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Summary
- Eli is in the Bible: he was the priest at Shiloh who raised the prophet Samuel, and he judged Israel forty years (1 Samuel 1–4).
- His Hebrew name, ʿEli, comes from a verb meaning “to go up” and is glossed “ascent” or “lofty.” It does not mean “my God.”
- The “Eli, Eli” Jesus cried from the cross (Matthew 27:46) is a different Hebrew word, eli, “my God,” from Psalm 22:1.
- Eli’s sons Hophni and Phinehas abused the sacrifices; both died when the Philistines captured the ark, and Eli died on hearing the news.
- The judgment on his house ended when Solomon removed his descendant Abiathar from the priesthood (1 Kings 2:27).
- As a first name Eli can also be short for Elijah; it ranked 43rd for American boys in 2012 and 2013 and 104th in 2025.
Bibliography (Click to show)
- Behind the Name, “Eli” (1), “Eli” (2), “Eli” (3), “Eliel” and “Elias,” with United States popularity figures. https://www.behindthename.com/name/eli-1
- Behind the Name, “Popularity for the name Eli,” United States table. https://www.behindthename.com/name/eli-1/top/united-states
- Strong’s Hebrew Concordance, entries 5941 (ʿEli), 447 (Eliel), 3513 (kabad), 3519 (kabod) and 350 (Ichabod), Bible Hub. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/5941.htm
- Strong’s Greek Concordance, entries 2241 (ēli, “my God”) and 2242 (Heli), Bible Hub. https://biblehub.com/greek/2241.htm
- Bible Hub interlinear, 1 Samuel 2:29 and 4:18. https://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_samuel/4-18.htm
- “Eli (biblical figure),” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eli_(biblical_figure)
- “Eli Whitney,” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eli_Whitney
- Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version (ESV): 1 Samuel 1:15–17, 1:28; 2:12, 2:17, 2:24, 2:29, 2:34; 3:1, 3:8–9, 3:13, 3:18; 4:10–11, 4:13, 4:18, 4:22; 1 Kings 2:27; 1 Chronicles 24:3; Matthew 27:46–47; Mark 15:34; Luke 3:23. Also cited: 1 Samuel 1:3, 2:22, 2:35, 22:18, 22:20; 1 Kings 2:26; Psalm 22:1.
