1 Samuel 3:14

14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of `Eli, that the iniquity of `Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering forever.

1 Samuel 3:14 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 3:14

And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli
Either had done this before, which was signified to him by the man of God, or did swear now for the confirmation of his threatenings, and to assure the certain performance of them:

that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice
nor offering for ever:
not even typically, which was all that legal sacrifice could do; and not so that the priesthood should ever return to the family again, as the office of high priesthood never did; or, as Abarbinel interprets it, because of sacrifice and offering, that the iniquity Eli's sons were guilty of in taking the flesh of the sacrifices and offerings, which did not belong to them, and before the Lord had his part, should never be expiated.

(There are some sins that are not covered in the atonement of Jesus Christ. This is one of them and the sin against the Holy Ghost is another. ( Matthew 12:31 ) . Editor.)

1 Samuel 3:14 In-Context

12 In that day I will perform against `Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end.

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons did bring a curse on themselves, and he didn't restrain them.

14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of `Eli, that the iniquity of `Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering forever.

15 Shemu'el lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. Shemu'el feared to show `Eli the vision.

16 Then `Eli called Shemu'el, and said, Shemu'el, my son. He said, Here am I.