Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Samuel 2:20-21

"And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, Jehovah give thee seed of this woman for the petition which was asked of Jehovah. And they went unto their own home. And Jehovah visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before Jehovah." — 1 Samuel 2:20-21 (ASV)

And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife... . And the Lord visited Hannah. — The blessing of Eli (a blessing that soon bore fruit in the house of the pious couple), his training of Samuel and unswerving kindness to the boy (see the following chapter), his sorrow at his priestly sons’ wickedness, and his passionate love for his country—all these indicate that the influence of the weak but loving high priest was always exerted to keep the faith of the people pure and the life of Israel pure before the Lord.

There were evidently two parties at Shiloh, the headquarters of the national religion: the reckless, unbelieving section, headed by Hophni and Phinehas; and the God-fearing, law-loving partisans of the old Divine law, under the influence of the weak but religious Eli. This latter group kept the lamp of the loved faith burning—though only dimly—among the covenant people until the strong hand of Samuel took the helm of government in Israel.