“Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel
unto Ramah. And they said unto him: Behold, you are old, and your sons walk
not in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
As we have demonstrated in the previous essays, Samuel 8 is chock-full of salient topics. Before
moving on to Samuel 9, let us share one more piece of Abravanel’s wisdom. He contrasts
Samuel and Eli. Or, perhaps better, he presents a study of Samuel’s sons and Eli’s sons, drawing
an important conclusion.
Recall, earlier in Samuel we described Eli’s reaction, a tepid one at that, upon hearing from the
Hebrews about Hophni’s and Phineas’ scurrilous conduct. God had sent a prophet to reproach
Eli, the Hebrew judge and high priest. “Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did
unto all Israel, and how that they lay with the women that did service at the door of the tent of
meeting. And he said unto them: Why do you such things? for I hear evil reports concerning you
from all this people.”
Seemingly, Eli had doubted or downplayed his sons’ inexcusable behavior, as we don’t find an
unequivocal rebuke, let alone a paternal punishment for wayward sons. “Nay, my sons; for it is
no good report which I hear the LORD'S people do spread abroad.”
God grew cross. He dispatched a messenger to Eli. “And there came a man of God unto Eli, and
said unto him: Thus says the LORD: Did I reveal Myself unto the house of your father, when
they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh's house? And did I choose him out of all the tribes of
Israel to be My priest, to go up unto Mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before Me?
and did I give unto the house of your father all the offerings of the Children of Israel made by
fire? Wherefore kick you at My sacrifice and at Mine offering, which I have commanded in My
habitation; and honored your sons above Me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the
offerings of Israel My people?”
Promise of divine punishment ensued. “Behold, the days come, that I will cut off your arm, and
the arm of your father's house, that there shall not be an old man in your house.” Soon
thereafter, warring Philistines decimated the Jews on the battlefield, killing Hophni and
Phineas. As for Eli, upon hearing the news of the disastrous defeat that claimed the lives of
many, in addition to capturing the holy ark and bringing it to Philistine lands, Eli died a broken
man. In short, the Creator found fault with the way that Eli handled his sons’ wrongdoing. Thus,
He punished the family with a heavy hand.
But, what about Samuel? Hadn’t the prophet’s sons acted out? Had God’s displeasure and
punishment been brought to bear on him and his family? “Now the name of his first-born was
Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beer-sheba. And his sons walked
not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.”
Why, Abravanel questions, hadn’t God dispatched an angry message – and verdict – to Samuel?
Where was divine wrath in the face of Joel and Abiyah’s backsliding? Why didn’t Samuel chide
his sons? We proceed to the answer, and an important takeaway.
Back to Samuel and Eli, the last Hebrew judges. Why the glaring disparity? Here is Abravanel’s
two-tiered answer. For one thing, Eli’s sons’ sins had been perpetrated publicly. Not so with
Samuel’s sons; they wronged the people privately. Bribes are a hushed affair, taking place
behind closed doors. Hence, Samuel wasn’t aware of Joel and Abijah’s transgression. Fairly, the
prophet cannot be blamed, let alone implicated. Two, the sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas were
priests in the Tabernacle. Their infringement rates especially egregious because they betrayed
their God-given task, mission. For this, they paid with their lives. Moreover, the Maker charged
Eli, for he had been apprised of his sons’ ill-conduct. As stated, Abravanel asserts that Eli’s
rebuke was half-hearted. Looking at Samuel’s two sons, we put forth that they served as judges
by order of Samuel (not heavenly-ordained). Bribery, clearly, stinks. However, Abravanel points
out, it is not a capital offense. Apropos, punishment resulted in their removal from their posts.
Samuel’s reaction to his sons’ sins, when it did come to his attention four chapters later, is
recorded. “And now, behold, the king walks before you; and I am old and grayheaded; and,
behold, my sons are with you…” With these remarks, Abravanel teaches, Samuel recused
himself from his sons’ legal proceedings. More than that. He opened the door for peers to
punish his sons, as befit their crime. In no way, shape, or form had the hoary prophet
whitewashed his sons’ wrongs.