Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Samuel 2:22

"Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how that they lay with the women that did service at the door of the tent of meeting." — 1 Samuel 2:22 (ASV)

Now Eli was very old. The compiler of these Books of Samuel was evidently eager to speak as kindly as possible of Eli. He had, no doubt, served Israel well in past days; and although it was clear that through his weak indulgence of his wicked sons, and his own lack of energy and foresight, he had brought discredit on the national sanctuary and, ultimately, defeat and shame on the people, the compiler evidently loved to focus on the brightest side of the old high priest’s character—his piety, his generous love for Samuel, his patriotism, and so on. And here, where the shameful conduct of Hophni and Phinehas is detailed, an excuse is made for their father, Eli. “He was,” says the writer, “very old.”

The women that assembled. These women were evidently in some way connected with the service of the Tabernacle; possibly they assisted in the liturgical portion of the sanctuary worship. (Compare Psalm 68:11: The Lord gave the word, great was the company of female singers.) Here, as so often in the world’s story, immorality follows unbelief.

In Psalm 78:60-64, the punishment of the guilty priests and the forsaking of the defiled sanctuary is recorded. The psalmist Asaph relates how, in His anger at the people’s sin, God greatly abhorred Israel, so that He forsook the Tabernacle at Shiloh—even the tent that He had pitched among men. He delivered their power into captivity, and their beauty into the enemy’s hand. The fire consumed their young men, and their maidens were not given to marriage. Their priests were slain with the sword, and there were no widows to make lamentation.