The Lord Rejects Eli's Household

27 And there came (A)a man of God to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, (B)‘Did I indeed reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt subject to the house of Pharaoh? 28 (C)Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, (D)to wear an ephod before me? (E)I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel. 29 Why then do you (F)scorn[a] my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’ 30 Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: (G)‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ (H)but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold, (I)the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father's house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. 32 Then (J)in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, (K)and there shall not be an old man in your house forever. 33 The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his[b] eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants[c] of your house shall die by the sword of men.[d] 34 (L)And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die (M)on the same day. 35 (N)And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. (O)And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before (P)my anointed forever. 36 And everyone who is left in your house shall come to implore him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and shall say, “Please put me in one of the priests' places, that I may eat a morsel of bread.”’”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 2:29 Hebrew kick at
  2. 1 Samuel 2:33 Septuagint; Hebrew your; twice in this verse
  3. 1 Samuel 2:33 Hebrew increase
  4. 1 Samuel 2:33 Septuagint; Hebrew die as men

Prophecy Against the House of Eli

27 Now a man of God(A) came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal myself to your ancestor’s family when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh? 28 I chose(B) your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense,(C) and to wear an ephod(D) in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings(E) presented by the Israelites. 29 Why do you[a] scorn my sacrifice and offering(F) that I prescribed for my dwelling?(G) Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’

30 “Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.(H)’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor,(I) but those who despise(J) me will be disdained.(K) 31 The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age,(L) 32 and you will see distress(M) in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age.(N) 33 Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants(O) will die in the prime of life.

34 “‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign(P) to you—they will both die(Q) on the same day.(R) 35 I will raise up for myself a faithful priest,(S) who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed(T) one always. 36 Then everyone left in your family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread and plead,(U) “Appoint me to some priestly office so I can have food to eat.(V)”’”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 2:29 The Hebrew is plural.