1 Samuel 2:30

30 “Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the LORD declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.

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1 Samuel 2:30 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
English Standard Version (ESV)
30 Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: 'I promised that your house and the house of your father 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 lightly esteemed.
New Living Translation (NLT)
30 “Therefore, the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I promised that your branch of the tribe of Levi would always be my priests. But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me.
The Message Bible (MSG)
30 Therefore - this is God's word, the God of Israel speaking - I once said that you and your ancestral family would be my priests indefinitely, but now - God's word, remember! - there is no way this can continue. I honor those who honor me; those who scorn me I demean.
American Standard Version (ASV)
30 Therefore Jehovah, the God of Israel, saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now Jehovah saith, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
30 "Therefore, the LORD God of Israel declares: I certainly thought that your family and your father's family would always live in my presence. "But now the LORD declares: I promise that I will honor those who honor me, and those who despise me will be considered insignificant.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
30 "Therefore, the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'Although I said your family and your ancestral house would walk before Me forever, the Lord now says, "No longer!" I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be disgraced.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
30 "The LORD is the God of Israel. He announced, 'I promised that your family and the family of Aaron would serve me as priests forever.' "But now the LORD announces, 'I will not let that happen! I will honor those who honor me. But I will turn away from those who look down on me.

1 Samuel 2:30 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 2:30

Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith
This being the case, so much contempt cast upon his sacrifices, and dishonour on himself:

I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should
walk before me for ever;
or minister in the priest's office before him: if the house of Aaron in general is meant, it did continue so to do, in one branch or another of it, as long as the Mosaic dispensation lasted, which is meant by the phrase "for ever"; but since it is afterwards denied that it should, rather the house of Ithamar, or of the immediate parent of Eli, is meant, and this said when the priesthood was translated from the family of Eleazar to the family of Ithamar; when, and on what account that was done, we nowhere read. It is a tradition F6, that it was in the time of the Levite's concubine; and because Phinehas, and the other priests, did not go from city to city, and reprove the Israelites for the many sins they were fallen into, that the priesthood was taken away out of the family of Eleazar, and translated to that of Ithamar:

but now the Lord saith, be it far from me;
to continue the priesthood in the line of Ithamar; which argues no change in the purposes or promises of God, this being not a decree of his, but a declaration of his will; that if the house of Ithamar behaved well in the discharge of the office of the high priest, it should continue with them to the end of the Mosaic dispensation, but if not, it should be taken from them, and restored to the family of Eleazar; as it was in Solomon's time:

for them that honour me I will honour;
as Phinehas the son of Eleazar did at Shittim, where he showed his zeal for the Lord of hosts, and had the promise of the everlasting priesthood; and which continued in his family until the Babylonish captivity, excepting the interval in which it was in the family of Ithamar, and for what reason is not known:

and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed;
as the posterity of Eli, whose sons despised the Lord, and his offerings, as appeared by their conduct; and these were killed in battle in one day, and in the times of Solomon, Abiathar, of the posterity of Eli, was thrust out of the priesthood, and Zadok, of the line of Eleazar, was put in his room, ( 1 Kings 2:27 1 Kings 2:35 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F6 Midrash Samuel, apud Jarch. & Kimch. in loc.

1 Samuel 2:30 In-Context

28 I chose your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings presented by the Israelites.
29 Why do you scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’
30 “Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the LORD declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.
31 The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age,
32 and you will see distress in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age.

Cross References 4

  • 1. S Exodus 29:9
  • 2. Psalms 50:23; Psalms 91:15; Proverbs 8:17
  • 3. Isaiah 53:3; Nahum 3:6; Malachi 2:9
  • 4. Jeremiah 18:10
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