1 Samuel 2:31, commentary and pictures

To cut off the arm of Eli and of his father's house meant that his family would be stripped of strength, honor, standing and continuance until no aged man would be left in it. The threat came because Eli, though himself a priest and a good man, honored his wicked sons above God by indulging them, fearing their displeasure, and failing to restrain, discipline, correct and remove them from holy office despite their corruption of God's service. The judgment was delayed year after year to give room for true repentance, which requires not only confessing guilt but renouncing sin by taking effective measures to correct the evils polluting the sanctuary and redeem past neglect. It was surely fulfilled without pardon when Hophni and Phinehas died in one day as the sign, Israel lost in battle and was given into enemies' hands, Eli died at the news, and ruin fell on his house and on the thousands led astray by his sons' example. The warning therefore stands to parents that the salvation of children depends largely on their course, so they must govern, restrain, train and correct them from the cradle rather than let them follow their own wills in rebellion, for neglect as aggravating as Eli's will be called to account.

Meaning and Context of Threat

To cut off the arm of Eli and the arm of his father's house means his family would lose strength, honor, standing, and continuance, so that no old man and no aged men would remain in his house. Joined to the declaration that those who honor God will be honored and those who despise Him will be lightly esteemed, it means that failure to discipline children dishonors God and brings dishonor and cutting off on the household. The threat came because Eli, though a priest and good man, was too easy with his children, feared their displeasure, and failed to restrain, govern, discipline, and correct his wicked sons Hophni and Phinehas. He failed to remove them from holy service and holy office despite their wrongdoing and corruption of God's service, honored them above God, let their wrongs continue, and neglected to train his sons, failing to act promptly, decisively and firmly. The curse therefore fell not only on his sons but on Eli himself, with the children's sins laid at the parents' account, for God holds fathers responsible for neglecting duty to children even when experienced and serving in His work. The lesson is that parents must look into and correct the habits of their children if they expect to have households that God will honor.

The threatened judgment was delayed year after year to give room for true repentance. This was because God's authority had been set aside and His worship neglected and despised, so a day of retribution was approaching in which He must interpose to maintain the honor of His name. True repentance means not only confessing guilt but renouncing sin and bringing forth fruit by taking effective measures to correct the evils polluting the sanctuary, leading thousands in Israel to ruin, and to redeem past failures. Eli confessed his guilt and made the warnings to his house known to the whole nation hoping to counteract in some measure the evil influence of his past neglect, but he failed to renounce the sin and took no effective action.

God could not communicate with Eli as high priest and with his sons because their sins like a thick cloud had shut out the presence of His Holy Spirit. In the midst of that evil the child Samuel remained true to Heaven. Delivering that condemnation to Eli's house became Samuel's commission as a prophet of the Most High. The warning and reproof against Eli's house, including the judgments to come upon his house, was made known to his sons and published to the whole nation by Eli and by Samuel. But it was disregarded by the priests and by the people.

Fulfillment Upon House and Nation

The deaths of Hophni and Phinehas together in one day were given as the sign of the promised cutting off of Eli's strength and family line. The warning did not fail but was surely fulfilled in judgment upon his house, without pardon for transgression and without blessing. Because of unfaithfulness they would lose victory in battle and be given into the power of their enemies. Eli himself died when he heard that Israel had lost the battle.

Eli's sin brought disaster and death upon himself, ruin upon his wicked sons, and ruin upon thousands in Israel whom their example led to ruin. The long delay of the threatened judgment to give room for repentance was misused, for God's forbearance caused Hophni and Phinehas to harden their hearts and become still bolder in transgression. The surrounding nations, knowing of the iniquities openly practiced in Israel, likewise became still bolder in idolatry and crime. They felt no sense of guilt for their sins as they would have felt if Israel had preserved its integrity.

Call for Faithful Parenting

Eli's example stands as a warning to parents to train, govern, restrain, guide and discipline their children rather than indulge them, let them do as they please, or suffer them to go on in rebellion. He was a priest and a good man, yet he was too easy with his children, feared their displeasure, and failed to restrain his wicked sons Hophni and Phinehas and to remove them from holy service despite their wrongdoing. The promised cutting off of his strength and family line was the punishment for that neglect as parent and judge, with the deaths of Hophni and Phinehas in one day given as its sign, with loss of victory in battle and being given into enemies' power because of unfaithfulness, and with Eli himself dying when he heard that Israel had lost the battle. The salvation of children depends very much upon the course pursued by the parents, who must look into and correct their habits if they expect households that God will honor, and who must teach them from the cradle to submit their wills and to discipline and mold their minds, lest they be left self-willed, stubborn, irritable and self-sufficient, bringing church difficulties and loss of prosperity.

Mistaken love and fondness that indulges children to their hurt nourishes pride and puts trimmings, ornaments, idolatry of dress, worldly trimmings and demoralizing fashions upon them. It makes them vain and leads them to think dress makes the lady or gentleman, and it sows destructive seed that springs up and bears fruit in despising parental authority. Such outward appearance cannot hide a heart void of Christian graces and filled with self-love, haughtiness and uncontrolled passions, and the company of such children is poisonous and leads to death, so those who love meekness, humility and virtue should shun such society even if it be found among Sabbath-keepers' children. The curse falls especially on parents and ministers who fail to educate their children to know and keep the way of the Lord in simplicity, modesty of apparel and beautiful character, and who instead indulge idolatry of dress and worldly ways. To escape it they must keep children free from the fashions of the age and make ministers' children examples of what is taught in the pulpit, for fathers are held responsible for neglecting duty to children even when experienced and serving in His work, and judgment comes without pardon or blessing on the house when sons are not removed from holy office despite wickedness.

Parents who sanction their children's sins lose their influence, and children who perpetuate their fathers' sins share in the recompense, so that both learn bitter lessons. Elis who leave children without control to lie, deceive, steal and practice iniquity and think it smart are numerous in this age, and such neglect is no less aggravating than in Eli's day. Parents guilty in not restraining sons from their sinful course will be called to render an account, with the curse falling not only on the sons for their wrongdoings but on the father himself for failure to govern, restrain and correct. Such uncontrolled children form characters as agents of evil with no sense of sin, who will certainly be punished with the plagues to come upon the earth just as Eli's sons fell under wrath for the father's neglected duty.

The warning about his house because of his sons' evil course was meant to teach Samuel not to be indulgent with his own sons. Samuel did not let it have the influence it should have had, and he was to some extent too indulgent. The result appeared in their character and life, in that they did not heed the precepts he sought to impress and did not copy his pure unselfish life. Instead they turned aside after lucre and took bribes and perverted judgment.