Eli was priest and judge in Israel. He held the highest and most responsible positions among the people of God. As a man divinely chosen for the sacred duties of the priesthood, and set over the land as the highest judicial authority, he was looked up to as an example, and he wielded a great influence over the tribes of Israel. But although he had been appointed to govern the people, he did not rule his own household. Eli was an indulgent father. Loving peace and ease, he did not exercise his authority to correct the evil habits and passions of his children. Rather than contend with them or punish them, he would submit to their will and give them their own way. Instead of regarding the education of his sons as one of the most important of his responsibilities, he treated the matter as of little consequence. The priest and judge of Israel had not been left in darkness as to the duty of restraining and governing the children that God had given to his care. But Eli shrank from this duty, because it involved crossing the will of his sons, and would make it necessary to punish and deny them. Without weighing the terrible consequences that would follow his course, he indulged his children in whatever they desired and neglected the work of fitting them for the service of God and the duties of life.

Dette kapitel er bygget op over 1 Sam 2,12-36
Eli var præst og dommer i Israel. Han beklædte de højeste og mest ansvarsfulde embeder blandt Guds folk. Gud havde valgt ham til at varetage præsteskabets hellige pligter og til at udøve den højeste dømmende myndighed i landet. Derfor så folket op til ham som et forbillede, og han øvede en vældig indflydelse over Israels stammer. Men skønt han var blevet valgt til at styre folket, styrede han ikke sit eget hus. Eli lod sine børn gøre som de ville. Han elskede fred og ro og brugte ikke sin myndighed til at rette sine børns dårlige vaner. I stedet for at gå i rette med dem eller straffe dem, gav han efter for deres ønsker og lod dem få deres vilje. Han burde have betragtet sine sønners opdragelse som en af sine vigtigste pligter, men i stedet for anså han det for at være af underordnet betydning. Israels præst og dommer var ikke uvidende om, at det var hans pligt at opdrage de børn, som Gud havde givet ham ansvaret for, men Eli gjorde ikke sin pligt, fordi han i så fald ville være blevet nødt til at bøje sine sønners vilje og straffe dem. Uden at tænke på de frygtelige følger, det kunne få, gav han sine børn alt, hvad de ønskede sig, og undlod at gøre dem skikkede til at tjene Gud og påtage sig livets pligter.