1Sa 2:21 | KD | STEP | The particle כּי, “ for ” (Jehovah visited), does not mean if , as , or when , nor is it to be regarded as a copyist’s error. It is only necessary to supply the thought contained in the words, “ Eli blessed Elkanah ,” viz., that Eli’s blessing was not an empty fruitless wish; and to understand the passage in some such way as this: Eli’s word was fulfilled, or still more simply, they went to their home blessed ; for Jehovah visited Hannah , blessed her with “ three sons and two daughters; but the boy Samuel grew up with the Lord ,” i.e., near to Him (at the sanctuary), and under His protection and blessing. Eli’s treatment of the sins of his sons . - 1Sa 2:22. The aged Eli reproved his sons with solemn warnings on account of their sins; but without his warnings being listened to. From the reproof itself we learn, that beside the sin noticed in , they also committed the crime of lying with the women who served at the tabernacle (see at ), and thus profaned the sanctuary with whoredom. But Eli, with the infirmities of his old age, did nothing further to prevent these abominations than to say to his sons, “ Why do ye according to the sayings which I hear, sayings about you which are evil, of this whole people .” רעים את־דּבריכם is inserted to make the meaning clearer, and כּל־ה מאת is dependent upon שׁמע. “ This whole people ” signifies all the people that came to Shiloh, and heard and saw the wicked doings there.

‏ 1 Samuel 2:21

The particle כּי, “for” (Jehovah visited), does not mean if, as, or when, nor is it to be regarded as a copyist’s error. It is only necessary to supply the thought contained in the words, “Eli blessed Elkanah,” viz., that Eli’s blessing was not an empty fruitless wish; and to understand the passage in some such way as this: Eli’s word was fulfilled, or still more simply, they went to their home blessed; for Jehovah visited Hannah, blessed her with “three sons and two daughters; but the boy Samuel grew up with the Lord,” i.e., near to Him (at the sanctuary), and under His protection and blessing.Eli’s treatment of the sins of his sons. - 1Sa 2:22. The aged Eli reproved his sons with solemn warnings on account of their sins; but without his warnings being listened to. From the reproof itself we learn, that beside the sin noticed in 1Sa 2:12-17, they also committed the crime of lying with the women who served at the tabernacle (see at Exo 38:8), and thus profaned the sanctuary with whoredom. But Eli, with the infirmities of his old age, did nothing further to prevent these abominations than to say to his sons, “Why do ye according to the sayings which I hear, sayings about you which are evil, of this whole people.” רעים את־דּבריכם is inserted to make the meaning clearer, and כּל־ה מאת is dependent upon שׁמע. “This whole people” signifies all the people that came to Shiloh, and heard and saw the wicked doings there.