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.

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Footnotes

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

27 And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?

28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?

29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?

30 Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

31 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.

32 And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.

33 And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.

34 And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.

35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.

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19 The Lord was with(A) Samuel as he grew(B) up, and he let none(C) of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba(D) recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord.(E) 21 The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed(F) himself to Samuel through his word.

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19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.

21 And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.

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22 The Lord answered, “Listen(A) to them and give them a king.”

Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.”

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22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.

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