# 16 Eli: a priest
Judge # 16 Eli: a priest.
Eli is the priest, along with his sons, in Shiloh where Joshua and his generation set up the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant.
“The entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh where it set up the tent of meeting there; the land had been subdued by them.”
Shiloh is where everyone gathered during the reign of possible judge Johnathan, after the battle with the Benjaminites.
“They also said, “Look, there’s an annual festival to the Lord in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”
Shiloh was said to be in the middle of nowhere, north of Bethel and east of the highway. No doubt there would be a narrow path worn from the highway to Shiloh and worshipers of God would travel to offer burnt offerings and just to go to be in the presence of God. But now about 300 years later Eli is judging Israel from Shiloh. At the same time, Samson is out fighting against the men of the Philistines while courting their women.
Eli had two sons who were not obeying the commands of God even though they were priests.
“This man would go up from his town every year to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of Hosts at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were the Lord’s priests.”
“Eli’s sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the Lord”
Eli’s death would fall in the year 1042 with Samson’s soon after when there was a great celebration because they captured the Ark of the Covenant, approximately 30 years before David began his rule and 20 years before Saul’s reign.
“At that time Eli was 98 years old, and his gaze was fixed because he couldn’t see.”
“When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off the chair by the city gate, and since he was old and heavy, his neck broke and he died. Eli had judged Israel 40 years.”
But in the meantime, God was raising up a new judge who would follow Him and be his priest and prophet. Samuel is his name.
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