27 Then (A)a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘(B)Did I not indeed reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house? 28 (C)Did I not choose them from all the tribes of Israel to be My priests, to go up to My altar, to burn incense, to carry an ephod before Me; and did I not (D)give to the house of your father all the fire offerings of the sons of Israel? 29 Why do you (E)kick at My sacrifice and at My offering (F)which I have commanded in My (G)dwelling, and (H)honor your sons above Me, by making yourselves fat with the [a]choicest of every offering of My people Israel?’ 30 Therefore the Lord God of Israel declares, ‘(I)I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever’; but now the Lord declares, ‘Far be it from Me—for (J)those who honor Me I will honor, and those (K)who despise Me will be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold, (L)the days are coming when I will break your [b]strength and the [c]strength of your father’s house so that there will not be an old man in your house. 32 You will see (M)the distress of My dwelling, in spite of all the good that [d]I do for Israel; and an (N)old man will not be in your house forever. 33 Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar [e]so that your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul grieve, and all the increase of your house will die [f]in the prime of life. 34 This will be (O)the sign to you which will come concerning your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: (P)on the same day both of them will die. 35 But (Q)I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and (R)I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before (S)My anointed always. 36 Everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a [g]piece of silver or a loaf of bread and say, “Please [h]assign me to one of the priest’s offices so that I may eat a piece of bread.”’”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 2:29 Or first
  2. 1 Samuel 2:31 Or arm
  3. 1 Samuel 2:31 Or arm
  4. 1 Samuel 2:32 Lit He does
  5. 1 Samuel 2:33 Lit to waste away your eyes and to grieve your soul
  6. 1 Samuel 2:33 Lit as men
  7. 1 Samuel 2:36 Or payment
  8. 1 Samuel 2:36 Lit attach

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.