1 Samuel 2:34 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day.

NIV: 'And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you--they will both die on the same day.

NASB: And this will be the sign to you which will come in regard to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: on the same day both of them will die.

CSB: This will be the sign that will come to you concerning your two sons Hophni and Phinehas: both of them will die on the same day.

NLT: And to prove that what I have said will come true, I will cause your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, to die on the same day!

KJV: And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.

NKJV: Now this shall be a sign to you that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die, both of them.

The Lord's prophetic judgment of Eli, the priest of Israel, reaches its painful climax. Eli was guilty, at least, of allowing his two boys to abuse their role as priests serving in the sanctuary. He confronted them at some point (1 Samuel 2:22–25), but he did not stop them (1 Samuel 3:13). In fact, the old priest seems to have benefitted from their demands of the choicest parts of the sacrifices for themselves (1 Samuel 2:12–17, 29).

Through an unnamed prophet, the Lord has revealed to Eli that all his future descendants will die young—perhaps even violently (1 Samuel 2:32–33). Since Eli will not himself live to see those days, the Lord promises to give Eli a sign to prove this will happen: both of Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will die on the same day. Such an unlikely tragedy would clearly be the confirmation that everything the Lord has predicted will happen.

This prophecy is later fulfilled when Eli's sons are killed in a battle with the Philistines and the ark of the covenant is captured (1 Samuel 4:10–18).

First Samuel 2:27–36 describes a meeting between Eli and an unnamed prophet of the Lord. The anonymous messenger confronts the old priest, as the Lord asks Eli why he has insulted the Lord's sacrifices and honored his own sons over God. For this sin, God will afflict Eli's descendants, causing all who come after him to die young. Eli's own two sons will die on the same day as a sign this is true. The Lord will raise up a faithful priest from another branch of the family line of priests.

After delivering Samuel to the Lord, Hannah offers a poetic prayer of praise. The sons of Eli the priest are evil, depraved men who abuse their power as priests. They coerce worshippers to give them additional meat. They sleep with women who serve at the sanctuary. In contrast, Samuel grows in favor with God and others as he grows up physically. Hannah and Elkanah continue to go to Shiloh yearly; they also have more children. Eli rebukes his sons, but they don't repent. The Lord tells Eli that all his descendants will die young and his two rebellious sons will die on the same day. The Lord will raise up a faithful priest to do His will.

The prior chapter explained how Hannah cried out to God for a son, and that her request was granted. First Samuel 2 begins with Hannah's praise to the Lord in response. Samuel remains in Shiloh where he ministers and matures. By contrast, Eli's sons are wicked and abuse their power as priests. A prophet reveals that God will cause all Eli's descendants to die young and his two sons to die on the same day. The Lord will raise up a faithful priest from another part of the family line. This provides background for Samuel's call from God in chapter 3.

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.

Accessed 5/4/2024 8:21:57 AM