Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 29

1 Samuel 2:12-36

Through My Bible – June 29

1 Samuel 2:12-36 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

1 Samuel 2

Eliā€™s Wicked Sons Contrasted With Samuel

12Ā Now the sons of Eli were wicked scoundrels. They did not know the Lord.

13Ā The practice of the priests with the people was that whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, while the meat was still boiling, the priestā€™s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand. 14Ā He would thrust it into the basin, kettle, caldron, or cooking pot. The priest would then take for himself everything that the fork brought up. This is the way they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. 15Ā Before the people had even burned the fat, the priestā€™s servant would come and tell the person who was making the sacrifice, ā€œGive me meat for the priest to roast, because he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw meat.ā€

16Ā If the man said to him, ā€œLet us burn the fat first. Then take as much as you want,ā€ the servant would say, ā€œNo, you must give it to me right now. If you do not, I will take it by force.ā€ 17Ā So the sin of the young men was very serious in the sight of the Lord, because the men were treating the Lordā€™s offerings with contempt.

18Ā But Samuel ministered before the Lord while he was still a young boy, dressed in a special vest [1] made of linen. 19Ā His mother would make a little robe for him and bring it to him whenever she came up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. 20Ā Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, ā€œMay the Lord give you offspring [2] from this woman in place of the son she asked for, whom she loaned to the Lord.ā€ Then they would go back to their home. 21Ā The Lord came to Hannah with his blessing, [3] and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. The child Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.

22Ā Now Eli was very old. He heard about everything that his sons were doing to all Israel and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 23Ā So he said to them, ā€œWhy do you do such things? I keep hearing from all these people about your evil actions. 24Ā No, my sons, it is not a good report that I hear! The people are spreading this report everywhere. [4] 25Ā If one man sins against another, God will mediate for him. But if a man sins against the Lord, who will mediate for him?ā€ But they did not listen to the voice of their father, because the Lord desired to put them to death. [5]

26Ā The young man Samuel continued to grow, and he increased in favor with both the Lord and with men.

The Lordā€™s Warning to Eli

27Ā A man of God came to Eli and told him this:

This is what the Lord says. Didnā€™t I clearly reveal myself to the house of your father [6] when they were in Egypt, subject to the house of Pharaoh? 28Ā Out of all the tribes of Israel, I chose him to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the special vest before me. I also gave the house of your father all the food offerings [7] from the people of Israel. 29Ā Why do you all kick at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded for my dwelling place? [8] Why do you, Eli, honor your sons more than me? Why do you fatten yourselves with the best of all the offerings from my people Israel?

30Ā Therefore this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Israel: I stated solemnly that your house [9] and the house of your father would walk before me forever. But now the Lord declares, ā€œThis will never be! Yes, I will honor those who honor me, but those who despise me will be cursed.ā€ 31Ā Look, the days are coming when I will cut off your arm and the arm of your fatherā€™s house, so that there will never be an old man in your house. 32Ā You will see the distress of the dwelling place. Even when things are good for Israel, there shall never be an old man in your house. 33Ā Any man of yours whom I do not cut off from my altar will only wear out your eyes with tears and your heart with grief, and all the future generations of your house will die before they reach old age. [10]

34Ā This will be the sign for you that will come on your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: In one day they will both die. 35Ā I will raise up a faithful priest for myself, one who will act according to what is in my heart and in my soul. I will build an enduring house for him, and he will walk before my anointed one forever. 36Ā Then anyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to the faithful priest to receive a piece of silver and a loaf of bread. The one who is left will say, ā€œPlease appoint me to one of the priestsā€™ offices, so that I can eat a scrap of bread.ā€

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 2:18 Hebrew ephod
  2. 1 Samuel 2:20 Literally seed
  3. 1 Samuel 2:21 Literally visited Hannah. In the Bible visit means to come with blessing or judgment.
  4. 1 Samuel 2:24 Or you cause the Lordā€™s people to transgress
  5. 1 Samuel 2:25 Or it was the Lordā€™s will to put them to death
  6. 1 Samuel 2:27 That is, his ancestor Aaron
  7. 1 Samuel 2:28 Or offerings made by fire
  8. 1 Samuel 2:29 Not the common Hebrew name for the Dwelling, but a different word
  9. 1 Samuel 2:30 House here refers to the family line of the priests.
  10. 1 Samuel 2:33 The structure and wording of the verse are difficult, and the translation is uncertain.

The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage VersionĀ®, EHVĀ®, Ā© 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.