the battle and concerning the ark.
When the news came, he bore the report of his sons' death with some calm. When he heard that the ark of God had been taken, he fell backward from his seat and died. His death was part of God's judgment because he had failed to restrain his sons. His neglect in failing to restrain his sons and stand for what was right had deprived Israel of its strength and glory.
He stands as the example of a father who did not rule his own house well and did not restrain his children, and the frown and judgment of God followed upon him and his house for his loose, slack manner of bringing them up. His ungodly sons were corrupt and wicked, a proverb of reproach who exerted a corrupting influence where they lived, disgusted unbelievers, and brought reproach upon the cause of truth. Though old and nearly blind, he was still responsible as father and priest for restraining his sons' wrongdoing. His partiality led him to excuse their sins, which made him share in their guilt and dishonored God, and the fact that they were priests made the harm worse.
The verse records that Eli was ninety-eight years old and that his eyes were dim so that he could not see. It identifies him as the aged priest who was in office when the Lord called Samuel during the night. It belongs to the scene where he waited anxiously at Shiloh for news from the battle and concerning the ark.
When the news came, he bore the report of his sons' death with some calm. When he heard that the ark of God had been taken, he fell backward from his seat and died. His death was part of God's judgment because he had failed to restrain his sons. His neglect in failing to restrain his sons and stand for what was right had deprived Israel of its strength and glory.
He stands as the example of a father who did not rule his own house well and did not restrain his children, and the frown and judgment of God followed upon him and his house for his loose, slack manner of bringing them up. His ungodly sons were corrupt and wicked, a proverb of reproach who exerted a corrupting influence where they lived, disgusted unbelievers, and brought reproach upon the cause of truth. Though old and nearly blind, he was still responsible as father and priest for restraining his sons' wrongdoing. His partiality led him to excuse their sins, which made him share in their guilt and dishonored God, and the fact that they were priests made the harm worse.