1 Samuel 3:14

14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli [that] the iniquity of the house of Eli would not be atoned for by sacrifice or by 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 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken against his household, {from beginning to end}.

13 I will make him know that I am about to judge his household forever because of the iniquity that he knew, for his sons [were] bringing curses on themselves, but he did not rebuke them.

14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli [that] the iniquity of the house of Eli would not be atoned for by sacrifice or by offering forever."

15 So Samuel lay down until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of Yahweh, but Samuel was afraid of telling the vision to Eli.

16 Then Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son!" And he said, "Here I am."

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "be expiated"