▶ 엘리(Eli)

뜻:고상함

사사시대 말기의 대제사장(삼상01:9).
사무엘을 맡아 기르는데는 성공하였으나 자기 아들을 교육시키는 데는 실패 하였다(삼상02:11-12).
하나님의 견책을 받고 더우기 블레셋과의 전쟁에서 대패하여 언약궤를 빼앗기고 두 아 들은 전사하였다(삼상04:17).

두 아들이 죽은 비보를 들은 엘리는 의자에서 넘어져 목이 부러져 죽고 그의 며느리도 모든 소식을 듣고 놀라 이미 잉태하였던 아일를 해산하고 죽으니 멸문의 화를 당하는 중에서 오직 이때에 생산한 아들 고아 이가봇이 있을 뿐 이다(삼상 4:18-22).

그의 자손은 솔로몬의 왕에게 쫓겨난 아비아달을 최후로 제사장직에서 물러 났다(왕상02:27).

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Eli. [E'li] 

Descendant of Ithamar, and high priest in Israel. It is not recorded whom he succeeded; the book of 1 Samuel opens with Eli as priest. Samuel was lent to the Lord by his pious mother, and he ministered unto the Lord before Eli. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were 'sons of Belial:' they assisted their father, but interfered with the due offering of the sacrifices, and sinned greatly before the people. Eli spoke to his sons of their evil doings, but he did not with energy prevent the dishonour to the Lord. It should be remembered that the responsibility of maintaining Israel, the people of the Lord, before Him, rested on the priestly house, hence the enormity of the young men's sin, and the solemnity of Eli's negligent conduct. A man of God came and told Eli plainly that he honoured his sons before the Lord, and detailed some judgements that should befall his house, and that his two sons should be slain in one day.

As Eli allowed his sons to continue in their evil ways, God sent a message to him by Samuel, reminding him of the judgements of which the man of God had warned him, and repeating that it was because "his sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not." Alas, poor Eli merely said, "It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good." A pious remark, but which did not correct the evil. This was Eli's great failing, though he otherwise apparently cared for God's honour. He trembled when the ark of God was carried to the war, which ended so disastrously. His two sons were killed and the ark was taken by the Philistines, and 'Ichabod' — 'the glory is departed' — marked the state of Israel through Eli's sin. When Eli heard these sad tidings he fell backward, and his neck brake. He had judged Israel forty years and was 98 years old. 1 Sam. 1 - 1 Sam. 4.  Abiathar his descendant was thrust from the priesthood by Solomon that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled which He spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh. 1 Kings 2:27.

--- Morrish Bible Dictionary