וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא וְעֵלִ֖י שֹׁכֵ֣ב בִּמְקֹמ֑וֹ ועינו [וְעֵינָיו֙] הֵחֵ֣לּוּ כֵה֔וֹת לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִרְאֽוֹת׃
엘리의 눈이 점점 어두워 가서 잘 보지 못하는 그 때에 그가 자기 처소에 누웠고
Aggadat Bereshit
[3] Another interpretation: Eli was very old. In his hand were three crowns: High Priest, King, and Head of the Sanhedrin. He was a High Priest, as it says "and Eli the priest" (1 Samuel 1:9), and he sat on the throne (1 Samuel 4:13). He was also a King, as it says "on the doorposts of the house of the Lord" (2 Chronicles 23:4). He was the Head of the Sanhedrin. However, because of the sins of his sons, he was demoted from all three positions, as it says "and Eli lay down" (1 Samuel 3:3), which indicates that he was not a High Priest at that time. Instead, he was replaced by someone else (1 Samuel 1:9). He was also not a King. His eyes began to grow dim (1 Samuel 3:2), indicating that he was not the Head of the Sanhedrin either, as it says "your eyes are pools in Heshbon" (Song of Solomon 7:4). Eli suffered because of the actions of his sons, and he was very old.