God desired His people to look to Him alone as their Law-giver and their Source of strength. Feeling their dependence upon God, they would be constantly drawn nearer to Him. They would become elevated and ennobled, fitted for the high destiny to which He had called them as His chosen people. But when a man was placed upon the throne, it would tend to turn the minds of the people from God. They would trust more to human strength, and less to divine power, and the errors of their king would lead them into sin and separate the nation from God.

Samuel havde indsat sine sønner i dette embede med folkets fulde samtykke, men sønnerne viste sig ikke faderens tillid værdige. Herren lod Moses give folket et bestemt pålæg om, at Israels dommere skulle dømme retfærdigt, behandle enken og den faderløse korrekt og lade være med at tage imod bestikkelse. Men Samuels sønner "lod sig lede af egen fordel, tog imod bestikkelse og bøjede retten" Profetens sønner rettede sig ikke efter, hvad han havde forsøgt at indprente dem. De tog ikke ved lære af deres faders fine, uselviske eksempel. Advarselen til Eli havde ikke gjort det indtryk på Samuel, som den burde. Han havde ikke været bestemt nok over for sine sønner, og nu gav det sig udslag i deres karakter og deres opførsel.