18aBut Samuel ministered before the Lord, evenas a child, bwearing a linen ephod.
19 Moreover his mother used to make him a little robe, and bring it to him year by year when she acame up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
20 And Eli awould bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “The Lord give you descendants from this woman for the1 loan that was bgiven to the Lord.” Then they would go to their own home.
21 And the Lordavisited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel bgrew before the Lord.
Prophecy Against Eli’s Household
22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel,1 and how they lay with athe women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
23 So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people.
24 No, my sons! For itis not a good report that I hear. You make the Lord’s people transgress.
25 If one man sins against another, aGod will judge him. But if a man bsins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?” Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, cbecause the Lord desired to kill them.
26 And the child Samuel agrew in stature, and bin favor both with the Lord and men.
27 Then a aman of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: b‘Did I not clearly reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house?
28 Did I not achoose him out of all the tribes of Israel tobe My priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before Me? And bdid I not give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?
29 Why do you akick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded inMybdwelling place, and honor your sons more than cMe, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?’
30 Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: a‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says: b‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and cthose who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.
31 Behold, athe days are coming that I will cut off your1 arm and the arm of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house.
32 And you will see an enemy inMy dwelling place, despite all the good which God does for Israel. And there shall not be aan old man in your house forever.
33 But any of your men whom I do not cut off from My altar shall consume your eyes and grieve your heart. And all the descendants of your house shall die in the flower of their age.
34 Now this shallbeaa sign to you that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: bin one day they shall die, both of them.
35 Then aI will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. bI will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before cMy anointed forever.
36aAnd it shall come to pass that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and say, “Please,1 put me in one of the priestly positions, that I may eat a piece of bread.” ’ ”
Eli blessed Elkanah - The natural place of this verse seems to be before the 11th; after which the 21st should come in; after the 21st, perhaps the 26th should come in. The subjects in this chapter seem very much entangled and confused by the wrong position of the verses.
DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.
Join 137,059+ readers
A Verse and a Thought, Every Morning
Consistent Bible study is hard to start.
The Berean gives you the starting point: one scripture and a focused commentary in your inbox each morning — read it in minutes, or go as deep as you like.
Free, daily, and spam-free. We never share your address. Unsubscribe anytime.
