Easton's Bible Dictionary Ascent, the high priest when the ark was at Shiloh (1 Samuel 1:3, 9). He was the first of the line of Ithamar, Aaron's fourth son (1 Chronicles 24:3; Comp. 2 Samuel 8:17), who held that office. The office remained in his family till the time of Abiathar (1 Kings 2:26, 27), whom Solomon deposed, and appointed Zadok, of the family of Eleazar, in his stead (35). He acted also as a civil judge in Israel after the death of Samson (1 Samuel 4:18), and judged Israel for forty years. His sons Hophni and Phinehas grossly misconducted themselves, to the great disgust of the people (1 Samuel 2:27-36). They were licentious reprobates. He failed to reprove them so sternly as he ought to have done, and so brought upon his house the judgment of God (2:22-33; 3:18). The Israelites proclaimed war against the Philistines, whose army was encamped at Aphek. The battle, fought a short way beyond Mizpeh, ended in the total defeat of Israel. Four thousand of them fell in "battle array". They now sought safety in having the "ark of the covenant of the Lord" among them. They fetched it from Shiloh, and Hophni and Phinehas accompanied it. This was the first time since the settlement of Israel in Canaan that the ark had been removed from the sanctuary. The Philistines put themselves again in array against Israel, and in the battle which ensued "Israel was smitten, and there was a very great slaughter." The tidings of this great disaster were speedily conveyed to Shiloh, about 20 miles distant, by a messenger, a Benjamite from the army. There Eli sat outside the gate of the sanctuary by the wayside, anxiously waiting for tidings from the battle-field. The full extent of the national calamity was speedily made known to him: "Israel is fled before the Philistines, there has also been a great slaughter among the people, thy two sons Hophni and Phinehas are dead, and the ark of God is taken" (1 Samuel 4:12-18). When the old man, whose eyes were "stiffened" (i.e., fixed, as of a blind eye unaffected by the light) with age, heard this sad story of woe, he fell backward from off his seat and died, being ninety and eight years old. (see ITHAMAR.) Eli, Hebrews eli, "my God", (Matthew 27:46), an exclamation used by Christ on the cross. Mark (15:34), as usual, gives the original Aramaic form of the word, Eloi. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia ELI e'-li (`eli): A descendant of Ithamar, the fourth son of Aaron, who exercised the office of high priest in Shiloh at the time of the birth of Samuel. For the first time in Israel, Eli combined in his own person the functions of high priest and judge, judging Israel for 40 years (1 Samuel 4:18). The incidents in Eli's life are few; indeed, the main interest of the narrative is in the other characters who are associated with him. The chief interest centers in Samuel. In Eli's first interview with Hannah (1 Samuel 1:12), she is the central figure; in the second interview (1 Samuel 1:24), it is the child Samuel. When Eli next appears, it is as the father of Hophni and Phinehas, whose worthless and licentious lives had profaned their priestly office, and earned for them the title "men of Belial" (or "worthlessness"). Eli administered no stern rebuke to his sons, but only a gentle chiding of their greed and immorality. Thereafter he was warned by a nameless prophet of the downfall of his house, and of the death of his two sons in one day (1 Samuel 2:27-36), a message later confirmed by Samuel, who had received this word directly from Yahweh Himself (1 Samuel 3:11). The prophecy was not long in fulfillment. During the next invasion by the Philistines, the Israelites were utterly routed, the ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas were both slain. When the news reached Eli, he was so overcome that he "fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck brake, and he died" (1 Samuel 4:18). The character of Eli, while sincere and devout, seems to have been entirely lacking in firmness. He appears from the history to have been a good man, full of humility and gentleness, but weak and indulgent. His is not a strong personality; he is always overshadowed by some more commanding or interesting figure. A. C. Grant ELOI; ELOI; LAMA; SABACHTHA; ELI; ELI; LAMA SABACHTHANI e'-loi, e-lo'i, la'-ma, sa-bakh-tha'-ni, or (Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthanei): The forms of the first word as translated vary in the two narratives, being in Mark as first above and in Matthew as in second reading. With some perversions of form probably from Psalm 22:1 ('eli 'eli lamah `azabhtani). A statement uttered by Jesus on the cross just before his death, translated, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46 Mark 15:34). There is an interesting but difficult problem in connection with the interpretation of this passage. There seems to be a mixture of Aramaic and Hebrew. The first two words, whether in Hebrew or Aramaic, have sufficient similarity to each other and each sufficient similarity to the name itself to warrant the jeer that Jesus was calling upon Elias, or the sincere supposition of those who might not fully understand the language, that he was actually calling on Elias. The forms lema and lama used in Matthew and Mark respectively (Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek) represent the various possible forms, the first the Aramaic, and the second the Hebrew. The various readings and translations of the latter word, sabachthani, only add confusion to an effort at ultimate explanation of the real statement. Certainly the influence of the Aramaic played a geat part in the translation and transmission of the original. The spirit revealed by Jesus in this utterance seems to be very much like that displayed in the Garden when He cried out to have the cup removed from Him. Walter G. Clippinger ELI, ELI, LAMA, SABACHTHANI e'-li or a'-le, la'-ma, sa-bak'-tha-ni. See ELOI.

Multi-Version Concordance Eli (36 Occurrences) Matthew 27:46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lima sabachthani?" That is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) Luke 3:23 Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, (Root in WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV) Luke 3:24 the 'son' of Eli, the 'son' of Matthat, the 'son' of Levi, the 'son' of Melchi, the 'son' of Janna, the 'son' of Joseph, (YLT) 1 Samuel 1:3 This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of Armies in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahweh, were there. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 1:9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the temple of Yahweh. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 1:12 It happened, as she continued praying before Yahweh, that Eli saw her mouth. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 1:13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart. Only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 1:14 Eli said to her, "How long will you be drunken? Put away your wine from you." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) 1 Samuel 1:17 Then Eli answered, "Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 1:25 They killed the bull, and brought the child to Eli. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 2:11 Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. The child did minister to Yahweh before Eli the priest. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 2:12 Now the sons of Eli were base men; they didn't know Yahweh. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 2:20 Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, "Yahweh give you seed of this woman for the petition which was asked of Yahweh." They went to their own home. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 2:22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they lay with the women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 2:27 A man of God came to Eli, and said to him, "Thus says Yahweh,'Did I reveal myself to the house of your father, when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh's house? (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 3:1 The child Samuel ministered to Yahweh before Eli. The word of Yahweh was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 3:2 It happened at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see), (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 3:5 He ran to Eli, and said, "Here I am; for you called me." He said, "I didn't call; lie down again." He went and lay down. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 3:6 Yahweh called yet again, "Samuel!" Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am; for you called me." He answered, "I didn't call, my son; lie down again." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 3:8 Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am; for you called me." Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 3:9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say,'Speak, Yahweh; for your servant hears.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 3:12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 3:14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be removed with sacrifice nor offering forever." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 3:15 Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of Yahweh. Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 3:16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, "Samuel, my son!" He said, "Here I am." (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 3:17 The men of Ai struck about thirty-six men of them, and they chased them from before the gate even to Shebarim, and struck them at the descent. The hearts of the people melted, and became like water. (See RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 3:18 Samuel told him every bit, and hid nothing from him. He said, "It is Yahweh. Let him do what seems good to him." (See NIV) 1 Samuel 4:4 So the people sent to Shiloh; and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of Armies, who sits above the cherubim: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 4:11 The ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 4:13 When he came, behold, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching; for his heart trembled for the ark of God. When the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 4:14 When Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, "What does the noise of this tumult mean?" The man hurried, and came and told Eli. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 4:15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old; and his eyes were set, so that he could not see. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) 1 Samuel 4:16 The man said to Eli, "I am he who came out of the army, and I fled today out of the army." He said, "How did the matter go, my son?" (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 4:18 It happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck broke, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years. (WEB ASV BBE NAS RSV NIV) 1 Samuel 14:3 and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of Yahweh in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. The people didn't know that Jonathan was gone. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 1 Kings 2:27 So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest to Yahweh, that he might fulfill the word of Yahweh, which he spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)