Can violating one of the Ten Commandments wipe out a family’s eternal destiny? The Book of Samuel answers this question. In doing so, the Book of Samuel, in the tale of Eli’s sons, reveals a great insight into the commandments to honor one’s parents.
During the time when the Kohen Priest Eli is apprenticing Samuel, he is confounded by his two sons. Eli’s progeny are lawless men who did not recognize the Lord. Samuel 2:12. Their transgressions included improperly distributing sacrificial meat as engaging in sex with women who congregated by Tent of Meeting’s entrance.
Eli unsuccessfully confronts his sons about their actions. Eli, frustrated, pronounces “if man sins against man, a judge tries him; but if he sins against the Lord, who can speak in his defense?” The passage awkwardly notes that “they would not listen to their father’s voice, for the Lord desired to kill them.” Samuel 2: 25.
After Eli’s words with his sons, he then encounters a man of God. The man reminds Eli of his family’s illusturious past. He is reminded that the Levite Tribe was chosen to be the Lord’s Kohen. The man delivered the message that “behold, days are coming when I shall cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s family, from there being any old person in your family. You will see a rival [Kohen in My] dwelling place through all the good [times] that he will bring upon Israel. ” Samuel 2: 31-32.
Eli’s family’s longstanding and eternal bond to the Lord was to be terminated; his sons were to die. [Note: In the Artscroll Rubin Edition of Samuel, P. 23, the commentary refers to the prophecy- “and you honor your sons more than me.”] This decision is punctuated when the Lord speaks to Samuel: “Behold, I am going to do [such] a thing in Israel that when anyone hears about it, both of his ears will ring.” Samuel 3:12. The Lord told Samuel that he would be executing judgment against Eli’s house forever for sin [he committed] that he was aware that his sons were blaspheming themselves and he did not censure them. Samuel 3:13. It appear that Eli was not permitted to atone.
Eli’s failure to control his sons’ behavior- as alluded to in the commentary- was the engine exposing a foundational aspect of the commandment to honor one’s parents. Honoring one’s parents implictly is honoring the Lord. Eli, in the Lord’s eyes, by not censuring his sons, honored them more than the Lord. While the commandment afforded Eli, as parent, the honor of being respected by his children, he refused to take action. This lack of action evidenced a lack of faith. He did not have faith that the Lord would back him up in making difficult and important family decisions.
Eli’s story is repeated on a daily basis in present times. Parents often concede or endorse their children’s aberrant behavior. The is further compounded by government intervention into family dealings. Further, there is a vast ideology in society that children are far advanced and are capable of making lifelong decisions at the earliest of years. [note: this ideology runs contrary to the scientific notion that brains do not fully develop until the mid-20’s.] Contrary to modern thought, being loved by one’s children is not the totality of parenting. Rather, being honored [or arguably feared] is a central component of parenting. Parents are obligated to make efforts to correcting a child’s misconduct.
In sum, the tale of Eli’s sons offers critical insights into the commandment of “honoring one’s parents.” This story suggests that parents’ obligation to impose the commandment upon their children is integrated into the Ten Commandments. Arguably, as being a moral authority can be a difficult task, parents are to be afforded some protection. Parents, sometimes, need to hurt their children’s feelings. Essentially, the Lord shields Parents as they fulfill the commandment to educate their children.
Be well!!
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The Ten Commandments Project 