MPV Commentary

Samuel's Ministry.

18. Samuel served the Lord in the tabernacle, even as a young child. He was entrusted with a linen ephod, a small apron worn by inferior priests and Levites during sacred rituals. Although not a Levite himself, Samuel had been devoted to God from birth.

19. His mother provided him with a new coat every year, aware that he couldn't yet contribute significantly to the tabernacle's work. In ancient times, women were responsible for weaving, manufacturing cloth, and making clothing.

20. Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, pronouncing a blessing that would soon be fulfilled in Hannah's family (1Sa 2:21) and Samuel's growing qualifications for service in the sanctuary.

22-24. The women who gathered at the tabernacle door were an order of holy women who had renounced worldly concerns to devote themselves to the Lord. This institution continued until the time of Christ (Luke 2:37). Eli, though generally a good man, failed to provide his family with proper moral and spiritual training. He was too lenient as a parent, often failing to discipline them for their gross misconduct. In his judicial capacity, he turned a blind eye to their flagrant abuses of power, allowing them to disregard the laws of God and the rights of the people.

25. The sons refused to listen to their father's voice because they chose not to obey him. Their own deliberate disobedience led to their downfall, rather than any predetermined fate from God.