1 Samuel 2:27-36

Holman Christian Standard Bible

²⁷ A man of God came to Eli and said to him,^(A) “This is what the Lord says: ‘Didn’t I reveal Myself to your ancestral house when it was in Egypt and belonged to Pharaoh’s palace?^{(B) 28} Out of all the tribes of Israel, I selected your house^[a] to be priests, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence.^(C) I also gave your house all the Israelite fire offerings. ²⁹ Why, then, do all of you despise My sacrifices and offerings that I require at the place of worship?^(D) You have honored your sons more than Me,^(E) by making yourselves fat with the best part of all of the offerings of My people Israel.’

³⁰ “Therefore, this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Israel:

³¹ “‘Look, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your ancestral family, so that none in your family will reach old age.^{(I) 32} You will see distress in the place of worship,^(J) in spite of all that is good in Israel, and no one in your family will ever again reach old age.^{(K) 33} Any man from your family I do not cut off from My altar will bring grief^[b] and sadness to you. All your descendants will die violently.^{[c][d] 34} This will be the sign that will come to you concerning your two sons Hophni and Phinehas:^(L) both of them will die on the same day.^(M)

³⁵ “‘Then I will raise up a faithful priest^(N) for Myself. He will do whatever is in My heart and mind. I will establish a lasting dynasty for him,^(O) and he will walk before My anointed one for all time.^{(P) 36} Anyone who is left in your family will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread. He will say: Please appoint me to some priestly office so I can have a piece of bread to eat.’”