Bible Names

Eli: meaning of the name

Eli means “the offering or lifting up.”
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869)boy name

Eli in Hebrew and Greek

עֵלִי H5941

ʻÊlîy (ay-lee') — Eli, an Israelite highpriest

from H5927 (עָלָה); lofty;

ἠλί G2241

ēlí — my God

of Hebrew origin (H0410 with pronominal suffix);

Who named Eli in the Bible

Eli in Scripture

“Eli” appears in 31 verses of the King James Version; here are the first 8.

  • 1 Samuel 1:3

    And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.

  • 1 Samuel 1:9

    So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.

  • 1 Samuel 1:12

    And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth.

  • 1 Samuel 1:13

    Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

  • 1 Samuel 1:14

    And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

  • 1 Samuel 1:17

    Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

  • 1 Samuel 1:25

    And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.

  • 1 Samuel 2:11

    And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest.