Shmuel Alef 2:11

11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his bais. And the na’ar was mesharet (minister) unto Hashem under Eli HaKohen.

Shmuel Alef 2:11 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 2:11

And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house
Of which see ( 1 Samuel 1:19 ) . This was after he had offered the sacrifices at the feast, worshipped the Lord, and Hannah had delivered her prayer or song of praise, and both had committed Samuel to the care of Eli, and left him with him:

and the child did minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest;
he not only read in the book of the law, but learned to sing the praises of God vocally, and to play upon an instrument of music used in the service of God in those times, and to light the lamps in the tabernacle, and open and shut the doors of it, and the like; which were suitable to his age, and which might not be quite so tender as some have thought; or this may respect some small beginnings in the ministry of the sanctuary, in which he gradually increased under the inspection, guidance, and instruction of Eli, which is meant by ministering before him; the Targum is,

``in the life of Eli the priest;''

he began his ministration before his death.

Shmuel Alef 2:11 In-Context

9 He is shomer over the feet of His chasidim, and the resha’im shall be silenced in choshech; for by ko’ach shall no ish prevail.

10 Those striving against Hashem shall be shattered; out of Shomayim shall He thunder upon him [the contentious]; Hashem shall judge the afsei eretz (ends of the earth); and He shall give oz (strength) unto His Melech, and exalt the keren (horn, power) of His Moshiach.

11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his bais. And the na’ar was mesharet (minister) unto Hashem under Eli HaKohen.

12 Now the Bnei Eli were Bnei Beliyaal; they knew not Hashem.

13 And the mishpat hakohanim (kohen’s custom) with the people was, that, when any ish offered zevach, the na’ar hakohen came, while the basar was cooking, with a mazleg (fork) of shlosh hashineayim (three prongs, lit. teeth) in his yad;