hof'-ni, fin'-e-as, -az (chophni, "pugilist" (?), pinechac, probably "face of brass"): Sons of Eli, priests of the sanctuary at Shiloh. Their character was wicked enough to merit the double designation "sons of Eli" and (the King James Version) "sons of Belial" (the Revised Version, margin "base men," 1 Samuel 2:12). Their evil practices are described (1 Samuel 2:12-17). Twice is Eli warned concerning them, once by an unknown prophet (1 Samuel 2:27 ff) and again by the lips of the young Samuel (1 Samuel 3:11-18). The curse fell at the battle of Aphek (1 Samuel 4:1-18) at which the brothers were slain, the ark was taken and the disaster occurred which caused Eli's death. Phinehas was father of the posthumous Ichabod, whose name marks the calamity (see ICHABOD ). A remoter sequel to the prophetic warnings is seen in the deposition of Abiathar, of the house of Eli, from the priestly office (1 Kings 2:26-27,35).

Henry Wallace

From the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Edited by James Orr, published in 1939 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

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