1 Samuel 2:27-36

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

²⁷ A man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus the Lord has said: I revealed^[a] myself to the family of your ancestor in Egypt when they were slaves^[b] to the house of Pharaoh.^{(A) 28} I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to offer incense, to wear an ephod before me, and I gave to the family of your ancestor all my offerings by fire^[c] from the Israelites.^{(B) 29} Why then look^[d] with greedy eye at my sacrifices and my offerings^[e] and honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?^{(C) 30} Therefore the Lord the God of Israel declares: I promised that your family and the family of your ancestor should go in and out before me forever, but now the Lord declares: Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be treated with contempt.^{(D) 31} See, a time is coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your ancestor’s family.^{[f](E) 32} No one in your family shall ever live to old age.^{(F) 33} The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep out his^[g] eyes and grieve his^[h] heart; all the members of your household shall die by the sword.^{[i] 34} The fate of your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day.^{(G) 35} I will raise up for myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed one forever.^{(H) 36} Everyone who is left in your family shall come and prostrate himself before him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and shall say, ‘Please put me in one of the priest’s places, that I may eat a morsel of bread.’ ”^(I)