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In this chapter we have, I. Hannah's song of thanksgiving to God for his favour to her in giving her Samuel, 1Sa 2:1-10. II. Their return to their family, with Eli's blessing, 1Sa 2:11,20. The increase of their family, 1Sa 2:21. Samuel's growth and improvement (1Sa 2:11,18,21,26), and the care Hannah took to clothe him, 1Sa 2:19. III. The great wickedness of Eli's sons, 1Sa 2:12-17,22. IV. The over-mild reproof that Eli gave them for it, 1Sa 2:23-25. V. The justly dreadful message God sent him by a prophet, threatening the ruin of his family for the wickedness of his sons, 1Sa 2:27-36.
1-10
Hannah's Song (1137 BC)
哈拿之歌（主前1137年）
¹ 哈拿祷告说：我的心因耶和华快乐，我的角因耶和华高举；我的口向仇敌张开，因我因你的救恩欢欣。 ² 没有人圣如耶和华；没有人在你以外；也没有磐石像我们的神。 ³ 人不要再极口狂言自夸，不要让骄妄从你们口中出来；因为耶和华是大有知识的神，人的行为都被他衡量。 ⁴ 勇士的弓已折断，跌倒的人以力量束腰。 ⁵ 素来饱足的，反作工求食；素来饥饿的，反不再饥饿；不生育的，竟生了七个；儿女众多的，反倒衰微。 ⁶ 耶和华使人死，也使人活；使人下阴间，也使人上来。 ⁷ 耶和华使人贫穷，也使人富足；使人卑下，也使人高贵。 ⁸ 他从灰尘里抬举贫寒人，从粪堆中提拔穷乏人，使他们与君王同坐，得着荣耀的宝座；因为地的柱石是属耶和华的，他将世界立在其上。 ⁹ 他必保护他圣民的脚步，使恶人在黑暗中寂然无声；因为人不能靠力量得胜。 ¹⁰ 与耶和华相争的，必被打碎；耶和华必从天上以雷攻打他们；耶和华必审判地极；他必将力量赐与所立的王，高举他受膏者的角。
我们在此读到哈拿的感恩，这不仅是出于祷告的灵，更是出于预言的灵所默示的。她先前所求之恩的祈愿，我们已见上文（撒上 1:11），此处我们见到她以颂赞回报；两处都是心里充满了深情（前者充满她自己的缺乏，后者充满神的良善），口里就说出来。请总体留意：1. 她从神领受了怜悯，便承认这怜悯，并以感恩归荣耀于他。不像那九个长大麻风的，路 17:17。颂赞是我们当纳的租，当献的贡。若不偿付，便是不义。2. 她所得的怜悯，是祷告的回应，因此她认为自己在感恩的事上格外有义务。借着祷告得来的，我们可安然穿戴，也必以颂赞穿戴。3. 她的感恩在此被称为祷告：哈拿祷告；因为感恩是祷告不可少的一部分。我们每次来到神面前，都当怀着对他这位恩主的感恩之情。不仅如此，为所受怜悯而献的感恩，也必被悦纳作为进一步求怜悯的祈求。4. 她从这次特别所受的怜悯出发，怀着高升宽广的心，论到神和他为教会益处而治理世界的荣耀之事。无论何时，凡能如此引发我们颂赞的，都当这样把颂赞提升。5. 她的祷告是心中的默祷——她的声音并不被人听见；但她在感恩时却开口说话，使众人都能听见。她曾以说不出来的叹息献上恳求，如今却开了口述说神的赞美。6. 这感恩被记录在此，乃是为要鼓励软弱的女性也来赴恩典的宝座。神必顾念她们的祷告和颂赞。童女马利亚之歌，与哈拿这首极为相似，路 1:46。在这感恩之中，我们有三个要点：—
I\. 哈拿在神里夸胜——在他荣耀的属性中，并他所为她成就的大事中夸胜，撒上 2:1-3。请留意，
1. 她论到神说了何等大的事。她很少提及她现在所喜乐的那份特别的怜悯；她并不像痴情的父母所常作的那样，称赞撒母耳是最漂亮的孩子，是她所见过的最伶俐、最懂事的孩子。不，她越过礼物，称颂那赐礼物的主；而多数人却忘记赐予者，只专注于礼物本身。每条溪流都当引导我们回到源头；我们从神所领受的恩惠，当唤起我们对神里面那无限完全的敬慕。撒母耳可以有别的，但耶和华之外再无别神。在你以外再没有别的。请注意，神当作为无匹的存在、作为无比的完全者受颂赞。这荣耀当归于他的名——不仅承认没有像他的，更要承认除他以外再无别的。其余的一切都是僭妄者，诗 18:31。哈拿在此颂赞神四样荣耀的属性：(1.) 他无玷污的纯洁。这是在天上最受颂赞的属性，因为那常在他面前的，日夜如此颂赞，赛 6:3，启 4:8。当以色列人胜过埃及人时，神被颂赞为圣洁荣耀的，出 15:11。此处亦然——在哈拿的夸胜中，没有圣如耶和华的。这是他本性的正直，他对自己的无限相符，他在治理与审判各样职事中的公正。想到这一点，我们当献上感恩。(2.) 他全能的大能：也没有磐石（或作力量，因为这词有时如此译）像我们的神。哈拿曾经历信靠他而得的大能扶持，故按她所经历而说，似乎也引了摩西的话，申 32:31。(3.) 他不可测度的智慧：耶和华，就是审判众人的，是大有知识的神；他清楚地完全看透每个人的性情、每件事的是非，并将知识和聪明赐给那寻求他的人。(4.) 他无误的公义：人的行为都被他衡量。他自己的行为也如此，在他永恒的旨意中；人的行为也如此，在他审判的天平上——因此他必照各人所行的报应各人，对任何人是怎样、是怎样行，都不会误判。
2. 她如何在这些事中自慰。我们将荣耀归给神的，就可从中得安慰。哈拿正是如此：(1.) 在圣洁的喜乐中：我的心因耶和华快乐——不是那样在她的儿子里喜乐，而是在她的神里喜乐；他是我们喜乐的欢欣（诗 43:4），我们的喜乐不可停留在任何不及他之处："我因你的救恩欢欣；不仅是因这一份对我特别的恩惠，更是因你百姓以色列的救恩——尤其是这孩子将要作器皿所成就的那些救恩，并且最超越的，是因基督所成就的救恩——那些救恩不过是其预表。"(2.) 在圣洁的夸胜中："我的角高举；不仅因我有了儿子而挽回了名誉，更因有这样的儿子而大得尊荣。"我们读到，大卫所派的歌唱者中，有人举起角（一种乐器）颂赞神（代上 25:5），因此，我的角高举的意思是："我的颂赞被大大提升，达到非凡的高度。" 在耶和华里高举——我们一切的高升都当让神得尊荣，我们也当在他里面夸胜。我的口张开，即"如今我有可回答那讥诮我之人的了"。那箭袋充满、家中儿女满堂的，必不至羞愧，在城门口与仇敌说话时也必坦然，诗 127:5。
3. 她又借此使那些自高与神相争、悖逆他的人闭口无言（撒上 2:3）：*人不要再极口狂言自夸。*愿毗尼拿和她的儿女不再因她信靠神、向他祷告而羞辱她；她到底看见这并非徒然。参见 弥 7:10，那时我的仇敌看见，就必蒙羞，那曾对我说'你的神在哪里'的，羞愧必遮盖她。或许，在这首歌中她不愿如此看重毗尼拿及其恶意，乃是有失身份；但此处乃是要作为对非利士人以及神和以色列其他仇敌之狂妄的禁戒——他们口向着天夸耀，诗 73:9。"愿这事使他们沉默蒙羞；他既为我这样判断，对付了我的对头，也必为他的百姓同样对付他们一切的对头。"
II\. 她所留意到的——神圣护理在对待人之事上的智慧与主权；世事变幻无常，其转折与翻覆之奇之骤，常常不过是从兴旺的高峰跌入逆境的深渊之间极短的一步。神不仅使这两样并列（传 7:14），而且使二者相去甚近，中间并无鸿沟相隔——好叫我们喜乐的像不喜乐，哀哭的像不哀哭。
1. 强者很快变弱，弱者很快变强——当神愿意的时候，撒上 2:4。一方面，他若一发命，勇士的弓就折断；他们被解除武装，再不能像从前那样行事，也不能成就他们所图谋的。有些在战场上似乎各种条件都占优势、自以为必胜的人，竟然败北。见 诗 46:9，37:15,17。具体的人也因疾病和年迈而迅速衰弱，发现弓并不能长久保持力量；许多曾以力量自夸的勇士，发现它不过是一张诡诈的弓，在他信靠之时竟然失手。另一方面，主若一发命，那些因软弱而跌倒的人——他们曾如此无力，连走正路、走稳路都不能——却被以力量束腰，无论身体心灵都坚强起来，能成就大事。因病衰弱的人恢复元气（伯 33:25），因忧愁而被压下的人也必恢复安慰，这便坚固那软弱的手、无力的膝，赛 35:3。胜利转向那已被看为败局的一方，甚至瘸腿的将掠物夺去，赛 33:23。
2. 富足的人很快变为贫穷，贫穷的人却奇妙地忽然得富足，撒上 2:5。神的护理有时如此击打人的家业，阻挡人的努力，用不被人吹的火焚烧他们的出产，以致那些曾经饱足的人（他们的谷仓满、钱袋满，他们的家中充满美物，伯 22:18，他们的肚腹充满这些隐藏的财宝，诗 17:14）竟被减到如此窘迫的地步，甚至缺乏养生的需要，不得不为饼雇身——他们既然羞于乞讨，便不得不去作工。财富飞逝（箴 23:5），撇下那些曾将幸福寄托其中的人，凄惨不堪。对那曾经富足自由的人，贫穷加倍难受。但另一方面，神的护理有时也如此安排——素来饥饿的不再饥饿，即不再像从前那样为饼而雇身。他们因神赐福他们的勤劳，渐渐富足，有足够可以安逸度日，他们就不再饥，也不再渴。这不能归因于命运，也不能仅归因于人的智慧或愚拙。智慧人未必得财富，灵巧人未必得恩宠（传 9:11），人变穷也不总是因自己的过失——乃是（撒上 2:7）耶和华使人贫穷，也使人富足；一人之穷即他人之富，这乃是神的作为。对有的人他赐得财富的力量，对有的人他夺去保留已有财富的力量。我们贫穷吗？是神使我们贫穷——这是为何我们当知足、并与自己的境遇和睦相处的绝佳理由。我们富足吗？是神使我们富足——这是为何我们当感恩、并在他所赐的丰盛美物中甘心事奉他的绝佳理由。这话也可理解为指同一人——神使那富足的变为贫穷，过些时候又使他重新富足，如约伯那样；他赐下，他收取，然后又赐下。富足的人不要骄傲自恃，因为神能很快使他贫穷；贫穷的人也不要沮丧绝望，因为神到了时候能再使他富足。
3. 空虚的家族得以填满，众多的家族却被减少变稀。这正是与这次感恩的缘由最贴近的例子：不生育的生了七个——是指她自己；因为虽然她当时只有一个儿子，但这一子既是拿细耳人，奉献给神，并立即在神的事奉中供职，对她而言就如同七个儿子一样。或者，这是她信心的话——既然已经有了一个，就盼望更多，也没有失望；她又有五个儿子（撒上 2:21），所以我们若把撒母耳算作两个（这并不为过），她就得了她所指望的数目：不生育的生了七个；而另一方面，儿女众多的反倒衰微——不再生育。她不再多说。毗尼拿如今受挫，垂头丧气。犹太人的传统说，哈拿生一子时，毗尼拿葬了两个。无论微贱的家族得以兴旺，或是显赫的家族归于灭绝，这样的例子都不胜枚举，伯 22:23，诗 107:38 等等。
4. 神是掌管生死的主（撒上 2:6）：耶和华使人死，也使人活。可作如下理解：(1.) 论到神对人之生死所具有的主权统治与普遍的作为。他在生与葬上都坐镇为帅。每当有人死去，是神指引死亡之箭——耶和华使人死。死亡是他的使者，照他所命的击打谁、何时击打；凡归于尘土的，都是他使他们降卑，因为死亡和阴间的钥匙在他手中，启 1:18。每当有人出生，是他使他们活。灵从何道而来，无人知道，但我们知道它来自众灵之父。每当有人从病中痊愈、从眼前的危险中得救，是神使人上来；因为死亡的释放乃属于他。(2.) 论到他在人与人之间所作的分别：他使人死——有的人如此；又使人活——即叫另一些人存活，尽管他们处于同样的危险中（比如在战争或瘟疫中），或许两人同睡一床，一个被死亡取去，另一个却得以存活。父啊，是的，因为你的美意本是如此。有些似乎最可能存活的人被下到阴间，而另一些似乎最可能死去的人却被扶起；因为生死并不照着可能性。神对某些人的护理是致死的——败坏他们的安慰，而对另一些人同时却是复苏的。(3.) 论到他在同一个人身上所作的改变：他使人死，使人下阴间——即他把人带到死亡的门口，然后又复苏、扶起——那时生命已绝望、死亡的判决已下（林后 1:8,9）。他归于毁灭，然后又说，回来，诗 110:3。在神没有难成的事，连叫死人活过来、将生命赐给枯骨也不难。
5. 高升与卑下都来自他。他使一些人卑下，又使另一些人升高（撒上 2:7）——使骄傲的人降卑，将恩典和尊荣赐给谦卑的人；把那些要与在他之上的神相争、又践踏周围一切的人放在尘土中（伯 40:12），却以他的救恩抬举那些在他面前自卑的人，雅 4:10。或者这话也可理解为指同一些人——他所降卑的人，当他们够被降卑了，他就再抬举。这事在 撒上 2:8 中有进一步的发挥：他从灰尘里抬举贫寒人——一种卑微、低微的境遇；甚至从粪堆中——一种卑贱为奴、被人厌恶藐视的境遇，使他们与君王同坐。见 诗 113:7,8。晋升并非出于偶然，而是出于神的旨意；他常拣选那些极不可能、人以为极不配的人。约瑟和但以理，摩西和大卫，就是这样奇妙地被高升——从监牢到宫殿，从牧杖到权杖。他们被安置在其中的君王，或许会轻看他们，但神能这样出人意外地确立他所赐的尊荣，甚至使他们得着荣耀的宝座。愿神的护理如此抬举的人，不要被人以"他是从灰尘和粪堆中被举起"的话来羞辱；因为他们的起点越卑微，他们的高升（若是借着合法和光荣的途径）就越显出他们蒙恩之深，神也就越得荣耀。
6. 这里为这一切安排给出了一个理由，叫我们不得不顺服——无论这些安排多么令人惊奇：因为地的柱石是属耶和华的。(1.) 若按字面理解，这是指明神那无法阻挡的全能。他托住整个受造之物，立定了地的根基，至今仍以他权能的命令托住它。那将大地悬在虚空之中的（伯 26:7），他在关乎家族与国家的事上——远超我们的想象和期待——又有何不能作的呢？(2.) 若按寓意理解，这是指明他那无可争议、无可辩驳的主权。地上的君王和显贵，国家与政权的治理者，乃是地的柱石，诗 75:3。世事似乎就照着这些枢纽转动，但他们都是属耶和华的，诗 47:9。他们的权柄都是从他而来，因此他可以随己意抬举人；又有谁敢说，你作什么呢？
III. 一项预言——关乎神一切忠实朋友得蒙保守和高升，以及他一切和他们仇敌的毁灭。她既在神所作所行的事上见证了她喜乐的夸胜，便以喜乐的盼望作为结语——论到他将来所要作的，撒上 2:9,10。虔诚的情感（帕特里克主教说）在那些日子常常升至预言的高度，借此神在那个国民中保全了真宗教——尽管他们多有倾向偶像之心。这预言可以指：1. 更直接地论到以色列借撒母耳和借他所膏的大卫而得的治理。以色列人——神的圣民——必蒙保护、得拯救；非利士人——他们的仇敌——必被征服、被制服，特别是借雷，撒上 7:10。他们的疆域必被拓展，大卫王必得坚固、大被高举；而以色列（在士师时代原本如此微不足道，连存立都极艰难）如今不久必将大大兴旺、令人瞩目，并向一切邻邦发号施令。这是一次非凡的改变；而撒母耳的出生，犹如那日的曙光。但 2. 我们有理由认为，这预言看得更远——看到基督的国，以及他恩典之国的治理；她如今就要讲到这一层，既已如此详细地论过护理之国。此处是我们头一次遇到弥赛亚——或作他的受膏者——这个名称。古代的犹太和基督教解经家，都认为这话是越过大卫，看到大卫的子孙。此处论到中保之国的荣耀之事，无论在他道成肉身之前或之后；因为这国的治理方法，无论由永恒的道、或由道成肉身，大致相同。关于那国，我们在此得着保证：(1.) 一切效忠之民必蒙谨慎而大能的保护（撒上 2:9）：他必保护他圣民的脚步。世上有一群人是属神的圣民——他所拣选、所分别为圣的人；他必保护他们的脚步——即他们一切所有的都在他的保护之下，甚至连他们的脚——身上最低的部分——也不例外。他若保护他们的脚，岂不更保护他们的头和心？或者，他必保护他们的脚——即他必稳固他们所站的根基，坚定他们的步履；他必在他们的情感和行为上设下恩典的护卫，使他们的脚既不偏离正路，也不在路上跌倒。他们的脚快要滑跌之时（诗 73:2），他的慈悲扶助他们（诗 94:18），并保守他们不致跌倒，犹 1:24。我们若守神的道，他必保护我们的脚。见 诗 37:23,24。(2.) 一切与那国为敌的势力，都不能把它毁灭。人不能靠力量得胜。神的能力是为教会而发的；既有此，人的力量就不可胜过它。教会似乎无力，她的朋友稀少软弱；但胜负并不照着人的力量，诗 33:16。神既不需要人的力量为他（诗 147:10），也不畏惧人的力量与他相抗。(3.) 它的一切仇敌必被打碎、被降卑：恶人在黑暗中寂然无声，撒上 2:9。他们要同时被打瞎、被打哑——既看不见出路，也无话可说为自己分诉。被定罪的罪人被判归全然的黑暗，在其中他们将永远哑口无言，太 22:12,13。恶人被称为与耶和华相争的；又预言（撒上 2:10）他们必被打碎。他们图谋对抗他在人间的国，必全归失败，他们自己也必灭亡——那些与全能者争战的人，又焉能侥幸？见 路 19:27。神有许多方法成就这事，宁可失败也不容许；他必从天上以雷攻打他们，这样不仅使他们陷入惊恐和混乱，更将他们引向毁灭。谁能抵挡神的雷霆？(4.) 这国的征服必延及远方的列邦：耶和华必审判地极。大卫的胜利和疆域虽然已远，但地极乃是应许给弥赛亚作产业的（诗 2:8）——要么归服于他的金杖之下，要么被他的铁杖所灭。神是审判众人的，他必为他的百姓审判，对付他和他们的仇敌，诗 110:5,6。(5.) 弥赛亚这君王的权能和尊荣必越发增长、越发加增：他必将力量赐与所立的王，使他成就那伟大的旨意（诗 89:21，参见 路 22:43）——加他力量走过他降卑过程中的种种艰难；而在他被高举之时，他必抬起头来（诗 110:7）——高举他受膏者的角——权能与尊荣——并使他比地上诸王更高，诗 89:27。这是夸胜的冠冕，也是她欢腾超过一切的原因。她的角被高举（撒上 2:1），因为她看见了弥赛亚的角也将如此被高举。这就坚固了她的盼望：基督之国的臣民必得安全，这国的仇敌必被毁灭；因为那受膏者——主基督——已以大能束腰，能以拯救到底，也能以毁灭到底。
英文原文
Hannah's Song (1137 BC)
¹ And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
² There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
³ Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
⁴ The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
⁵ They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.
⁶ The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
⁷ The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.
⁸ He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he hath set the world upon them.
⁹ He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
¹⁰ The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.
We have here Hannah's thanksgiving, dictated, not only by the spirit of prayer, but by the spirit of prophecy. Her petition for the mercy she desired we had before (1Sa 1:11), and here we have her return of praise; in both out of the abundance of a heart deeply affected (in the former with her own wants, and in the latter with God's goodness) her mouth spoke. Observe in general, 1. When she had received mercy from God she owned it, with thankfulness to his praise. Not like the nine lepers, Lu 17:17. Praise is our rent, our tribute. We are unjust if we do not pay it. 2. The mercy she had received was an answer to prayer, and therefore she thought herself especially obliged to give thanks for it. What we win by prayer we may wear with comfort, and must wear with praise. 3. Her thanksgiving is here called a prayer: Hannah prayed; for thanksgiving is an essential part of prayer. In every address to God we must express a grateful regard to him as our benefactor. Nay, and thanksgiving for mercies received shall be accepted as a petition for further mercy. 4. From this particular mercy which she had received from God she takes occasion, with an elevated and enlarged heart, to speak glorious things of God and of his government of the world for the good of his church. Whatever at any time gives rise to our praises in this manner they should be raised. 5. Her prayer was mental. Her voice was not heard; but in her thanksgiving she spoke, that all might hear her. She made her supplication with groanings that could not be uttered, but now her lips were opened to show forth God's praise. 6. This thanksgiving is here left upon record for the encouragement of those of the weaker sex to attend the throne of grace. God will regard their prayers and praises. The virgin Mary's song has great affinity with this of Hannah, Lu 1:46. Three things we have in this thanksgiving:—
I. Hannah's triumph in God, in his glorious perfections, and the great things he had done for her, 1Sa 2:1-3. Observe,
1. What great things she says of God. She takes little notice of the particular mercy she was now rejoicing in, does not commend Samuel for the prettiest child, the most toward and sensible for his age that she ever saw, as fond parents are too apt to do. No, she overlooks the gift, and praises the giver; whereas most forget the giver and fasten only on the gift. Every stream should lead us to the fountain; and the favours we receive from God should raise our admiration of the infinite perfections there are in God. There may be other Samuels, but no other Jehovah. There is none beside thee. Note, God is to be praised as a peerless being, and of unparalleled perfection. This glory is due unto his name, to own not only that there is none like him, but that there is none besides him. All others were pretenders, Ps 18:31. Four of God's glorious attributes Hannah here celebrates the glory of:—(1.) His unspotted purity. This is that attribute which is most praised in the upper world, by those that always behold his face, Isa 6:3, Re 4:8. When Israel triumphed over the Egyptians God was praised as glorious in holiness, Ex 15:11. So here, in Hannah's triumph, There is none holy as the Lord. It is the rectitude of his nature, his infinite agreement with himself, and the equity of his government and judgment in all the administrations of both. At the remembrance of this we ought to give thanks. (2.) His almighty power: Neither is there any rock (or any strength, for so the word is sometimes rendered) like our God. Hannah had experienced a mighty support by staying herself upon him, and therefore speaks as she had found, and seems to refer to that of Moses, De 32:31. (3.) His unsearchable wisdom: The Lord, the Judge of all, is a God of knowledge; he clearly and perfectly sees into the character of every person and the merits of every cause, and he gives knowledge and understanding to those that seek them of him. (4.) His unerring justice: By him actions are weighed. His own are so, in his eternal counsels; the actions of the children of men are so, in the balances of his judgment, so that he will render to every man according to his work, and is not mistaken in what any man is or does.
2. How she solaces herself in these things. What we give God the glory of we may take the comfort of. Hannah does so, (1.) In holy joy: My heart rejoiceth in the Lord; not so much in her son as in her God; he is to be the gladness of our joy (Ps 43:4), and our joy must not terminate in any thing short of him: "I rejoice in thy salvation; not only in this particular favour to me, but in the salvation of thy people Israel, those salvations especially which this child will be an instrument of, and that, above all, by Christ, which those are but the types of." (2.) In holy triumph: "My horn is exalted; not only is my reputation saved by my having a son, but greatly raised by having such a son." We read of some of the singers whom David appointed to lift up the horn, an instrument of music, in praising God (1Ch 25:5), so that, My horn is exalted means this, "My praises are very much elevated to an unusual strain." Exalted in the Lord; God is to have the honour of all our exaltations, and in him must we triumph. My mouth is enlarged, that is, "Now I have wherewith to answer those that reproached me." He that has his quiver full of arrows, his house full of children, shall not be ashamed to speak with the enemy in the gate, Ps 127:5.
3. How she herewith silences those that set up themselves as rivals with God and rebels against him (1Sa 2:3): Talk no more so exceedingly proudly. Let not Peninnah and her children upbraid her any more with her confidence in God and praying to him: at length she found it not in vain. See Mic 7:10, Then she that is my enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her that said, Where is thy God? Or perhaps it was below her to take so much notice of Peninnah, and her malice, in this song; but this is intended as a check to the insolence of the Philistines, and other enemies of God and Israel, that set their mouth against the heavens, Ps 73:9. "Let this put them to silence and shame; he that has thus judged for me against my adversary will judge for his people against all theirs."
II. The notice she takes of the wisdom and sovereignty of the divine providence, in its disposals of the affairs of the children of men; such are the vicissitudes of them, and such the strange and sudden turns and revolutions of them, that it is often found a very short step between the height of prosperity and the depth of adversity. God has not only set the one over against the other (Ec 7:14), but the one very near the other, and no gulf fixed between them, that we may rejoice as though we rejoiced not and weep as though we wept not.
1. The strong are soon weakened and the weak are soon strengthened, when God pleases, 1Sa 2:4. On the one hand, if he speak the word, the bows of the mighty men are broken; they are disarmed, disabled to do as they have before done and as they have designed to do. Those have been worsted in battle who seemed upon all accounts to have the advantage on their side, and thought themselves sure of victory. See Ps 46:9, Ps 37:15,17. Particular persons are soon weakened by sickness and age, and they find that the bow does not long abide in strength; many a mighty man who has gloried in his might has found it a deceitful bow, that failed him when he trusted to it. On the other hand, if the Lord speak the word, those who stumble through weakness, who were so feeble that they could not go straight or steady, are girded with strength, in body and mind, and are able to bring great things to pass. Those who were weakened by sickness return to their vigour (Job 33:25), and those who were brought down by sorrow shall recover their comfort, which will confirm the weak hands and the feeble knees, Isa 35:3. Victory turns in favour of that side that was given up for gone, and even the lame take the prey, Isa 33:23.
2. The rich are soon impoverished and the poor strangely enriched on a sudden, 1Sa 2:5. Providence sometimes does so blast men's estates and cross their endeavours, and with a fire not blown consume their increase, that those who were full (their barns full, and their bags full, their houses full of good things, Job 22:18, and their bellies full of these hidden treasures, Ps 17:14) have been reduced to such straits and extremities as to want the necessary supports of life, and to hire out themselves for bread, and they must dig, since to beg they are ashamed. Riches flee away (Pr 23:5), and leave those miserable who, when they had them, placed their happiness in them. To those that have been full and free poverty must needs be doubly grievous. But, on the other hand, sometimes Providence so orders it that those who are hungry cease, that is, cease to hire out themselves for bread as they have done. Having, by God's blessing on their industry, got beforehand in the world, and enough to live upon at ease, they shall hunger no more, not thirst any more. This is not to be ascribed to fortune, nor merely to men's wisdom or folly. Riches are not to men of understanding, nor favour to men of skill (Ec 9:11), nor is it always men's own fault that they become poor, but (1Sa 2:7) the Lord maketh some poor and maketh others rich; the impoverishing of one is the enriching of another, and it is God's doing. To some he gives power to get wealth, from others he takes away power to keep the wealth they have. Are we poor? God made us poor, which is a good reason why we should be content, and reconcile ourselves to our condition. Are we rich? God made us rich, which is a good reason why we should be thankful, and serve him cheerfully in the abundance of good things he gives us. It may be understood of the same person; those that were rich God makes poor, and after awhile makes rich again, as Job; he gave, he takes away, and then gives again. Let not the rich be proud and secure, for God can soon make them poor; let not the poor despond and despair, for God can in due time enrich them again.
3. Empty families are replenished and numerous families diminished and made few. This is the instance that comes close to the occasion of the thanksgiving: The barren hath borne seven, meaning herself, for, though at present she had but one son, yet that one being a Nazarite, devoted to God and employed in his immediate service, he was to her as good as seven. Or it is the language of her faith. Now that she had one she hoped for more, and was not disappointed; she had five more (1Sa 2:21), so that if we reckon Samuel but for two, as we well may, she has the number she promised herself: the barren hath borne seven, while, on the other hand, she that hath many children has waxed feeble, and hath left bearing. She says no more. Peninnah is now mortified and crest-fallen. The tradition of the Jews is that when Hannah bore one child Peninnah buried two. There are many instances both of the increase of families that were inconsiderable and the extinguishing of families that made a figure, Job 22:23, Ps 107:38, etc.
4. God is the sovereign Lord of life and death (1Sa 2:6): The Lord killeth and maketh alive. Understand it, (1.) Of God's sovereign dominion and universal agency, in the lives and deaths of the children of men. He presides in births and burials. Whenever any die it is God that directs the arrows of death. The Lord killeth. Death is his messenger, strikes whom and when he bids; none are brought to the dust but it is he that brings them down, for in his hand are the keys of death and the grave, Re 1:18. Whenever any are born it is he that makes them alive. None knows what is the way of the spirit, but this we know, that it comes from the Father of spirits. Whenever any are recovered from sickness, and delivered from imminent perils, it is God that bringeth up; for to him belong the issues from death. (2.) Of the distinction he makes between some and others: He killeth some, and maketh, that is, keepeth, others alive that were in the same danger (in war, suppose, or pestilence), two in a bed together, it may be, one taken by death and the other left alive. Even so, Father, because it seemed good in thy eyes. Some that were most likely to live are brought down to the grave, and others that were as likely to die are brought up; for living and dying do not go by likelihoods. God's providences towards some are killing, ruining to their comforts, and towards others at the same time reviving. (3.) Of the change he makes with one and the same person: He killeth and bringeth down to the grave, that is, he brings even to death's door, and then revives and raises up, when even life was despaired of and a sentence of death received, 2Co 1:8,9. He turns to destruction, and then says, Return, Ps 110:3. Nothing is too hard for God to do, no, not the quickening of the dead, and putting life into dry bones.
5. Advancement and abasement are both from him. He brings some low and lifts up others (1Sa 2:7), humbles the proud and gives grace and honour to the lowly, lays those in the dust that would vie with the God above them and trample upon all about them (Job 40:12), but lifts up those with his salvation that humble themselves before him, Jam 4:10. Or it may be understood of the same persons: those whom he had brought low, when they are sufficiently humbled, he lifteth up. This is enlarged upon, 1Sa 2:8. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, a low and mean condition, nay, from the dunghill, a base and servile condition, loathed, and despised, to set them among princes. See Ps 113:7,8. Promotion comes not by chance, but from the counsel of God, which often prefers those that were very unlikely and that men thought very unworthy. Joseph and Daniel, Moses and David, were thus strangely advanced, from a prison to a palace, from a sheep-hook to a sceptre. The princes they are set among may be tempted to disdain them, but God can establish the honour which he gives thus surprisingly, and make them even to inherit the throne of glory. Let not those whom Providence has thus preferred be upbraided with the dust and dunghill they are raised out of, for the meaner their beginnings were the more they are favoured, and God is glorified, in their advancement, if it be by lawful and honourable means.
6. A reason is given for all these dispensations which obliges us to acquiesce in them, how surprising soever they are: For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's. (1.) If we understand this literally, it intimates God's almighty power, which cannot be controlled. He upholds the whole creation, founded the earth, and still sustains it by the word of his power. What cannot he do in the affairs of families and kingdoms, far beyond our conception and expectation, who hangs the earth upon nothing? Job 26:7. But, (2.) If we understand it figuratively, it intimates his incontestable sovereignty, which cannot be disputed. The princes and great ones of the earth, the directors of states and governments, are the pillars of the earth, Ps 75:3. On these hinges the affairs of the world seem to turn, but they are the Lord's, Ps 47:9. From him they have their power, and therefore he may advance whom he pleases; and who may say, What doest thou?
III. A prediction of the preservation and advancement of all God's faithful friends, and the destruction of all his and their enemies. Having testified her joyful triumph in what God had done, and is doing, she concludes with joyful hopes of what he would do, 1Sa 2:9,10. Pious affections (says bishop Patrick) in those days rose many times to the height of prophecy, whereby God continued in that nation his true religion, in the midst of their idolatrous inclinations. This prophecy may refer, 1. More immediately to the government of Israel by Samuel, and by David whom he was employed to anoint. The Israelites, God's saints, should be protected and delivered; the Philistines, their enemies, should be conquered and subdued, and particularly by thunder, 1Sa 7:10. Their dominions should be enlarged, king David strengthened and greatly exalted, and Israel (that in the time of the judges had made so small a figure and had much ado to subsist) should now shortly become great and considerable, and give law to all its neighbours. An extraordinary change that was; and the birth of Samuel was, as it were, the dawning of that day. But, 2. We have reason to think that this prophecy looks further, to the kingdom of Christ, and the administration of that kingdom of grace, of which she now comes to speak, having spoken so largely of the kingdom of providence. And here is the first time that we meet with the name Messiah, or his Anointed. The ancient expositors, both Jewish and Christian, make it to look beyond David, to the Son of David. Glorious things are here spoken of the kingdom of the Mediator, both before and since his incarnation; for the method of the administration of it, both by the eternal Word and by that Word made flesh, is much the same. Concerning that kingdom we are here assured, (1.) That all the loyal subjects of it shall be carefully and powerfully protected (1Sa 2:9): He will keep the feet of his saints. There are a people in the world that are God's saints, his select and sanctified ones; and he will keep their feet, that is, all that belongs to them shall be under his protection, down to their very feet, the lowest part of the body. If he will keep their feet, much more their head and hearts. Or he will keep their feet, that is, he will secure the ground they stand on, and establish their goings; he will set a guard of grace upon their affections and actions, that their feet may neither wander out of the way nor stumble in the way. When their feet are ready to slip (Ps 73:2) his mercy holdeth them up (Ps 94:18) and keepeth them from falling, Jude 1:24. While we keep God's ways he will keep our feet. See Ps 37:23,24. (2.) That all the powers engaged against it shall not be able to effect the ruin of it. By strength shall no man prevail. God's strength is engaged for the church; and, while it is so, man's strength shall not prevail against it. The church seems destitute of strength, her friends few and feeble, but prevalency does not go by human strength, Ps 33:16. God neither needs it for him (Ps 147:10) nor dreads it against him. (3.) That all the enemies of it will certainly be broken and brought down: The wicked shall be silent in darkness, 1Sa 2:9. They shall be struck both blind and dumb, not be able to see their way nor have any thing to say for themselves. Damned sinners are sentenced to utter darkness, and in it they will be for ever speechless, Mt 22:12,13. The wicked are called the adversaries of the Lord, and it is foretold (1Sa 2:10) that they shall be broken to pieces. Their designs against his kingdom among men will all be dashed, and they themselves destroyed; how can those speed better that are in arms against Omnipotence? See Lu 19:27. God has many ways of doing it, and, rather than fail, from heaven shall he thunder upon them, and so, not only put them in terror and consternation, but bring them to destruction. Who can stand before God's thunderbolts? (4.) That the conquests of this kingdom shall extend themselves to distant regions: The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth. David's victories and dominions reached far, but the uttermost parts of the earth are promised to the Messiah for his possession (Ps 2:8), to be either reduced to his golden sceptre or ruined by his iron rod. God is Judge of all, and he will judge for his people against his and their enemies, Ps 110:5,6. (5.) That the power and honour of Messiah the prince shall grow and increase more and more: He shall give strength unto his king, for the accomplishing of his great undertaking (Ps 89:21, and see Lu 22:43), strengthen him to go through the difficulties of his humiliation, and in his exaltation he will lift up the head (Ps 110:7), lift up the horn, the power and honour, of his anointed, and make him higher than the kings of the earth, Ps 89:27. This crowns the triumph, and is, more than any thing, the matter of her exultation. Her horn is exalted (1Sa 2:1) because she foresees the horn of the Messiah will be so. This secures the hope. The subjects of Christ's kingdom will be safe, and the enemies of it will be ruined, for the anointed, the Lord Christ, is girded with strength, and is able to save and destroy unto the uttermost.
11-26
Samuel in the Sanctuary; The Wickedness of Eli's Sons (1130 BC)
撒母耳在圣所事奉；以利之子的恶行（主前1130年）
¹¹ 以利加拿往拉玛回自己的家去了。那童子却在祭司以利面前事奉耶和华。 ¹² 以利的两个儿子是恶人，不认识耶和华。 ¹³ 凡献祭的人来看的时候，祭司的仆人就来，肉正煮的时候手里拿三齿叉子， ¹⁴ 将叉子往盆里，或锅，或釜，或鼎里一插，叉上来的肉祭司都取了去。凡上到示罗的以色列人，他们都是这样待他们。 ¹⁵ 又有未烧脂油以前，祭司的仆人来对献祭的人说，将肉给祭司烤罢。他不要煮过的，要生的。 ¹⁶ 献祭的人若对他说，必须先烧脂油，然后你可以随意拿去。他必回答说，你立时给我，不然我就抢去。 ¹⁷ 如此，这少年人的罪在耶和华面前甚重了，因为他们藐视献给耶和华的祭物。 ¹⁸ 那时撒母耳还是孩子，穿着细麻的以弗得，事奉耶和华。 ¹⁹ 他母亲每年为他做一件小外袍，同着丈夫上来献年祭的时候带来给他。 ²⁰ 以利为以利加拿和他的妻祝福，说，愿耶和华由这妇人再赐你后裔，代替你借给耶和华的。他们就回本城去了。 ²¹ 耶和华眷顾哈拿，她就怀孕生了三个儿子两个女儿。那孩子撒母耳在耶和华面前渐渐长大。 ²² 以利年甚老迈，听见他两个儿子待以色列众人的一切事，又听见他们与会幕门前聚集的妇人苟合。 ²³ 他就对他们说，你们为何行这样的事呢？我从这众百姓听见了你们的恶行。 ²⁴ 我儿阿，不可这样，因为我听见你们的风声不好，使耶和华的百姓犯了罪。 ²⁵ 人若得罪人，有士师审判他。人若得罪耶和华，谁能为他祈求呢？然而他们还是不听父亲的话，因为耶和华想要杀他们。 ²⁶ 孩子撒母耳渐渐长大，耶和华与人越发喜爱他。
在这些经文中，我们看见以利加拿一家的好品格与好光景，以及以利一家的坏品格与坏光景。这两家的记述在全段中显然交织在一起，仿佛历史家有意把两家并列对照，使之彼此映衬。以利加拿一家的敬虔与井然有序，越发显出以利家的罪无可推诿；而以利众子的恶行，则使撒母耳幼年的敬虔显得更加明朗辉煌。
I. 让我们看看以利加拿家中凡事何等顺遂，并且比从前更为美好。1. 以利在他们把小儿子送进耶和华的殿以后，用祝福为他们送行（1Sa 2:20）。他如同有权柄的人一样祝福说：愿耶和华因你借给耶和华的缘故，由这妇人再多赐你儿女。 倘若哈拿当时已经儿女众多，把众多中的一个分别出来事奉会幕，就算不得什么慷慨的敬虔之举；但她只有一个，是她所爱、独一无二的孩子，是她的以撒，把他献给耶和华，这种英雄式的敬虔决不应失去赏赐。正如亚伯拉罕献以撒之后得了众多后裔的应许（Ge 22:16,17），照样哈拿将撒母耳当作活祭献给耶和华之后也是如此。当记念：凡借给耶和华的，他必连本带利偿还，对我们有说不出的益处，且常常是同类相偿。哈拿让出一个孩子归给神，结果得着五个作为报答；因为以利的祝福发生了效力（1Sa 2:21）：她生了三个儿子两个女儿。 借给神或为神失丧的，毫无所失；将来必得百倍归还（Mt 19:29）。2. 他们回到自己的居所。这一点经文两次提及（1Sa 2:11，又1Sa 2:20）。在神的殿中事奉、称颂他、又受他赐福，原是极美的事。但他们在本家还有当尽的本分，便回到那里去，欢欢喜喜地把亲爱的小孩留在身后，因为他们知道把他留在了好地方；并不见他为父母哭别，反倒愿意留下，正如父母愿意离开他一般，可见他这么早就丢弃孩子气的事，表现得像成人。3. 他们带着年祭恒常到神的殿前敬拜（1Sa 2:19）。他们并不以为儿子在那里事奉就可以免去自己的本分，也不以为那一祭可以替代其他祭物；他们既然已经尝过亲近神的益处，便不肯错过任何所定的节期，如今在示罗又多了一个吸引他们前去的缘由。我们可以推想他们往示罗看孩子一年不止一次，因为拉玛离示罗不过十里之遥；但一年一度的探访被记下，是因为那时他们带年祭来，那时哈拿为儿子预备（有人以为一年不止一次）了一套新衣，就是一件小外袍（1Sa 2:19），并一切附属之物。她在撒母耳于会幕学徒期间，承担为他供衣的责任，并悉心照料，使他在事奉时显得更加端正可观，也勉励他在初学为善的路上长进。父母无论儿女在身边或不在身边，都当顾念他们，凡所需用的不可缺欠；然而顺命有望、事奉主的儿女，更当加倍关顾疼爱。4. 童子撒母耳凡事尽都顺利。本段四次特别提到他，所述的有两件事：（1）他对耶和华所尽的事奉。他实在行得好，因为他事奉耶和华（1Sa 2:11,18），照着他力量所能的而行。他学了他的教义问答，专心于灵修，又早早就学会了阅读，并以律法书为乐，这样他就事奉耶和华。他在以利面前事奉，即在以利的督导之下，照以利所吩咐的而行；并不在以利的众子面前事奉；众人都同意这些人不配作他的师傅。或许他直接伺候以利本人，按以利所需 Fetch 来、递过去，这就称为事奉耶和华。他或许也在祭坛周围做些小事，虽远未到律法所定利未人事奉的年龄。他能点烛，能执盘，能跑腿传话，能关门；因为他怀着敬虔的心做这些事，所以称之为事奉耶和华，神也特别看重。后来他所作所为甚得主人喜悦，以利便指派他像祭司一样穿细麻以弗得事奉（虽然他不是祭司），因为以利看出神与他同在。当记念：小孩子当趁早学会事奉耶和华。父母当训练他们如此行，神必悦纳。尤其当教他们尊敬师傅，如撒母耳之敬以利。人开始敬虔决不会太早。参见 Ps 8:2，Mt 21:15,16。（2）他从耶和华所得的福：他在耶和华面前渐渐长大，如嫩芽一般（1Sa 2:21），又渐渐长进（1Sa 2:26），身量、智慧，尤其是办事的聪明与才干，都一齐增长。当记念：少年人若尽力事奉神，就必得着恩典长进，使他能更好地事奉。凡栽于耶和华殿中的，必发旺（Ps 92:13）。神与人喜爱他的心，都一齐增长。 当记念：这是勉励孩童趁早受教、行善、为义的大鼓励；他们若如此行，神与人都必爱他们。这样的孩子，是天地共同的宠儿。这里论撒母耳的话，也是论我们可称颂的救主——那位伟大典范——的话（Lu 2:52）。
II. 现在让我们看看以利家中凡事何等不顺，尽管他的家就坐落在会幕的门口。离教会越近，离神越远。
- 以利众子可憎的恶行（1Sa 2:12）：以利的儿子是恶人。 这是 emphatic 的表达。除了他们败坏以外不见有别的记载，然而以利本人实在是个好人，无疑把儿子教得很好，给他们好教训，立好榜样，又多次为他们祷告；可是他们长大后竟成了恶人，成了亵渎邪僻之徒，成了十足的浪子：他们不认识耶和华。 他们对于神和他的律法不可能没有观念上的认识，有知识的样式（Ro 2:20）；然而因为他们的行为与知识不相称，就被称为对神毫无认识；他们活着仿佛对神毫无所知。当记念：父母不能把恩典传给儿女，恩典也不在血统中传流。许多自身真诚敬虔的人，却亲眼看见从自己所出的人声名狼藉、亵渎邪僻；因为快跑的未必能赢。 以利是以色列的大祭司兼士师。他的众子凭出生就是祭司。他们的职分神圣而尊荣，因名誉的缘故也有责任守规矩。他们住在行政与事奉两重职分的源头，但他们竟成了恶人，他们的尊荣、权柄与学问使他们越发败坏。他们没有去事奉别神，像那些离祭坛远的人那样，因为他们的财富与尊荣都是从神的殿得来的；然而更糟的是，他们把事奉神当作事奉外邦粪堆上的偶像一般来办理。究竟哪一样更羞辱神，偶像崇拜还是亵渎，特别是祭司的亵渎，实在难说。让我们看看以利众子的恶行；这是令人痛心的景象。
（1）他们亵渎了耶和华的祭物，借此为自己取利，更确切地说是借以纵欲。神原已从祭物中为他们安排了足够的供应。耶和华的火祭原是他们收入的一大宗，但还不够满足他们；他们所事奉的不是以色列的神，而是自己的肚腹（Ro 16:18），正如先知所说，是不知足的贪食之狗（Isa 56:11）。[1.] 他们抢夺献祭的人，强取平安祭中属献祭者自己的一部分据为己有。祭司当得的份乃是摇祭的胸与举祭的腿（Le 7:34），但这些不能满足他们；当肉为献祭者与其亲友敬虔地同享而正煮的时候，他们差仆人拿三齿叉子来，叉入锅中，凡叉上来的祭司都要（1Sa 2:13,14）；百姓出于极大的敬畏，竟容让这事成了惯例，日久之后便有人以惯例为由为这明显的恶行辩护。[2.] 他们竟越过神自己，侵占神的份。使人疲乏的岂算为小，他们竟使我的神疲乏（Isa 7:13）。要为以色列人说句公道话：百姓虽对他们无理的要求默默顺从，却非常关切神不可被抢夺：必须先烧脂油（1Sa 2:16）。祭坛当得的不可少，那才是要紧的。神若得不到脂油，他们吃肉也吃不出味道来。可耻的是祭司竟需要百姓来提醒他们尽本分；然而他们毫不理会。祭司要先得伺候，脂油也任他随意取去，因为他厌弃煮的肉，非要烤的不可；为了烤，他们必须给他生的；献祭的人若与他争论——不是为自己的份（祭司尽可取他当取的），而是为祭坛（应当先烧脂油）——连祭司的仆人已骄横到一种地步，要么立刻给他，要么强抢而去，再没有比这更大的亵渎神、欺压百姓的事了。其结果，第一，神不喜悦：这少年人在耶和华面前的罪甚重（1Sa 2:17）。再没有比亵渎圣物、用人献给耶和华的祭物来服事自己的私欲更惹动神怒气的了。第二，宗教因此受害：人竟藐视耶和华的祭物。 一切敬虔人都藐视他们对祭物的处理，又有许多人因此不知不觉地连祭物本身也一同轻看了。百姓因神的制度而看轻神，这是百姓的罪；但祭司给他们机会如此行，罪就更大了。再没有比传道人的贪婪、纵欲与专横更能使宗教蒙羞的了。在这悲痛的记述中，撒母耳的敬虔被反复提及。然而撒母耳在耶和华面前事奉，这是神奇妙恩典的明证，使他在这一群恶人中保持纯洁敬虔；这也帮助挽回会幕在百姓心中日益坠落的声望，因为百姓尽管可以尽情控诉以利的众子，却不能不钦佩撒母耳的端肃，并因他的缘故对宗教说好话。
（2）他们勾引那些来到会幕门口敬拜的妇女（1Sa 2:22）。他们各有自己的妻，却像喂饱的马（Jer 5:8）一般。若去妓院、寻娼妓，已是可憎的恶行；然而他们利用自己作为祭司对那些敬虔倾向、热心宗教的妇女所具有的影响力，引诱她们与他们同犯罪，这种可怖的亵渎实在令人难以想象自称为祭司的人竟能犯得出来。诸天哪，要因此惊奇；地阿，要因此战栗！ 这种恶行，言辞不足以形容其卑劣。
- 以利因此向众子所发的责备：以利年甚老迈（1Sa 2:22），已不能像从前那样亲自督察会幕的事奉，便把一切都交在众子手中；他们因他年迈体衰便轻视他，任意妄为。然而有人把众子的恶行告诉他，我们可想而知这是何等令他心碎，又给他年迈的重担加了多少；但似乎他直到听见他们勾引妇女的事，才决心给他们一点责备。倘若他早为他们的贪婪纵欲加以斥责，这恶或可防止。少年人一显出放肆之态，便当立即指摘，免得他们的心刚硬。现在论他所给的责备，请注意，
（1）这责备极其公义合理。他的话非常得当。[1.] 他告诉他们事实既明显无法否认，又已公开不能掩饰：我从这众百姓听见了你们的恶行（1Sa 2:23）。这不是一两个人的疑传，而是许多人的公认见证；所有邻舍都为你们羞愧，把申诉带到我这里来，指望我伸冤。[2.] 他向他们指出后果之恶劣：他们不仅自己犯罪，还使以色列人犯罪，将来要为百姓的罪与自己的罪一同受审。你们本当使许多人离开罪孽（Mal 2:6），你们却使耶和华的百姓犯罪，非但不改革百姓，反而败坏他们；人看见以色列的神如此被人轻慢地事奉，便受诱惑去事奉别神。[3.] 他警告他们因此而陷入的危险（1Sa 2:25）。他向他们暗示神后来所告诉他的话：这罪孽不能用祭物或礼物赎去（1Sa 3:14）。人若得罪人，有士师（即祭司，许多案件他被指定为审判官，De 17:9）可以审判他，可以承接他的案，为之仲裁，并为犯罪者赎罪；但人若得罪耶和华（即若祭司亵渎圣物，若替别人办理属神之事的人自己反侮辱神），谁能为他祈求呢？ 以利自己作士师，屡次为犯罪者代求；但他说，你们得罪耶和华，即"在那些直接属乎他、又借以与他相和的事上违犯他的律法与尊荣，我怎能替你们祈求呢？" 他们的光景实在可悲，连自己的父亲都不能为他们说句好话，也无颜出来作他们的辩护人。违背解药、违背赎罪之本的罪最为危险，是践踏神儿子的血，那时就再没有赎罪的祭了（Heb 10:26）。
（2）这责备太轻太温和。他原当严严责备他们。他们的罪当受严厉；他们的性情也需要严厉；软弱的处置只会使他们更加刚硬。他说风声不好时，这责备实在太轻了；他本当说："这是可耻可憎的事，绝不可容忍！" 无论是因爱他们还是因怕他们而如此温柔回护，都确实表明他缺乏为神与他圣所尊荣发热心的心。他把他们交在神的审判之下，但自己既为大祭司又作士师，原当亲自查究他们的罪，加以约束惩罚。他所说的都对，却不够。当记念：有时候我们必须使我们责备的话更加锋利。有些人要用惧怕去拯救（Jude 1:23）。3. 他们对这责备的顽梗。他的宽容丝毫没有感动他们：他们不听父亲的话，尽管他也是士师。他们既不顾他的权柄，也不顾他的亲情；这对他们是沉沦的明显记号；这是因为耶和华想要杀他们。他们长久以来一直刚硬己心，如今神就在公义的审判中任凭他们心里刚硬，烙焦良心，收回他们屡次抵挡、已经失丧的恩典。当记念：对智慧的责备充耳不闻的人，明显是被标上毁灭的记号。主已经定意将他们剪除（2Ch 25:16）。见 Pr 29:1。紧接着这话，撒母耳的顺服再次被提及（1Sa 2:26），为要使他们顽梗更加羞愧：孩子撒母耳渐渐长大。 恩典属乎神自己；他不赐给大祭司的众子，却赐给一个乡间无名利未人的孩子。
英文原文
Samuel in the Sanctuary; The Wickedness of Eli's Sons (1130 BC)
¹¹ And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.
¹² Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
¹³ And the priests' custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;
¹⁴ And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.
¹⁵ Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
¹⁶ And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.
¹⁷ Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
¹⁸ But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
¹⁹ Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
²⁰ And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home.
²¹ And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.
²² Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
²³ And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.
²⁴ Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD's people to transgress.
²⁵ If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.
²⁶ And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.
In these verses we have the good character and posture of Elkanah's family, and the bad character and posture of Eli's family. The account of these two is observably interwoven throughout this whole paragraph, as if the historian intended to set the one over against the other, that they might set off one another. The devotion and good order of Elkanah's family aggravated the iniquity of Eli's house; while the wickedness of Eli's sons made Samuel's early piety appear the more bright and illustrious.
I. Let us see how well things went in Elkanah's family and how much better than formerly. 1. Eli dismissed them from the house of the Lord, when they had entered their little son there, with a blessing, 1Sa 2:20. He blessed as one having authority: The Lord give thee more children of this woman, for the loan that is lent to the Lord. If Hannah had then had many children, it would not have been such a generous piece of piety to part with one out of many for the service of the tabernacle; but when she had but one, an only one whom she loved, her Isaac, to present him to the Lord was such an act of heroic piety as should by no means lose its reward. As when Abraham had offered Isaac he received the promise of a numerous issue (Ge 22:16,17), so did Hannah, when she had presented Samuel unto the Lord a living sacrifice. Note, What is lent to the Lord will certainly be repaid with interest, to our unspeakable advantage, and oftentimes in kind. Hannah resigns one child to God, and is recompensed with five; for Eli's blessing took effect (1Sa 2:21): She bore three sons and two daughters. There is nothing lost by lending to God or losing for him; it shall be repaid a hundred-fold, Mt 19:29. 2. They returned to their own habitation. This is twice mentioned, 1Sa 2:11, and again 1Sa 2:20. It was very pleasant to attend at God's house, to bless him, and to be blessed of him. But they have a family at home that must be looked after, and thither they return, cheerfully leaving the dear little one behind them, knowing they left him in a good place; and it does not appear that he cried after them, but was as willing to stay as they were to leave him, so soon did he put away childish things and behave like a man. 3. They kept up their constant attendance at the house of God with their yearly sacrifice, 1Sa 2:19. They did not think that their son's ministering there would excuse them, or that that offering must serve instead of other offerings; but, having found the benefit of drawing near to God, they would omit no appointed season for it, and now they had one loadstone more in Shiloh to draw them thither. We may suppose they went thither to see their child oftener than once a year, for it was not ten miles from Ramah; but their annual visit is taken notice of because then they brought their yearly sacrifice, and then Hannah fitted up her son (and some think oftener than once a year) with a new suit of clothes, a little coat (1Sa 2:19) and every thing belonging to it. She undertook to find him with clothes during his apprenticeship at the tabernacle, and took care he should be well provided, that he might appear the more decent and sightly in his ministration, and to encourage him in his towardly beginnings. Parents must take care that their children want nothing that is fit for them, whether they are with them or from them; but those that are dutiful and hopeful, and minister to the Lord, must be thought worthy of double care and kindness. 4. The child Samuel did very well. Four separate times he is mentioned in these verses, and two things we are told of:—(1.) The service he did to the Lord. He did well indeed, for he ministered to the Lord (1Sa 2:11,18) according as his capacity was. He learned his catechism and was constant to his devotions, soon learned to read, and took a pleasure in the book of the law, and thus he ministered to the Lord. He ministered before Eli, that is, under his inspection, and as he ordered him, not before Eli's sons; all parties were agreed that they were unfit to be his tutors. Perhaps he attended immediately on Eli's person, was ready to him to fetch and bring as he had occasion, and that is called ministering to the Lord. Some little services perhaps he was employed in about the altar, though much under the age appointed by the law for the Levites' ministration. He could light a candle, or hold a dish, or run on an errand, or shut a door; and, because he did this with a pious disposition of mind it is called ministering to the Lord, and great notice is taken of it. After awhile he did his work so well that Eli appointed that he should minister with a linen ephod as the priests did (though he was no priest), because he saw that God was with him. Note, Little children must learn betimes to minister to the Lord. Parents must train them up to it, and God will accept them. Particularly let them learn to pay respect to their teachers, as Samuel to Eli. None can begin too soon to be religious. See Ps 8:2, Mt 21:15,16. (2.) The blessing he received from the Lord: He grew before the Lord, as a tender plant (1Sa 2:21), grew on (1Sa 2:26) in strength and stature, and especially in wisdom and understanding and fitness for business. Note, Those young people that serve God as well as they can will obtain grace to improve, that they may serve him better. Those that are planted in God's house shall flourish, Ps 92:13. He was in favour with the Lord and with man. Note, It is a great encouragement to children to be tractable, and virtuous, and good betimes, that if they be both God and man will love them. Such children are the darlings both of heaven and earth. What is here said of Samuel is said of our blessed Saviour, that great example, Lu 2:52.
II. Let us now see how ill things went in Eli's family, though seated at the very door of the tabernacle. The nearer the church the further from God.
1. The abominable wickedness of Eli's sons (1Sa 2:12): The sons of Eli were sons of Belial. It is emphatically expressed. Nothing appears to the contrary but that Eli himself was a very good man, and no doubt had educated his sons well, giving them good instructions, setting them good examples, and putting up many a good prayer for them; and yet, when they grew up, they proved sons of Belial, profane wicked men, and arrant rakes: They knew not the Lord. They could not but have a notional knowledge of God and his law, a form of knowledge (Ro 2:20), yet, because their practice was not conformable to it, they are spoken of as wholly ignorant of God; they lived as if they knew nothing at all of God. Note, Parents cannot give grace to their children, nor does it run in the blood. Many that are sincerely pious themselves live to see those that come from them notoriously impious and profane; for the race is not to the swift. Eli was high priest and judge in Israel. His sons were priests by their birth. Their character was sacred and honourable, and obliged them, for their reputation-sake, to observe decorum. They were resident at the fountain-head both of magistracy and ministry, and yet they were sons of Belial, and their honour, power, and learning, made them so much the worse. They did not go to serve other gods, as those did that lived at a distance from the altar, for from the house of God they had their wealth and dignity; but, which was worse, they managed the service of God as if he had been one of the dunghill deities of the heathen. It is hard to say which dishonours God more, idolatry or profaneness, especially the profaneness of the priests. Let us see the wickedness of Eli's sons; and it is a sad sight.
(1.) They profaned the offerings of the Lord, and made a gain to themselves, or rather a gratification of their own luxury, out of them. God had provided competently for them out of the sacrifices. The offerings of the Lord made by fire were a considerable branch of their revenue, but not enough to please them; they served not the God of Israel, but their own bellies (Ro 16:18), being such as the prophet calls greedy dogs that can never have enough, Isa 56:11. [1.] They robbed the offerers, and seized for themselves some of their part of the sacrifice of the peace-offerings. The priests had for their share the wave-breast and the heave shoulder (Le 7:34), but these did not content them; when the flesh was boiling for the offerer to feast upon religiously with his friends, they sent a servant with a flesh-hook of three teeth, a trident, and that must be stuck into the pot, and whatever that brought up the priest must have (1Sa 2:13,14), and the people, out of their great veneration, suffered this to grow into a custom, so that after awhile prescription was pleaded for this manifest wrong. [2.] They stepped in before God himself, and encroached upon his right too. As if it were a small thing to weary men, they wearied my God also, Isa 7:13. Be it observed, to the honour of Israel, that though the people tamely yielded to their unwarrantable demands from them, yet they were very solicitous that God should not be robbed: Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, 1Sa 2:16. Let the altar have its due, for that is the main matter. Unless God have the fat, they can feast with little comfort upon the flesh. It was a shame that the priests should need to be thus admonished by the people of their duty; but they regarded not the admonition. The priest will be served first, and will take what he thinks fit of the fat too, for he is weary of boiled meat, he must have roast, and, in order to that, they must give it to him raw; and if the offerer dispute it, though not in his own favour (let the priest take what he pleases of his part) but in favour of the altar (let them be sure to burn the fat first), even the priest's servant had grown so very imperious that he would either have it now or take it by force, than which there could not be a greater affront to God nor a greater abuse to the people. The effect was, First, That God was displeased: The sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, 1Sa 2:17. Nothing is more provoking to God than the profanation of sacred things, and men serving their lusts with the offerings of the Lord. Secondly, That religion suffered by it: Men abhorred the offerings of the Lord. All good men abhorred their management of the offerings, and too many insensibly fell into a contempt of the offerings themselves for their sakes. It was the people's sin to think the worse of God's institutions, but it was the much greater sin of the priests that gave them occasion to do so. Nothing brings a greater reproach upon religion than ministers' covetousness, sensuality, and imperiousness. In the midst of this sad story comes in the repeated mention of Samuel's devotion. But Samuel ministered before the Lord, as an instance of the power of God's grace, in preserving him pure and pious in the midst of this wicked crew; and this helped to keep up the sinking credit of the sanctuary in the minds of the people, who, when they had said all they could against Eli's sons, could not but admire Samuel's seriousness, and speak well of religion for his sake.
(2.) They debauched the women that came to worship at the door of the tabernacle, 1Sa 2:22. They had wives of their own, but were like fed horses, Jer 5:8. To have gone to the harlots' houses, the common prostitutes, would have been abominable wickedness, but to use the interest which as priests they had in those women that had devout dispositions and were religiously inclined, and to bring them to commit their wickedness, was such horrid impiety as one can scarcely think it possible that men who called themselves priests should ever be guilty of. Be astonished, O heavens! at this, and tremble, O earth! No words can sufficiently express the villany of such practices as these.
2. The reproof which Eli gave his sons for this their wickedness: Eli was very old (1Sa 2:22) and could not himself inspect the service of the tabernacle as he had done, but left all to his sons, who, because of the infirmities of his age, slighted him, and did what they would. However, he was told of the wickedness of his sons, and we may well imagine what a heart-breaking it was to him, and how much it added to the burdens of his age; but it should seem he did not so much as reprove them till he heard of their debauching the women, and then he thought fit to give them a check. Had he rebuked them for their greediness and luxury, this might have been prevented. Young people should be told of their faults as soon as it is perceived that they begin to be extravagant, lest their hearts be hardened. Now concerning the reproof he gave them observe,
(1.) That it was very just and rational. That which he said was very proper. [1.] He tells them that the matter of fact was too plain to be denied and too public to be concealed: "I hear of your evil dealings by all this people, 1Sa 2:23. It is not the surmise of one or two, but the avowed testimony of many; all your neighbours cry out shame on you, and bring their complaints to me, expecting that I should redress the grievance." [2.] He shows them the bad consequences of it, that they not only sinned, but made Israel to sin, and would have the people's sin to answer for as well as their own: "You that should turn men from iniquity (Mal 2:6), you make the Lord's people to transgress, and corrupt the nation instead of reforming it; you tempt people to go and serve other gods when they see the God of Israel so ill served." [3.] He warns them of the danger they brought themselves into by it, 1Sa 2:25. He intimates to them what God afterwards told him, that the iniquity would not be purged with sacrifice nor offering, 1Sa 3:14. If one man sin against another, the judge (that is, the priest, who was appointed to be the judge in many cases, De 17:9) shall judge him, shall undertake his cause, arbitrate the matter, and make atonement for the offender; but if a man sin against the Lord (that is, if a priest profane the holy things of the Lord, if a man that deals with God for others do himself affront him) who shall entreat for him? Eli was himself a judge, and had often made intercession for transgressors, but, says he, "You that sin against the Lord," that is, "against the law and honour of God, in those very things which immediately pertain to him, and by which reconciliation is to be made, how can I entreat for you?" Their condition was deplorable indeed when their own father could not speak a good word for them, nor could have the face to appear as their advocate. Sins against the remedy, the atonement itself, are most dangerous, treading under foot the blood of the covenant, for then there remains no more sacrifice, Heb 10:26.
(2.) It was too mild and gentle. He should have rebuked them sharply. Their crimes deserved sharpness; their temper needed it; the softness of his dealing with them would but harden them the more. The animadversion was too easy when he said, It is no good report. he should have said, "It is a shameful scandalous thing, and not to be suffered!" Whether it was because he loved them or because he feared them that he dealt thus tenderly with them, it was certainly an evidence of his want of zeal for the honour of God and his sanctuary. He bound them over to God's judgment, but he should have taken cognizance of their crimes himself, as high priest and judge, and have restrained and punished them. What he said was right, but it was not enough. Note, It is sometimes necessary that we put an edge upon the reproofs we give. There are those that must be saved with fear, Jude 1:23. 3. Their obstinacy against this reproof. His lenity did not at all work upon them: They hearkened not to their father, though he was also a judge. They had no regard either to his authority or to his affection, which was to them an evident token of perdition; it was because the Lord would slay them. They had long hardened their hearts, and now God, in a way of righteous judgment, hardened their hearts, and seared their consciences, and withheld from them the grace they had resisted and forfeited. Note, Those that are deaf to the reproofs of wisdom are manifestly marked for ruin. The Lord has determined to destroy them, 2Ch 25:16. See Pr 29:1. Immediately upon this, Samuel's tractableness is again mentioned (1Sa 2:26), to shame their obstinacy: The child Samuel grew. God's grace is his own; he denied it to the sons of the high priest and gave it to the child of an obscure country Levite.
27-36
Eli and His House Threatened (1128 BC)
以利和他全家受警告（主前1128年）
²⁷ 有神人来见以利，对他说：「耶和华如此说：你祖父在埃及法老家里的时候，我不是向他们显现吗？ ²⁸ 在以色列众支派中，我不是拣选他作我的祭司，上我的祭坛，烧香，在我面前穿以弗得吗？我不是将以色列人献的火祭都赐给你父家吗？ ²⁹ 我所吩咐献在我居所的祭物，你们为何践踏？你为何尊重你的儿子过于尊重我，将以色列人所献美好的祭物肥己呢？」 ³⁰ 耶和华以色列的 神说：「我曾说，你的家和你的父家必永远行在我面前；现在耶和华却说：断不可如此。因为尊重我的，我必看重他；藐视我的，他必被轻视。 ³¹ 日子必到，我必折断你的膀臂和你父家的膀臂，使你家中没有一个老年人。 ³² 在 神使以色列人享福的时候，你必看见我居所的败落。你家中必永远没有一个老年人。 ³³ 我必不从我坛前全然灭尽你家中的人。那未灭的必使你眼目失明，心中忧伤。你家中所生的人必死在中年。 ³⁴ 你的两个儿子何弗尼、非尼哈所要遭遇的事，可作你的兆头：他们必一日同死。 ³⁵ 我要为自己兴起一个忠心的祭司，他必照我的心意而行。我要为他建立坚固的家，他必永远行在我的受膏者面前。 ³⁶ 你家中所剩下的人都必来向他叩拜，求一块银子、一块饼，说：求你赐我一个祭司的职分，使我可以得点饼吃。」
以利责备他儿子过于温和，没有照所当行的警告他们；因此 神差遣一位先知来严厉地责备他、警告他，因为他纵容他们，加强他们的手去行恶。敬虔人若在他们的本分上有所亏欠，因他们的疏忽和松懈对罪人的罪有所助益，就当预备既要听见这事，又要为此受苦。以利的家如今比地上「万族」更亲近 神，「因此他必刑罚」他们（摩3:2）。这信息是送给以利本人，因为 神要领他悔改、拯救他；不送给他的儿子，因 神已定意毁灭他们。这本可作使他末了尽本分的途径，因而防止审判；但我们未见这事在他身上有多大果效。这位先知从 神所传的信息十分贴切。
一、他提醒他 神向他的父家和他全家所作的大事。 神曾在埃及（出4:27），在为奴之家，向亚伦显现，作为他所设计要赐他更大恩惠的凭据（撒上2:27）。 神把他升到祭司的职分，使这职分作为产业归于他的家，藉此使他的家在以色列诸家族中最为尊贵。 神把尊荣的工作交托给他——在 神的坛上献祭、「烧香」、穿那内含审判胸牌的以弗得。 神又把尊荣的供养定给他——从「一切火祭」中得一分（撒上2:28）。 神还能为他们作什么更多，以激励他们向他忠心呢？注意，我们从 神所领受那与众不同的恩惠，尤其属灵祭司职分的恩惠，使罪加重，在我们算账之日若亵渎冠冕、辜负所托，必被记念起来（申32:6；撒下12:7-8）。
二、他对他和他的家提出严重的控告。他的儿子行了恶事，他纵容，因此自己也牵涉在罪中；控状因此告在他们众人身上（撒上2:29）。1. 他的儿子不敬地亵渎了 神的圣物：「『你们践踏我所吩咐的祭物』；不仅践踏那制度，以为卑下，更是嫌恶它，当作束缚你、你所恨的事。」他们既对耶和华的祭物行了我们所读到的那一切暴行和抢夺，便是尽了想象所能及的侮辱；他们暴力地抢夺那些锅——其上实际上是写「归耶和华为圣」的（亚14:20）——又把 神所定当烧在他坛上的脂油据为己有。2. 以利纵容他们，不惩治他们的狂妄和不敬：「你『尊重你的儿子过于尊重我』」，即「你宁可看见我的祭物被他们亵渎，也不愿看见你的儿子因如此行而受法律的斥责——这斥责原当施行，甚至到停职和撤职的地步（ab officio et beneficio——失去职位及其利益）。」容让儿女行恶、不加管教、不用权柄约束惩治的人，实际上是「尊重他们过于尊重 神」——更顾惜他们的名声过于 神的荣耀，更愿意迁就他们过于尊荣他。3. 他们都分受了这亵渎的赃物。只怕以利自己虽然不喜欢、责备他们所行的滥用，却不肯不吃他们亵渎得来的烤肉（撒上2:15）。他是个「肥胖沉重的人」（撒上4:18），所以这罪状是加在全家身上（虽然主要是何弗尼和非尼哈犯罪）：「你们将以色列人祭物中至好的肥己。」 神给他们足够的食物，但那不够；他们肥己，用以事奉私欲的，正是当用来事奉 神的。看何4:8。
三、他宣告大祭司职分的世袭从他家中断绝（撒上2:30）：「耶和华以色列的 神」——为他自己的尊荣和以色列的尊荣发热心——「如此说，并叫你知道，你的职任已被撤销、被取缔。」「我曾说，你的家和你父以他玛的家（因以利是亚伦小儿子以他玛的后裔）『必永远行在我面前』。」大祭司的尊荣是何时从以利亚撒家转到以他玛家的，不得而知；但似乎这事已经作了，以利本可盼望这尊荣永远传给他的后裔。但请注意，这应许本身带着自己的条件：「他们必永远行在我面前」，即「他们若忠心作事奉，就必得这尊荣」。「行在 神面前」是恩约的大条件（创17:1）。他们若把我摆在他们面前，我也必把他们常常摆在我面前（诗41:12），不然就不然。但如今主说：「断不可如此。」「你们既丢弃我，如今只能期望我丢弃你们；你们不愿照所当行的行在我面前，所以你们也不能。」这样又恶又恶的仆人， 神必废弃，赶出他的事奉之外。有人以为这赐予的收回有更远的含义：不仅不久之后在以利的后裔被废时，撒督（以利亚撒的后裔）被立在亚比亚他的位置上得以应验；更要在基督的祭司职分彻底废除利未祭司职分时，才得着完全的应验。
四、他为这撤销提出好理由，取自 神治理中一个固定常存的法则，一切人都当指望照此受对付（如该隐所受试验的法则，创4:7）：「尊重我的，我必看重他；藐视我的，他必被轻视。」
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笼统地留意，（1） 神是尊荣和羞辱之源；他能使最卑微的升高，使最伟大的蒙羞。（2）我们怎样待 神，就当指望他怎样待我们，并且比我们所配得的更为恩待。看诗18:25-26。
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具体地说，（1）这话当说，为着宗教或说敬虔的永远名声——它把尊荣归给 神，也把尊荣加给人。我们藉此寻求和事奉 神的荣耀，他必不亏负任何这样行的人；在今世在来世，他必保守他们的荣耀。真正为大的途径，是真正为善。我们若为尊荣 神而自卑舍己，在其中专心仰望他，就可以倚靠这应许——他必把最好的尊荣加在我们身上。看约12:26。（2）这话当说，为着不敬或亵渎的永远羞辱——它羞辱 神（藐视那最大、最好、天使所敬拜的存在者），也必把羞辱带到人身上，因为这样行的人必被轻视；不仅 神要轻视他们（这也许他们并不在意，不像尊重他的人看重他的尊荣——所以对他们说「我必看重他们」），他们更要在全世界眼中被轻视；他们所夸的尊荣必被践踏在地；他们必看见自己在全人类眼中被藐视，他们的名成为辱骂；他们死后，他们的名必朽烂；他们复活之时，乃是「永永远远羞辱被憎恶」。他们无能的恶意加在 神和他全能公义之上的羞辱，必归到他们自己头上（诗79:12）。
五、他预言要临到他家的具体审判，作为他家永远的羞辱。咒诅要作产业传给他的后裔，这是可怕的咒诅，表明 神在他敬拜的事上何等嫉邪，那因品性和职分而负有保守、促进他荣耀之责的人，竟对所托不忠、出卖所托，他何等不悦。 神的仆人若放荡亵渎，「他们该受的刑罚何等加重」，在此处和永远，都过于别的罪人！这样的人当读这里对以利家所宣告的判决，就战兢。所警告的如下：
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他们的权柄必被折断（撒上2:31）：「我必折断你的膀臂，和你父家的膀臂。」他们必被剥去一切权柄，被废去，对百姓不再有从前那样的影响力。 神「必使他们藐视、卑贱」。看玛2:8-9。儿子们既滥用权柄欺压百姓、侵夺他们的权益，父亲又没有照所当行的使用权柄约束惩治他们，因此那没有照所当行伸出来的膀臂必被折断，这是公义的警告。
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他们的寿命必缩短。他自己是老年人；但他没有用他年岁的智慧、稳重、经验和权柄来事奉 神、扶持信仰，反而任凭老年的软弱使他在本分上更冷淡松懈；所以此处警告他的后裔中没有一人能活到老年（撒上2:31-32）。这话说了两次：「你家中必永远没有一个老年人」；又说（撒上2:33），「你家中所生的人」，代代如此，「必死在中年」，正值事奉之年；所以家族虽不灭绝，却永无可观之处，其中无一人能在他的时代显赫。帕特里克主教从一些犹太作者引用说，此后很久，耶路撒冷有个家族通常无人活过十八岁；经查考，发现他们是以利家的后裔，这判决就是落在他家身上的。
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他们的一切安慰必变苦。（1）他们在圣所、在其财富兴盛中所得的安慰：「你必看见我居所的败落」。这在非利士人的入侵和对以色列所行的祸害中应验了——那使国中贫乏（撒上13:19），祭司的收入无疑也大受亏损。约柜被掳是对 神居所所行的敌对之举，使以利心碎。一家能看见「平安归于以色列」（诗128:5-6），是福分；反之则是这家的大灾祸，尤其是祭司之家。（2）他们儿女的安慰：「『你家中我所不因非时之死而剪除的人』，必活着成为家族的污点和重担，成为亲属的羞辱和烦恼；他必『使你眼目失明』『心中忧伤』」——或因他的愚妄病弱，或因他的邪恶贫穷。为死去的儿女忧伤是大忧伤，为败坏的儿女忧伤往往更大。
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他们的产业必被消耗，并被减到极穷（撒上2:36）：「『你家中所留下存活的人』，因无以为生，必少有喜乐；必来向接续的家族屈身乞求度日。」（1）他必讨极小的赒济——「一块银子」（原文之意是最小的银子）和「一块饼」。看这怎样回答了那罪。以利的儿子们非要最好的肉块不可，他们的儿子却要为一块饼欢喜。注意，缺乏是放纵的公义刑罚。那些没有美味繁多便不满足的人，自己或其后裔被带到缺乏必需品的地步， 神如此刑罚他们显为公义。（2）他必讨最低微的职分：「求你把我安排在祭司职任里」（原文如此）；「让我作雇工中的一个吧」——那是浪子最合适的位置。丰足和权柄一旦被滥用便被没收。他们不能再自称有什么好的职分，不能在坛前有什么位置，只能恳求一份贫贱的差事，无论工作何等艰苦、工钱何等微薄，只要能得饼就好。这事大概在亚比亚他（以利之裔）被所罗门以叛国罪废黜、他和他的家被革去圣殿职务（王上2:26-27）时完全应验了；由此我们不难想象他的后裔被降到此处所形容的极端。
5. 神不久就要在何弗尼和非尼哈之死上开始执行这些审判，以利自己要活着听见这噩耗：「这必作你的兆头」（撒上2:34）。你听见这事时，要说：「如今 神的话开始运作了；这里有一个警告应验了，由此我推断其余的也必按次序应验。」何弗尼和非尼哈多次一同犯罪，这里预言他们必一同死，死在同一日。把这些稗子捆成捆，预备烧。这事在撒上4:11应验了。
六、在这一切对以利家的警告中，也包含对以色列所应许的怜悯（撒上2:35）：「我要为自己兴起一个忠心的祭司。」1. 这在撒督（以利亚撒家的人）身上应验了——他在所罗门登基之初接续亚比亚他的位置，忠心于所托；利未祭司职分存续多久，大祭司就出于他的后裔。注意，仆人虽恶，自取毁灭，却不能毁掉仆役。无论职员多坏，职分必持续到世界末了。若有人辜负所托，必有别人兴起忠心持守。 神的工作绝不因缺少人手而落空。这里说大祭司要「行在 神的受膏者面前」（即大卫和他的后裔），因为他佩着审判的胸牌，他不当为寻常事咨询，却当为王在国家事务上咨询。注意，尽管我们看见并为之哀叹的许多家庭的退化， 神必为自己保守一个接续。有人若变得更坏过于先祖，必有人为抵消那情形而变得更好。2. 这话在基督的祭司职分上得着完全的应验—— 神在利未祭司职分被废弃之后，所兴起的那位慈悲忠信的大祭司；他在凡事上行了他父的心意， 神必为他建立坚固的家，把它建立在磐石上，阴间的权柄不能胜过它。
英文原文
Eli and His House Threatened (1128 BC)
²⁷ And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?
²⁸ And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?
²⁹ Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
³⁰ Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
³¹ Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.
³² And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.
³³ And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.
³⁴ And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.
³⁵ And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.
³⁶ And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.
Eli reproved his sons too gently, and did not threaten them as he should, and therefore God sent a prophet to him to reprove him sharply, and to threaten him, because, by his indulgence of them, he had strengthened their hands in their wickedness. If good men be wanting in their duty, and by their carelessness and remissness contribute any thing to the sin of sinners, they must expect both to hear of it and to smart for it. Eli's family was now nearer to God than all the families of the earth, and therefore he will punish them, Am 3:2. The message is sent to Eli himself, because God would bring him to repentance and save him; not to his sons, whom he had determined to destroy. And it might have been a means of awakening him to do his duty at last, and so to have prevented the judgment, but we do not find it had any great effect upon him. The message this prophet delivers from God is very close.
I. He reminds him of the great things God had done for the house of his fathers and for his family. He appeared to Aaron in Egypt (Ex 4:27), in the house of bondage, as a token of further favour which he designed for him, 1Sa 2:27. He advanced him to the priesthood, entailed it upon his family, and thereby dignified it above any of the families of Israel. He entrusted him with honourable work, to offer on God's altar, to burn incense, and to wear that ephod in which was the breast-plate of judgment. He settled upon him an honourable maintenance, a share out of all the offerings made by fire, 1Sa 2:28. What could he have done more for them, to engage them to be faithful to him? Note, The distinguishing favours we have received from God, especially those of the spiritual priesthood, are great aggravations of sin, and will be remembered against us in the day of account, if we profane our crown and betray our trusts, De 32:6, 2Sa 12:7,8.
II. He exhibits a high charge against him and his family. His children did wickedly, and he connived at it, and thereby involved himself in the guilt; the indictment therefore runs against them all, 1Sa 2:29. 1. His sons had impiously profaned the holy things of God: "You kick at my sacrifice which I have commanded; not only trample upon the institution as a mean thing, but spurn at it as a thing you hate to be tied up to." They did the utmost despite imaginable to the offerings of the Lord when they committed all that outrage and rapine about them that we read of, and violently plundered the pots on which, in effect, Holiness to the Lord was written (Zec 14:20), and took that fat to themselves which God had appointed to be burnt on his altar. 2. Eli had bolstered them up in it, by not punishing their insolence and impiety: "Thou for thy part honourest thy sons above me," that is, "thou hadst rather see my offerings disgraced by their profanation of them than see thy sons disgraced by a legal censure upon them for so doing, which ought to have been inflicted, even to suspension and deprivation ab officio et beneficio—of their office and its emoluments." Those that allow and countenance their children in any evil way, and do not use their authority to restrain and punish them, do in effect honour them more than God, being more tender of their reputation than of his glory and more desirous to humour them than to honour him. 3. They had all shared in the gains of the sacrilege. It is to be feared that Eli himself, though he disliked and reproved the abuses they committed, yet did not forbear to eat of the roast meat they sacrilegiously got, 1Sa 2:15. He was a fat heavy man (1Sa 4:18), and therefore it is charged upon the whole family (though Hophni and Phinehas were principally guilty), You make yourselves fat with the chief of all the offerings. God gave them sufficient to feed them, but that would not suffice; they made themselves fat, and served their lusts with that which God was to be served with. See Ho 4:8.
III. He declares the cutting off of the entail of the high priesthood from his family (1Sa 2:30): "The Lord God of Israel, who is jealous for his own honour and Israel's, says, and lets thee know it, that thy commission is revoked and superseded." I said, indeed, that thy house, and the house of thy father Ithamar (for from that younger son of Aaron Eli descended), should walk before me for ever. Upon what occasion the dignity of the high priesthood was transferred from the family of Eleazar to that of Ithamar does not appear; but it seems this had been done, and Eli stood fair to have that honour perpetuated to his posterity. But observe, the promise carried its own condition along with it: They shall walk before me forever, that is, "they shall have the honour, provided they faithfully do the service." Walking before God is the great condition of the covenant, Ge 17:1. Let them set me before their face, and I will set them before my face continually (Ps 41:12), otherwise not. But now the Lord says, Be it far from me. "Now that you cast me off you can expect no other than that I should cast you off; you will not walk before me as you should, and therefore you shall not." Such wicked and abusive servants God will discard, and turn out of his service. Some think there is a further reach in this recall of the grant, and that it was not only to be fulfilled shortly in the deposing of the posterity of Eli, when Zadok, who descended from Eleazar, was put in Abiathar's room, but it was to have its complete accomplishment at length in the total abolition of the Levitical priesthood by the priesthood of Christ.
IV. He gives a good reason for this revocation, taken from a settled and standing rule of God's government, according to which all must expect to be dealt with (like that by which Cain was tried, Ge 4:7): Those that honour me I will honour, and those that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
1. Observe in general, (1.) That God is the fountain of honour and dishonour; he can exalt the meanest and put contempt upon the greatest. (2.) As we deal with God we must expect to be dealt with by him, and yet more favourably than we deserve. See Ps 18:25,26.
2. Particularly, (1.) Be it spoken, to the everlasting reputation of religion or of serious godliness, that it gives honour to God and puts honour upon men. By it we seek and serve the glory of God, and he will be behind-hand with none that do so, but here and hereafter will secure their glory. The way to be truly great is to be truly good. If we humble and deny ourselves in any thing to honour God, and have a single eye to him in it, we may depend upon this promise, he will put the best honour upon us. See Joh 12:26. (2.) Be it spoken, to the everlasting reproach of impiety or profaneness, that this does dishonour to God (despises the greatest and best of beings, whom angels adore) and will bring dishonour upon men, for those that do so shall be lightly esteemed; not only God will lightly esteem them (that perhaps they will not regard, as those that honour him value his honour, of whom therefore it is said, I will honour them), but they shall be lightly esteemed by all the world; the very honour they are proud of shall be laid in the dust; they shall see themselves despised by all mankind, their names a reproach; when they are gone, their memory shall rot, and, when they rise again, it shall be to everlasting shame and contempt. The dishonour which their impotent malice puts upon God and his omnipotent justice will return upon their own heads, Ps 79:12.
V. He foretels the particular judgments which should come upon his family, to its perpetual ignominy. A curse should be entailed upon his posterity, and a terrible curse it is, and shows how jealous God is in the matters of his worship and how ill he takes it when those who are bound by their character and profession to preserve and advance the interests of his glory are false to their trust, and betray them. If God's ministers be vicious and profane, of how much sorer punishment will they be thought worthy, here and for ever, than other sinners! Let such read the doom here passed on Eli's house, and tremble. It is threatened,
1. That their power should be broken (1Sa 2:31): I will cut off thy arm, and the arm of thy father's house. They should be stripped of all their authority, should be deposed, and have no influence upon the people as they had had. God would make them contemptible and base. See Mal 2:8,9. The sons had abused their power to oppress the people and encroach upon their rights, and the father had not used his power, as he ought to have done, to restrain and punish them, and therefore it was justly threatened that the arm should be cut off which was not stretched out as it should have been.
2. That their lives should be shortened. He was himself an old man; but instead of using the wisdom, gravity, experience, and authority of his age, for the service of God and the support of religion, he had suffered the infirmities of age to make him more cool and remiss in his duty, and therefore it is here threatened that none of his posterity should live to be old, 1Sa 2:31,32. It is twice spoken: "There shall not be an old man in thy house for ever;" and again (1Sa 2:33), "All the increase of thy house, from generation to generation, shall die in the flower of their age, when they are in the midst of the years of their service," so that though the family should not be extinct, yet it should never be considerable, nor should any member of it come to be eminent in his day. Bishop Patrick relates, out of some of the Jewish writers, that long after this, there being a family in Jerusalem none of which commonly lived above eighteen years, upon search it was found that they descended from the house of Eli, on which this sentence was passed.
3. That all their comforts should be embittered. (1.) The comfort they had in the sanctuary, in its wealth and prosperity: Thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation. This was fulfilled in the Philistines' invasions and the mischiefs they did to Israel, by which the country was impoverished (1Sa 13:19), and no doubt the priests' incomes were thereby very much impaired. The captivity of the ark was such an act of hostility committed upon God's habitation as broke Eli's heart. As it is a blessing to a family to see peace upon Israel (Ps 128:5,6), so the contrary is a sore judgment upon a family, especially a family of priests. (2.) The comfort of their children: "The man of thine whom I shall not cut off by an untimely death shall live to be a blot and burden to the family, a scandal and vexation to his relations; he shall be to consume thy eyes and grieve thy heart, for his foolishness or his sickliness, his wickedness or his poverty." Grief for a dead child is great, but for a bad child often greater.
4. That their substance should be wasted and they should be reduced to extreme poverty (1Sa 2:36): "He that is left alive in thy house shall have little joy of his life, for want of a livelihood; he shall come and crouch to the succeeding family for a subsistence." (1.) He shall beg for the smallest alms—a piece of silver (and the word signifies the least piece) and a morsel of bread. See how this answered the sin. Eli's sons must have the best pieces of flesh, but their sons will be glad of a morsel of bread. Note, Want is the just punishment of wantonness. Those who could not be content without dainties and varieties are brought, they or theirs, to want necessaries, and the Lord is righteous in thus visiting them. (2.) He shall beg for the meanest office: Put me into somewhat belonging to the priesthood (as it is in the original); make me as one of the hired servants, the fittest place for a prodigal. Plenty and power are forfeited when they are abused. They should not be able to pretend to any good preferment, not to any place at the altar, but should petition for some poor employment, be the work ever so hard and the wages ever so small, so they might but get bread. This, it is probable, was fully accomplished when Abiathar, who was of Eli's race, was deposed by Solomon for treason, and he and his turned out of office in the temple (1Ki 2:26,27), by which it is easy to think his posterity were reduced to the extremities here described.
5. That God would shortly begin to execute these judgments in the death of Hophni and Phinehas, the sad tidings of which Eli himself should live to hear: This shall be a sign to thee, 1Sa 2:34. When thou hearest it, say, "Now the word of God begins to operate; here is one threatening fulfilled, from which I infer that all the rest will be fulfilled in their order." Hophni and Phinehas had many a time sinned together, and it is here foretold that they should die together both in one day. Bind these tares in a bundle for the fire. This was fulfilled, 1Sa 4:11.
VI. In the midst of all these threatenings against the house of Eli, here is mercy promised to Israel (1Sa 2:35): I will raise me up a faithful priest. 1. This was fulfilled in Zadoc, of the family of Eleazar, who came into Abiathar's place in the beginning of Solomon's reign, and was faithful to his trust; and the high priests were of his posterity as long as the Levitical priesthood continued. Note, The wickedness of ministers, though it destroy themselves, yet it shall not destroy the ministry. How bad soever the officers are, the office shall continue always to the end of the world. If some betray their trust, yet others shall be raised up that will be true to it. God's work shall never fall to the ground for want of hands to carry it on. The high priest is here said to walk before God's anointed (that is, David and his seed) because he wore the breast-plate of judgment, which he was to consult, not in common cases, but for the king, in the affairs of state. Note, Notwithstanding the degeneracy we see and lament in many families, God will secure to himself a succession. If some grow worse than their ancestors, others, to balance that, shall grow better. 2. It has its full accomplishment in the priesthood of Christ, that merciful and faithful high priest whom God raised up when the Levitical priesthood was thrown off, who in all things did his father's mind, and for whom God will build a sure house, build it on a rock, so that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it.
在本章中，我们看到：I. 哈拿因神赐她撒母耳的恩典而向神献上的感恩之歌（撒上2:1-10）。II. 他们回到家中，并带着以利的祝福（撒上2:11、20）；他们家庭的增长（撒上2:21）；撒母耳的成长与长进（撒上2:11、18、21、26），以及哈拿为他制作衣服的用心（撒上2:19）。III. 以利之子的极大恶行（撒上2:12-17、22）。IV. 以利对他们过于温和的责备（撒上2:23-25）。V. 神借一位先知向他送达的、令人敬畏的信息——因他众子的恶行而预告他家族的败亡（撒上2:27-36）。