2:27 A man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Did I not plainly 1 reveal myself to your ancestor’s 2 house when they were in Egypt in the house of Pharaoh? 2:28 I chose your ancestor 3 from all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer sacrifice on my altar, to burn incense, and to bear the ephod before me. I gave to your ancestor’s house all the fire offerings made by the Israelites. 2:29 Why are you 4 scorning my sacrifice and my offering that I commanded for my dwelling place? 5 You have honored your sons more than you have me by having made yourselves fat from the best parts of all the offerings of my people Israel.’
2:30 Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘I really did say 6 that your house and your ancestor’s house would serve 7 me forever.’ But now the Lord says, ‘May it never be! 8 For I will honor those who honor me, but those who despise me will be cursed! 2:31 In fact, days are coming when I will remove your strength 9 and the strength 10 of your father’s house. There will not be an old man in your house! 2:32 You will see trouble in my dwelling place! 11 Israel will experience blessings, 12 but there will not be an old man in your 13 house for all time. 14
1 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
2 tn Heb “to your father’s” (also in vv. 28, 30).
3 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Eli’s ancestor, i.e., Aaron) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4 tc The MT has a plural “you” here, but the LXX and a Qumran
5 tn Heb “which I commanded, dwelling place.” The noun is functioning as an adverbial accusative in relation to the verb. Since God’s dwelling place/sanctuary is in view, the pronoun “my” is supplied in the translation.
6 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
7 tn Heb “walk about before.”
8 tn Heb “may it be far removed from me.”
9 tn Heb “chop off your arm.” The arm here symbolizes strength and activity.
10 tn Heb “arm.”
11 tn Heb “you will see [the] trouble of [the] dwelling place.” Since God’s dwelling place/sanctuary is in view, the pronoun is supplied in the translation (see v. 29).
12 tn Heb “in all which he does good with Israel.”
13 tc The LXX and a Qumran manuscript have the first person pronoun “my” here.
14 tn Heb “all the days.”