His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 3. Judgment. Samuel was not to blame, and hence he was not punished like Heli. Menochius.—However, the misconduct of the children of these two judges, in succession, ( Bible.) gave occasion to the people to demand a king, who might not be tempted by bribes. Worthington.—It is surprising that most of the great men who are mentioned in history, had degenerate children. Calmet.—Such were some of David’s sons, as well as Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, and so forth Bible.—Was it because their fathers were too much taken up with the affairs of state, to watch over the education of their children? or rather, because these young men confided too much on the merits of their family, and took no pains to tread in the footsteps of their parents? Calmet.—“We have here, says Josephus, a manifest proof that children do not always resemble their parents, but sometimes good men spring from the wicked; and on the contrary, the virtuous have an evil progeny.”