The name Elhanan occurs further as that of the son of Dodo' (2 Sam. x.xiii. 24, and 1 Chron. xi. 26), but while in Samuel he is called one of David's thirty' sheloshim)—thirty-seven heroes being enumerated—he fills the same place in the list given in the parallel passage of Chron.
as one of the valiant men' (nNenet, shalishim) ; so that there is reason to assume a corruption of the passage in Samuel.
There is another slight variation between the two readings. The locale before Beth Lehem is omitted in Sam., but is found in Chron.—This Elhanan has also been identified with the above Elhanan, principally on account of their both being natives of Beth Lehem. Some critics have sup posed that the Beth Lehemite' in 2 Sam, xxi. 19, and the Lachmi ' of i Chron. xx. 5, have crept into those passages from this ; but on these points we cannot further enlarge here.—E. D.
ELI (+3), raised up ; Sept. 'HXL), high-priest of the Jews when the ark was in Shiloh (I Sam. i. 3, 9). He was the first high-priest of the line of Rho; mar, Aaron's youngest son. This is deduced from Chron. xxiv. 3-6 (comp. Joseph. Antiy. v. 9. 1). It also appears from the omission of the names of Eli and his immediate successors in the enu meration of the high-priests of Eleazar's line in Chron. vi. 4-6. What occasioned this remark able transfer is not known—most probably the in capacity or minority of the then sole representative of the elder line ; for it is very evident that it was no unauthorised usurpation on the part of Eli (i Sam. ii. 27, z8). Eli also acted as regent or civil judge of Israel after the death of Samson. This function, indeed, seems to have been intended. by the theocratical constitution, to devolve upon the high-priest by virtue of his office, in the absence of any person specially appointed by the Divine King, to deliver and govern Israel. He is said to have judged Israel forty years (1 Sam. iv. IS) : the Sep tuagint makes it twenty ; and chronologers are di vided on the matter. But the probability seems to be that the forty years comprehend the whole period of his administration as high-priest and judge, in cluding, in the first half, the twenty years in which Samson is said to have judged Israel (Judg. xvi.
31), when some of his civil functions in southern Palestine may have been in abeyance. As Eli died at the age of ninety-eight (i Sam. iv. 15), the forty years must have commenced when he was fifty-eight years old.
Eli seems to have been a religious man ; and the only fault recorded of him was an excessive easiness of temper, most unbcfitting the high re sponsibilities of his official character. His sons, Hophni and Phinehas, whom he invested with au thority, misconducted themselves so outrageously as to excite deep disgust among the people, and render the services of the tabernacle odious in their eyes. Of this misconduct Eli was aware, but con tented himself with mild and ineffectual remon strances, where his station required severe and vigorous action. For this neglect the judgment of God was at length denounced upon his house, through the young Samuel, who, under peculiar cir cumstances [SamuEL],had been attached from child hood to his person (I Sam. ii. 29 ; iii. 18). Some years passed without any apparent fulfilment of this denunciation—but it came at length in one terrible crash, by which the old man's heart was broken.
The Philistines had gained the upper hand over Israel, and the ark of God was taken to the field, in the confidence of victory and safety from its presence. But in the battle which followed, the ark itself was taken by the Philistines, and the two sons of Eli, who were in attendance upon it, were slain. The high-priest, then blind with age, sat by the way-side at Shiloh, awaiting tidings from the war, for his heart trembled for the ark of God.' A man of Benjamin, with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head, brought the fatal news : and Eli heard that Israel was defeated—that his sons were slain—that the ark of God was taken— at which last word he fell heavily from his seat, and died (s Sam. iv.) The ultimate doom upon Eli's house was accom plished when Solomon removed Abiathar (the last high-priest of this line) from his office, and restored the line of Eleazar in the person of Zadok [Assn THAR].—J. K.