1 Samuel 2:31-35

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:27-36

Eli reproved his sons too gently, and did not threaten them as he should, and therefore God sent a prophet to him to reprove him sharply, and to threaten him, because, by his indulgence of them, he had strengthened their hands in their wickedness. If good men be wanting in their duty, and by their carelessness and remissness contribute any thing to the sin of sinners, they must expect both to hear of it and to smart for it. Eli's family was now nearer to God than all the families of the earth,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:31

Behold, the days come ,.... Or, are coming F7 באים "venientes", Montanus. ; and will quickly come, in a very little time the things, after threatened, began to take place, even in the days of Eli's sons, and the whole was accomplished in about eighty years after: that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house : that is, the strength of him and them, as the Targum, the strength of a man for doing business lying in his arm; meaning by it not long life, as Kimchi,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:32

And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation ,.... Either the Philistines in the land of Israel, where God chose to dwell, who quickly after made war against Israel, and pitched in Aphek, 1 Samuel 4:1 or, as in the margin of our Bibles, and other versions F9 צר מעון θλιψιν κατοικησεως Symmachus; "angustiam tabernaculi", Junius & Tremellius. Piscator. , "thou shalt see the affliction of the tabernacle"; as he did when the ark of God was taken, at the news of which he died, ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:33

And the man of thine ,..... Of his family, which should spring from him: whom I shall not cut off from mine altar: from serving there: who though he shall not be an high priest, but a common priest, as all the descendants of Aaron were: shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart ; that is, the eyes and heart of his posterity; who though they should see of their family ministering in the priest's office, yet should make so poor a figure on account of their outward meanness... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:34

This shall be a sign unto thee ,.... A confirming one, that all which had been now said would be fulfilled: that shall come upon thy two sons, Hophni and Phinehas ; which Eli would live to see fulfilled on them; and when it was, he might be assured the rest would be most certainly accomplished, and it was this: in one day they shall die both of them ; as they did in battle with the Philistines, 1 Samuel 4:11 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 2:35

And I will raise up a faithful priest ,.... Not Samuel, as some, for he was not of the seed of Aaron, and of the priestly race; nor had he a sure house, for his sons declined from the ways of truth and justice; but Zadok, as it is commonly interpreted, who was put into the office of the high priest by Solomon when he came to the throne, in the room of Abiathar, of the line of Eli; who was an upright man, and faithfully discharged his office, and answered to his name, which signifies... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 2:31

I will cut off thine arm - I will destroy the strength, power, and influence of thy family. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 2:32

Thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation - Every version and almost every commentator understands this clause differently. The word צר tsar , which we translate an enemy, and the Vulgate aemulum , a rival, signifies calamity; and this is the best sense to understand it in here. The calamity which he saw was the defeat of the Israelites, the capture of the ark, the death of his wicked sons, and the triumph of the Philistines. All this he saw, that is, knew to have taken... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 2:33

And the man of thine - Of this passage Calmet observes: "The posterity of Eli possessed the high priesthood to the time of Solomon; and even when that dynasty was transferred to another family, God preserved that of Eli, not to render it more happy, but to punish it by seeing the prosperity of its enemies, to the end that it might see itself destitute and despised. This shows the depth of the judgments of God and the grandeur of his justice, which extends even to distant generations,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 2:34

They shall die both of them - Hophni and Phinehas were both killed very shortly after in the great battle with the Philistines in which the Israelites were completely routed, and the ark taken. See 1 Samuel 4:1-11 . read more

Group of Brands