1 Samuel 2:27–36

²⁷A man of God came to Eli and said to him, ^d“This is what the Lord says: ‘Didn’t I reveal Myself to your ancestral house when it was in Egypt and belonged to Pharaoh’s palace? ^e28Out of all the tribes of Israel, I selected your house ^fto be priests, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence. ^gI also gave your house all the Israelite fire offerings. ²⁹Why, then, do all of you despise My sacrifices and offerings that I require at the place of worship? ^hYou have honored your sons more than Me, ⁱby making yourselves fat with the best part of all of the offerings of My people Israel.’

³⁰“Therefore, this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Israel:

‘Although I said

your family and your ancestral house

would walk before Me forever, ^j

the Lord now says, “No longer!”

I will honor those who honor Me, ^k

but those who despise Me will be disgraced. ^l

³¹“ ‘Look, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your ancestral family, so that none in your family will reach old age. ^m32You will see distress in the place of worship, ⁿin spite of all that is good in Israel, and no one in your family will ever again reach old age. ^o33Any man from your family I do not cut off from My altar will bring grief ^pand sadness to you. All your descendants will die violently. ^qr34This will be the sign that will come to you concerning your two sons Hophni and Phinehas: ^sboth of them will die on the same day. ^t

³⁵“ ‘Then I will raise up a faithful priest ^ufor Myself. He will do whatever is in My heart and mind. I will establish a lasting dynasty for him, ^vand he will walk before My anointed one for all time. ^w36Anyone who is left in your family will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread. He will say: Please appoint me to some priestly office so I can have a piece of bread to eat.’ ”