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Commentary on 1 Samuel 2 verses 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, and therefore he will punish them, Amo 3:2. The message is sent to Eli himself, because God would bring him to repentance and save him; not to his sons, whom he had determined to destroy. And it might have been a means of awakening him to do his duty at last, and so to have prevented the judgment, but we do not find it had any great effect upon him. The message this prophet delivers from God is very close.
I. He reminds him of the great things God had done for the house of his fathers and for his family. He appeared to Aaron in Egypt (Exo 4:27), in the house of bondage, as a token of further favour which he designed for him, Sa1 2:27. He advanced him to the priesthood, entailed it upon his family, and thereby dignified it above any of the families of Israel. He entrusted him with honourable work, to offer on God's altar, to burn incense, and to wear that ephod in which was the breast-plate of judgment. He settled upon him an honourable maintenance, a share out of all the offerings made by fire, Sa1 2:28. What could he have done more for them, to engage them to be faithful to him? Note, The distinguishing favours we have received from God, especially those of the spiritual priesthood, are great aggravations of sin, and will be remembered against us in the day of account, if we profane our crown and betray our trusts, Deu 32:6; Sa2 12:7, Sa2 12:8.
II. He exhibits a high charge against him and his family. His children did wickedly, and he connived at it, and thereby involved himself in the guilt; the indictment therefore runs against them all, Sa1 2:29. 1. His sons had impiously profaned the holy things of God: "You kick at my sacrifice which I have commanded; not only trample upon the institution as a mean thing, but spurn at it as a thing you hate to be tied up to." They did the utmost despite imaginable to the offerings of the Lord when they committed all that outrage and rapine about them that we read of, and violently plundered the pots on which, in effect, Holiness to the Lord was written (Zac 14:20), and took that fat to themselves which God had appointed to be burnt on his altar. 2. Eli had bolstered them up in it, by not punishing their insolence and impiety: "Thou for thy part honourest thy sons above me," that is, "thou hadst rather see my offerings disgraced by their profanation of them than see thy sons disgraced by a legal censure upon them for so doing, which ought to have been inflicted, even to suspension and deprivation ab officio et beneficio - of their office and its emoluments." Those that allow and countenance their children in any evil way, and do not use their authority to restrain and punish them, do in effect honour them more than God, being more tender of their reputation than of his glory and more desirous to humour them than to honour him. 3. They had all shared in the gains of the sacrilege. It is to be feared that Eli himself, though he disliked and reproved the abuses they committed, yet did not forbear to eat of the roast meat they sacrilegiously got, Sa1 2:15. He was a fat heavy man (Sa1 4:18), and therefore it is charged upon the whole family (though Hophni and Phinehas were principally guilty), You make yourselves fat with the chief of all the offerings. God gave them sufficient to feed them, but that would not suffice; they made themselves fat, and served their lusts with that which God was to be served with. See Hos 4:8.
III. He declares the cutting off of the entail of the high priesthood from his family (Sa1 2:30): "The Lord God of Israel, who is jealous for his own honour and Israel's, says, and lets thee know it, that thy commission is revoked and superseded." I said, indeed, that thy house, and the house of thy father Ithamar (for from that younger son of Aaron Eli descended), should walk before me for ever. Upon what occasion the dignity of the high priesthood was transferred from the family of Eleazar to that of Ithamar does not appear; but it seems this had been done, and Eli stood fair to have that honour perpetuated to his posterity. But observe, the promise carried its own condition along with it: They shall walk before me forever, that is, "they shall have the honour, provided they faithfully do the service." Walking before God is the great condition of the covenant, Gen 17:1. Let them set me before their face, and I will set them before my face continually (Psa 41:12), otherwise not. But now the Lord says, Be it far from me. "Now that you cast me off you can expect no other than that I should cast you off; you will not walk before me as you should, and therefore you shall not." Such wicked and abusive servants God will discard, and turn out of his service. Some think there is a further reach in this recall of the grant, and that it was not only to be fulfilled shortly in the deposing of the posterity of Eli, when Zadok, who descended from Eleazar, was put in Abiathar's room, but it was to have its complete accomplishment at length in the total abolition of the Levitical priesthood by the priesthood of Christ.
IV. He gives a good reason for this revocation, taken from a settled and standing rule of God's government, according to which all must expect to be dealt with (like that by which Cain was tried, Gen 4:7): Those that honour me I will honour, and those that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
1.Observe in general, (1.) That God is the fountain of honour and dishonour; he can exalt the meanest and put contempt upon the greatest. (2.) As we deal with God we must expect to be dealt with by him, and yet more favourably than we deserve. See Psa 18:25, Psa 18:26.
2.Particularly, (1.) Be it spoken, to the everlasting reputation of religion or of serious godliness, that it gives honour to God and puts honour upon men. By it we seek and serve the glory of God, and he will be behind-hand with none that do so, but here and hereafter will secure their glory. The way to be truly great is to be truly good. If we humble and deny ourselves in any thing to honour God, and have a single eye to him in it, we may depend upon this promise, he will put the best honour upon us. See Joh 12:26. (2.) Be it spoken, to the everlasting reproach of impiety or profaneness, that this does dishonour to God (despises the greatest and best of beings, whom angels adore) and will bring dishonour upon men, for those that do so shall be lightly esteemed; not only God will lightly esteem them (that perhaps they will not regard, as those that honour him value his honour, of whom therefore it is said, I will honour them), but they shall be lightly esteemed by all the world; the very honour they are proud of shall be laid in the dust; they shall see themselves despised by all mankind, their names a reproach; when they are gone, their memory shall rot, and, when they rise again, it shall be to everlasting shame and contempt. The dishonour which their impotent malice puts upon God and his omnipotent justice will return upon their own heads, Psa 79:12.
V. He foretels the particular judgments which should come upon his family, to its perpetual ignominy. A curse should be entailed upon his posterity, and a terrible curse it is, and shows how jealous God is in the matters of his worship and how ill he takes it when those who are bound by their character and profession to preserve and advance the interests of his glory are false to their trust, and betray them. If God's ministers be vicious and profane, of how much sorer punishment will they be thought worthy, here and for ever, than other sinners! Let such read the doom here passed on Eli's house, and tremble. It is threatened,
1.That their power should be broken (Sa1 2:31): I will cut off thy arm, and the arm of thy father's house. They should be stripped of all their authority, should be deposed, and have no influence upon the people as they had had. God would make them contemptible and base. See Mal 2:8, Mal 2:9. The sons had abused their power to oppress the people and encroach upon their rights, and the father had not used his power, as he ought to have done, to restrain and punish them, and therefore it was justly threatened that the arm should be cut off which was not stretched out as it should have been.
2.That their lives should be shortened. He was himself an old man; but instead of using the wisdom, gravity, experience, and authority of his age, for the service of God and the support of religion, he had suffered the infirmities of age to make him more cool and remiss in his duty, and therefore it is here threatened that none of his posterity should live to be old, Sa1 2:31, Sa1 2:32. It is twice spoken: "There shall not be an old man in thy house for ever;" and again (Sa1 2:33), "All the increase of thy house, from generation to generation, shall die in the flower of their age, when they are in the midst of the years of their service," so that though the family should not be extinct, yet it should never be considerable, nor should any member of it come to be eminent in his day. Bishop Patrick relates, out of some of the Jewish writers, that long after this, there being a family in Jerusalem none of which commonly lived above eighteen years, upon search it was found that they descended from the house of Eli, on which this sentence was passed.
3.That all their comforts should be embittered. (1.) The comfort they had in the sanctuary, in its wealth and prosperity: Thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation. This was fulfilled in the Philistines' invasions and the mischiefs they did to Israel, by which the country was impoverished (Sa1 13:19), and no doubt the priests' incomes were thereby very much impaired. The captivity of the ark was such an act of hostility committed upon God's habitation as broke Eli's heart. As it is a blessing to a family to see peace upon Israel (Psa 128:5, Psa 128:6), so the contrary is a sore judgment upon a family, especially a family of priests. (2.) The comfort of their children: "The man of thine whom I shall not cut off by an untimely death shall live to be a blot and burden to the family, a scandal and vexation to his relations; he shall be to consume thy eyes and grieve thy heart, for his foolishness or his sickliness, his wickedness or his poverty." Grief for a dead child is great, but for a bad child often greater.
4.That their substance should be wasted and they should be reduced to extreme poverty (Sa1 2:36): "He that is left alive in thy house shall have little joy of his life, for want of a livelihood; he shall come and crouch to the succeeding family for a subsistence." (1.) He shall beg for the smallest alms - a piece of silver (and the word signifies the least piece) and a morsel of bread. See how this answered the sin. Eli's sons must have the best pieces of flesh, but their sons will be glad of a morsel of bread. Note, Want is the just punishment of wantonness. Those who could not be content without dainties and varieties are brought, they or theirs, to want necessaries, and the Lord is righteous in thus visiting them. (2.) He shall beg for the meanest office: Put me into somewhat belonging to the priesthood (as it is in the original); make me as one of the hired servants, the fittest place for a prodigal. Plenty and power are forfeited when they are abused. They should not be able to pretend to any good preferment, not to any place at the altar, but should petition for some poor employment, be the work ever so hard and the wages ever so small, so they might but get bread. This, it is probable, was fully accomplished when Abiathar, who was of Eli's race, was deposed by Solomon for treason, and he and his turned out of office in the temple (Kg1 2:26, Kg1 2:27), by which it is easy to think his posterity were reduced to the extremities here described.
5.That God would shortly begin to execute these judgments in the death of Hophni and Phinehas, the sad tidings of which Eli himself should live to hear: This shall be a sign to thee, Sa1 2:34. When thou hearest it, say, "Now the word of God begins to operate; here is one threatening fulfilled, from which I infer that all the rest will be fulfilled in their order." Hophni and Phinehas had many a time sinned together, and it is here foretold that they should die together both in one day. Bind these tares in a bundle for the fire. This was fulfilled, Sa1 4:11.
VI. In the midst of all these threatenings against the house of Eli, here is mercy promised to Israel (v. 35): I will raise me up a faithful priest. 1. This was fulfilled in Zadoc, of the family of Eleazar, who came into Abiathar's place in the beginning of Solomon's reign, and was faithful to his trust; and the high priests were of his posterity as long as the Levitical priesthood continued. Note, The wickedness of ministers, though it destroy themselves, yet it shall not destroy the ministry. How bad soever the officers are, the office shall continue always to the end of the world. If some betray their trust, yet others shall be raised up that will be true to it. God's work shall never fall to the ground for want of hands to carry it on. The high priest is here said to walk before God's anointed (that is, David and his seed) because he wore the breast-plate of judgment, which he was to consult, not in common cases, but for the king, in the affairs of state. Note, Notwithstanding the degeneracy we see and lament in many families, God will secure to himself a succession. If some grow worse than their ancestors, others, to balance that, shall grow better. 2. It has its full accomplishment in the priesthood of Christ, that merciful and faithful high priest whom God raised up when the Levitical priesthood was thrown off, who in all things did his father's mind, and for whom God will build a sure house, build it on a rock, so that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it.
If we regard the sentence passed on him [the serpent] to be in the nature of a condemnation, God did not condemn the serpent in order to cause injury to humans. He pointed out what was to happen in the future. … What we are to expect can in some measure be gathered from our knowledge of what has been written: “Whoever shall glorify me, him will I glorify, and he that despises me shall be despised.” God brings to pass what is good, not what is evil, as his words can teach you that he confers glory and disregards punishment. “Whoever shall glorify me,” he says, “him will I glorify,” thus declaring that the glory of the good is the purpose of his work. And concerning “him that despises me,” he did not say I shall deprive of glory, but that he shall be deprived of glory. He did not avow that injury to them [Adam and Eve] would be the result of his action but pointed out what was to come.
If he [the Lord] says, “Those who honor me I will honor, and those that despise me shall be lightly esteemed,” then we should reflect on what he requires of us also. True, it is to the praise of his glory that he saves those who are his enemies, yet those who have become his friends should continue to act as his friends. For if they were to return to their former state of enmity all [that had been borne of their friendship] would be rendered futile and purposeless. There is not another baptism or a second reconciliation but “a certain fearful expectation of judgment which shall devour the adversaries.” If we intend—at the same time—to be at enmity with him and yet claim his forgiveness, we shall never be rid of enmity, wantonness and depravity, and [we will] be blind to the sun of righteousness which has risen.… But once you have tasted the goodness and the honey, if you abandon them and return to your own vomit, what else are you doing but bringing forward evidence of excessive hatred and contempt?
In honoring him, therefore, we do honor to ourselves. He who opens his eyes to gaze on the light of the sun receives delight himself, as he admires the beauty of the star but does no favor to that luminary nor increases its splendor, for it continues [to be] what it was; much more is this true with respect to God. He who admires and honors God does so to his own salvation, and highest benefit; and how? Because he follows after virtue and is honored by him. For “them that honor me,” he says, “I will honor.”
A pearl will shine in the midst of squalor, and a gem … will sparkle in the mire. This is what the Lord promised when he said, “Those who honor me I will honor.” Others may understand this of the future when sorrow shall be turned into joy and when, although the world shall pass away, the saints shall receive a crown which shall never pass. But I for my part see that the promises made to the saints are fulfilled even in this present life.
Therefore, says the Lord God of Israel: He spoke, I said, etc. The question arises by what reason what was promised to last forever could be changed; but recall that the priesthood of Aaron was the shadow of the eternal priesthood, and the promise of eternity; understand that truth pertains not to the shadow but to that shadowed. For lest you would think the shadow and figure to be everlasting, even its change had to be prophesied. Just as with the kingdom of Saul, it is to be understood, as it was said: “But now your kingdom shall not continue; the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever” (1 Samuel 13). Which will be more fittingly dealt with in its own place.
Now the Lord says: Far be it from me, etc. Changing times, not changing plans, the Lord seeks elected ones from the nations for Himself in a spiritual priesthood, and deprives entirely the contemptuous sons of Aaron of any order of priestly office.
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SUMMARY
First Samuel 2:30 presents a watershed divine declaration from the LORD God of Israel, articulating a foundational principle of divine justice and covenantal interaction. This verse dramatically revokes a prior, seemingly perpetual promise to the priestly house of Eli, a consequence of the profound unfaithfulness and contempt displayed by Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, and Eli's own failure to adequately restrain them. The core message powerfully underscores God's unwavering commitment to His own holiness and righteousness, proclaiming an immutable spiritual law: He will honor those who honor Him, and those who despise Him will be held in low regard, establishing a timeless principle of divine reciprocity that governs His relationship with His people.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
1 Samuel 2:30 is rich in literary devices that amplify its profound theological message and underscore the gravity of the divine pronouncement. The most prominent is Antithesis or Contrast, where the verse sets up a stark opposition between two distinct groups: "them that honour me" versus "they that despise me," and their corresponding, diametrically opposed outcomes: "I will honour" versus "shall be lightly esteemed." This clear contrast highlights the binary nature of the moral choice and its inevitable divine consequence. The structure of the latter half of the verse, "for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed," also exhibits a powerful form of Parallelism, specifically antithetical parallelism, where opposing ideas are presented in corresponding phrases, reinforcing the principle of divine reciprocity. The phrase "Be it far from me" serves as a powerful Divine Interjection or Exclamation, emphasizing God's absolute rejection of the status quo and His unyielding commitment to His own holiness and justice. The entire verse functions as a Prophetic Oracle, a direct and authoritative word from God delivered through a messenger, carrying divine certainty of fulfillment and serving as a foundational declaration of divine character.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The principle articulated in 1 Samuel 2:30—that God honors those who honor Him and despises those who despise Him—is a cornerstone of biblical theology, reflecting God's righteous character and the nature of His covenant relationship with humanity. It underscores that true worship and service are not merely ritualistic or external but demand a heart of reverence, obedience, and genuine esteem for God. God's response is a direct reflection of human disposition towards Him, revealing His justice, His commitment to upholding His own glory, and the conditional nature of His covenant blessings. This principle serves as a profound warning against hypocrisy, spiritual apathy, and presumption, especially for those in positions of spiritual leadership, emphasizing that divine privilege is always tied to faithful stewardship and a deep reverence for the sacred.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The message of 1 Samuel 2:30 transcends its specific historical context, speaking powerfully to believers today about the profound and enduring importance of honoring God in every facet of our lives. It challenges us to deeply examine our priorities and motivations: do our actions, attitudes, and daily choices truly reflect that we esteem God as weighty, glorious, and supremely important? Honoring God is not merely about outward religious observances or ritualistic duties, but about an internal reverence expressed through wholehearted obedience to His commands, upholding His holiness in our personal conduct, and prioritizing His will above our own desires, ambitions, or even familial loyalties. This verse serves as a sober reminder that while God is infinitely merciful and gracious, His justice is unwavering, and there are real, often severe, consequences for persistent disobedience, irreverence, and contempt for His name, particularly for those entrusted with spiritual leadership and influence. Conversely, it offers immense encouragement and a profound promise, assuring us that God delights in and abundantly blesses those who faithfully prioritize Him, promising His honor, favor, and affirmation to those who genuinely seek to glorify Him with their lives.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean for God to "honor" someone, and how does it relate to being "lightly esteemed"?
Answer: To "honor" someone, in the biblical sense derived from the Hebrew word kâbad (H3513), means to give them weight, significance, and respect. When God says, "them that honour me I will honour," it implies that He will uphold their dignity, grant them favor, affirm their standing, and bless their lives and lineage. This honor is not necessarily material wealth, but a deep, spiritual affirmation of their worth in His eyes, often manifesting as divine presence, protection, and the fulfillment of His purposes through them. Conversely, to be "lightly esteemed" (from Hebrew qâlal, H7043) means to be treated as insignificant, contemptible, or of no account. It is the direct opposite of honor, signifying divine disfavor, the withdrawal of blessing, and a loss of standing or influence. This principle is a divine declaration of just reciprocity: how we treat God directly determines how He will treat us, reflecting His righteous character and the inevitable consequences of our reverence or irreverence.
Did God break His promise to Eli's house by revoking their perpetual priesthood?
Answer: No, God did not break His promise. While there was an implicit or explicit understanding that the priesthood would be perpetual for Aaron's descendants, such promises within a covenant relationship are inherently conditional upon faithfulness and obedience. God's covenant with Israel, and by extension, the priestly lineage, was always predicated on their adherence to His laws and reverence for His holiness. Eli's sons, and Eli himself by his inaction, fundamentally violated the terms of their sacred office, treating God with contempt and profaning His worship. God's declaration in 1 Samuel 2:30 is not a capricious change of mind or a broken promise, but a just and necessary response to profound unfaithfulness and a breach of covenant. It demonstrates that God's integrity and holiness are paramount, and He will not allow His name or His worship to be defiled without consequence. This serves as a powerful reminder that divine privileges come with divine responsibilities and that God's character remains consistent even as He responds to human sin.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The profound principle articulated in 1 Samuel 2:30 finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Eli's house failed to honor God, leading to their rejection and the termination of their priestly line, Jesus perfectly honored the Father in every aspect of His life and ministry. He consistently did what pleased the Father (John 8:29) and submitted completely to His will, even to the point of obediently embracing death on the cross (Philippians 2:8). Because Jesus honored the Father perfectly through His life of sinless obedience and sacrificial death, the Father supremely honored Him, exalting Him to the highest place and giving Him a name that is above every name (Philippians 2:9-11). Furthermore, Jesus is the "faithful priest" prophesied in 1 Samuel 2:35, the one who perfectly mediates between God and humanity, not from a flawed earthly lineage, but as the eternal High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:17). Through His perfect obedience and atoning sacrifice, Christ became the means by which all who believe in Him can now truly honor God and, in turn, be honored by the Father, receiving eternal life and a place in God's eternal household (John 12:26). He is the true and faithful one who upholds God's honor and through whom we are brought into a relationship of honor with God.