Observation

The effects of the behaviour of Eli’s children on Israel as a nation. (1 Samuel 2:12-36, 3:2-18, 4:10-22)
The popularity of this question was above average. The B part was less challenging to the candidates as compared to the A part. The weakness in the part A is centred on candidates’ highlighting more of the crimes the children of Eli did rather than concentrating on the consequences their sins had on Israel. On the whole, the performance of this question was above average. Expected answers are highlighted below on the consequences of the behaviours of Eli’s children on Israel;

1. God sent the Philistines to fight Israel
2. Israel was defeated though she went to war with the ark of God
3. About three thousand Israelites died in the war
4. The ark of the covenant was also captured by the Philistines
5. The two sons of Eli were also killed
6. Eli died when he heard that his two sons were dead and the ark also captured.
7. When Phinehas’ wife, who was pregnant heard of the death of her husband and the father-in-law, she gave birth prematurely and later died
8. The child that was born was called Ichabod, meaning, “The glory has departed from Israel.”
9. Thus the priestly position of Eli was taken away from the family