Sometimes scoundrels and priests are one and the same—Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord.

Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons in question, served as priests to the Lord in ancient Israel. Inheriting their positions, the men took full advantage of their privilege. They bullied people who came to worship and took what they wanted—both sacrificially and sexually.

Various commentators on this passage describe these men as worthless, careless and irreligious, vicious, refusing to acknowledge honor or love, and my personal favorite—unprofitable abandoned wretches.

I’ve known a lot of preachers in my day, but few unprofitable abandoned wretches.

At this time of the year weeds start to sprout in my garden. When I notice, I lean over to tug them out of the ground. But since that’s a hassle, I often move on. Returning days later a healthy, flourishing, nuisance winks up at me. Now I need gloves and a tool to pull the weed and dig out the roots.

Which is how the bad around us thrives. In my life poor influences creep in like weeds, and I leave them underfoot because I’m lazy. Noxious roots sink little by little, deeper and deeper, undermining my good intentions with their spread.

Eli’s refusal to deal with Hophni and Phinehas remind me of my reluctance to seriously consider the influences swirling around me. It’s worth a good, hard look. Little weeds pull much easier than fully mature plants.

I Samuel 2 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Julian