For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves, and he didn’t restrain them.
Parallel translations
- KJV For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
- BSB I told him that I would judge his house forever for the iniquity of which he knows, because his sons blasphemed God and he did not restrain them.
- NKJV For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them.
- NASB For I have told him that I am going to judge his house forever for the wrongdoing that he knew, because his sons were bringing a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them.
- NLT I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God judges Eli's house because Eli knew of his sons' wickedness yet failed to restrain them. Tolerating sin in those under our care brings guilt and judgment.
Overview
The specific charge against Eli is parental and priestly negligence: he honored his sons above God by not restraining their blasphemous conduct. This highlights the seriousness of leadership accountability before God. It points forward to the need for a perfectly faithful High Priest, Christ, who never compromises God's honor.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Prov 19:18Discipline your son, for there is hope; don’t be a willing party to his death.
- 1 Sam 2:12Now the sons of Eli were wicked men. They didn’t know Yahweh.
- Matt 10:37He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.
- 1 Sam 2:17The sin of the young men was very great before Yahweh; for the men despised the offering of Yahweh.
- Prov 23:13–14Don’t withhold correction from a child. If you punish him with the rod, he will not die.
- 1 Kgs 1:6His father had not displeased him at any time in saying, “Why have you done so?” and he was also a very handsome man; and he was born after Absalom.
- Ezek 7:3Now is the end on you, and I will send my anger on you, and will judge you according to your ways. I will bring on you all your abominations.
- Prov 29:15The rod of correction gives wisdom, but a child left to himself causes shame to his mother.
- Ezek 18:30“Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
- Joel 3:12“Let the nations arouse themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the surrounding nations.
- 1 Kgs 2:44The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wickedness that you did to David my father. Therefore Yahweh will return your wickedness on your own head.
- 1 Jn 3:20because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
- 1 Sam 2:22–36Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they slept with the women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
- Eccl 7:22for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.
- 2 Chr 20:12Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that comes against us. We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 3:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.