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Eli

High Priest of Shiloh (Books of Samuel)

Entityhuman biblical figureQ362021

Also known as Heli

Instance of: human biblical figure

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

Eli was, according to the Book of Samuel, a priest and a judge of the Israelites in the city of Shiloh, ancient Israel. When Hannah came to Shiloh to pray for a son, Eli initially accused her of drunkenness, but when she protested her innocence, Eli wished her well. Hannah's eventual child, Samuel, was raised by Eli in the tabernacle. When Eli failed to rein in the abusive behavior of his own sons, God promised to punish his family, which resulted in the death of Eli's sons at the Battle of Aphek where the Ark of the Covenant was also captured. When Eli heard the news of the captured Ark, he fell from his seat, broke his neck, and died. Later biblical passages mention the fortunes of several of Eli's descendants.

Overview

All data

33 statements · 21% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Sex or gender: male
Occupation: kohen
cleric
judge
supreme leader
Present in work: Books of Samuel
Positions held: High Priest of Israel replaces: Uzzi · replaced by: Ahitub
biblical judge replaces: Samson · replaced by: Samuel
Child: Hophni
1
Sources
1.Stated in First Book of Samuel
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Phinehas
1
Sources
1.Stated in First Book of Samuel
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Student of: Phinehas
1
Sources
1.Stated in Preface to Mishneh Torah, Transmission of the Oral Law
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Student: Samuel
1
Sources
1.Stated in Preface to Mishneh Torah, Transmission of the Oral Law
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Different from: Heli
Cause of death: cervical fracture
1
Sources
1.Stated in First Book of Samuel
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Residence: Shiloh

On other databases

18 identifiers linking Eli across the web's reference databases

Data quality

statements

21%

externally sourced

Source last edited August 25, 2026. AIDB refreshes this page daily.

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AIDB. (2026). Eli (Q362021). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/eli-Q362021