1 Samuel 2:33
New International Version
Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants will die in the prime of life.

New Living Translation
The few not cut off from serving at my altar will survive, but only so their eyes can go blind and their hearts break, and their children will die a violent death.

English Standard Version
The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants of your house shall die by the sword of men.

Berean Standard Bible
And every one of you that I do not cut off from My altar, your eyes will fail and your heart will grieve. All your descendants will die by the sword of men.

King James Bible
And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.

New King James Version
But any of your men whom I do not cut off from My altar shall consume your eyes and grieve your heart. And all the descendants of your house shall die in the flower of their age.

New American Standard Bible
Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar, so that your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul grieve, and all the increase of your house will die in the prime of life.

NASB 1995
Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar so that your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul grieve, and all the increase of your house will die in the prime of life.

NASB 1977
‘Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar that your eyes may fail from weeping and your soul grieve, and all the increase of your house will die in the prime of life.

Legacy Standard Bible
Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar so that your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul grieve, and all the increase of your house will be put to death in the prime of life.

Amplified Bible
Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar; your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul will grieve, and all those born in your house will die as men [in the prime of life].

Christian Standard Bible
Any man from your family I do not cut off from my altar will bring grief and sadness to you. All your descendants will die violently.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Any man from your family I do not cut off from My altar will bring grief and sadness to you. All your descendants will die violently.

American Standard Version
And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thy heart; and all the increase of thy house shall die in the flower of their age.

Contemporary English Version
If I let anyone from your family be a priest, his life will be full of sadness and sorrow. But most of the men in your family will die a violent death!

English Revised Version
And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Any man in your family whom I do not remove from my altar will have his eyes fail, and he will be heartbroken. And all your descendants will die in the prime of life.

Good News Translation
Yet I will keep one of your descendants alive, and he will serve me as priest. But he will become blind and lose all hope, and all your other descendants will die a violent death.

International Standard Version
Any of you whom I don't eliminate from serving at my altar will grow tired from weeping, and their souls will grieve. All the increase of your family will die by violence.

Majority Standard Bible
And every one of you that I do not cut off from My altar, your eyes will fail and your heart will grieve. All your descendants will die by the sword of men.

NET Bible
Any one of you that I do not cut off from my altar, I will cause your eyes to fail and will cause you grief. All of those born to your family will die in the prime of life.

New Heart English Bible
And the man of yours I do not cut off from my altar will be to cause his eyes to fail and to grieve his soul, and all the increase of your house will die by the sword of men.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from my altar, shall be to consume thy eyes, and to grieve thy heart: and all the increase of thy house shall die in the flower of their age.

World English Bible
The man of yours whom I don’t cut off from my altar will consume your eyes and grieve your heart. All the increase of your house will die in the flower of their age.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the man of yours I do not cut off from My altar—[My purpose is] to consume your eyes, and to grieve your soul; and all the increase of men [in] your house die;

Young's Literal Translation
And the man I cut not off of thine from Mine altar, is to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thy soul; and all the increase of thy house do die men;

Smith's Literal Translation
And a man I will not cut off to thee from mine altar to finish thine eyes and to cause thy soul to pine away: and all the increase of thy house, the men, shall die.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
However I will not altogether take away a man of thee from my altar: but that thy eyes may faint and thy soul be spent: and a great part of thy house shall die when they come to man's estate.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Yet truly, I will not entirely take away a man of you from my altar, but such that your eyes may fail, and your soul may melt away, and a great part of your house may die out, as it pertains to the state of men.

New American Bible
I will leave you one man at my altar to wear out his eyes and waste his strength, but the rest of your family shall die by the sword.

New Revised Standard Version
The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep out his eyes and grieve his heart; all the members of your household shall die by the sword.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And a man of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to sadden you and to grieve your heart; and all the increase of your house shall die in the flower of their age.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And I shall not deprive you of a man from my altar darkening your eyes and wasting away your soul, and all the increase of your house shall die as young men
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Yet will I not cut off every man of thine from Mine altar, to make thine eyes to fail, and thy heart to languish; and all the increase of thy house shall die young men.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And if I do not destroy a man of thine from my altar, it shall be that his eyes may fail and his soul may perish; and every one that remains in thy house shall fall by the sword of men.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Prophecy Against the House of Eli
32You will see distress in My dwelling place. Despite all that is good in Israel, no one in your house will ever again reach old age. 33And every one of you that I do not cut off from My altar, your eyes will fail and your heart will grieve. All your descendants will die by the sword of men. 34And this sign shall come to you concerning your two sons Hophni and Phinehas: They will both die on the same day.…

Cross References
1 Kings 2:27
So Solomon banished Abiathar from the priesthood of the LORD and thus fulfilled the word that the LORD had spoken at Shiloh against the house of Eli.

1 Kings 2:35
And the king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada in Joab’s place over the army, and he appointed Zadok the priest in Abiathar’s place.

1 Samuel 3:12-14
On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I have spoken about his house, from beginning to end. / 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. / Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, ‘The iniquity of Eli’s house shall never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”

1 Samuel 4:11
The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

1 Samuel 22:18-20
So the king ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests himself. On that day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. / He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, with its men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep. / But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled to David.

1 Kings 14:10-11
Because of all this, behold, I am bringing disaster on the house of Jeroboam: I will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both slave and free, in Israel; I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns up dung until it is gone! / Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.’ For the LORD has spoken.

1 Kings 2:31-33
And the king replied, “Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so remove from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood that Joab shed. / The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head, for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he put to the sword Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. / Their blood will come back upon the heads of Joab and his descendants forever; but for David, his descendants, his house, and his throne, there shall be peace from the LORD forever.”

1 Kings 2:26
Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death at this time, since you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and you suffered through all that my father suffered.”

1 Kings 2:36-46
Then the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else. / On the day you go out and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will die; your blood will be on your own head.” / “The sentence is fair,” Shimei replied. “Your servant will do as my lord the king has spoken.” And Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time. ...

1 Kings 1:7-8
So Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, who supported him. / But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s mighty men would not join Adonijah.

1 Kings 1:19
And he has sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the other sons of the king, as well as Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army. But he has not invited your servant Solomon.

1 Kings 1:25
For today he has gone down and sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’

1 Kings 1:32-34
Then King David said, “Call in for me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. / “Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon. / There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. You are to blow the ram’s horn and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’

1 Kings 1:39
Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the ram’s horn, and all the people proclaimed, “Long live King Solomon!”

1 Kings 1:45
Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there with rejoicing that rings out in the city. That is the noise you hear.


Treasury of Scripture

And the man of yours, whom I shall not cut off from my altar, shall be to consume your eyes, and to grieve your heart: and all the increase of your house shall die in the flower of their age.

to consume

1 Samuel 22:21-23
And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD'S priests…

1 Kings 1:7,19
And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him

1 Kings 2:26,27
And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted…

in the flower, etc.

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Age Altar Blind Consume Cut Dark Descendants Die Eyes Hand Heart House Increase Languish Offspring Prime Soul Spared Sword Tears Weep Weeping Young
1 Samuel 2
1. Hannah's song in thankfulness
12. The sin of Eli's sons
18. Samuel's ministry
20. by Eli's blessing Hannah is more fruitful
22. Eli reproves his sons
27. A prophecy against Eli's house














And every one of you that I do not cut off from My altar
The phrase "cut off" in Hebrew is "karath," which often implies a severe form of judgment or separation. In the context of the priestly line of Eli, this signifies a divine judgment against those who have been unfaithful to their sacred duties. The "altar" represents the place of sacrifice and worship, central to Israel's covenant relationship with God. Historically, the altar was where priests mediated between God and the people, and being cut off from it meant losing one's role and standing before God. This phrase underscores the seriousness of the priestly office and the consequences of failing to honor it.

will be spared only to blind your eyes with tears
The imagery of "blinding eyes with tears" is poignant, suggesting deep sorrow and regret. In Hebrew culture, tears are often associated with mourning and repentance. This phrase indicates that those who remain will experience profound grief, possibly due to witnessing the downfall of their family and the loss of God's favor. The emotional impact is emphasized, highlighting the personal and communal consequences of sin and disobedience.

and grieve your heart
The heart, or "leb" in Hebrew, is considered the center of one's emotions, will, and intellect. To "grieve your heart" suggests an inner turmoil and distress that goes beyond mere sadness. It reflects a deep, existential pain that comes from recognizing the gravity of one's actions and their repercussions. This phrase serves as a warning of the spiritual and emotional cost of turning away from God's commands.

and all your descendants will die by the sword of men
The "sword" is a common biblical symbol for judgment and warfare. In this context, it signifies a violent and untimely death, often seen as a direct consequence of divine judgment. The mention of "descendants" indicates that the consequences of Eli's family's actions will extend beyond the immediate generation, affecting their legacy and future. This serves as a sobering reminder of the long-term impact of sin and the importance of faithfulness to God's covenant.

(33) To consume thine eyes and to grieve thine heart.--The Speaker's Commentary well refers to 1Samuel 2:36 for an explanation of these difficult words. "Those who are not cut off in the flower of their youth shall be worse off than those who are, for they shall have to beg their bread."

And all the increase of thine house shall die.--In the Babylonian Talmud the Rabbis have related that there was once a family in Jerusalem the members of which died off regularly at eighteen years of age. Rabbi Jochanan ben Zacchai shrewdly guessed that they were descendants of Eli, regarding whom it is said (1Samuel 2:33), "And all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age; "and he accordingly advised them to devote themselves to the study of the Law, as the certain and only means of neutralising the curse. They acted upon the advice of the Rabbi; their lives were in consequence prolonged; and they thenceforth went by the name of their spiritual father.--Rosh Hashanah, fol. 18, Colossians 1.

Verse 33. - The man of thine, etc. The meaning of the Hebrews is here again changed by the insertion of words not in the original. Translated literally the sense is good, but merciful, and this the A.V. has so rendered as to make it the most bitter of all denunciations. The Hebrews is, "Yet I will not cut off every one of thine from my altar, to consume thine eyes and to grieve thy soul;" that is, thy punishment shall not be so utter as to leave thee with no consolation; for thy descendants, though diminished in numbers, and deprived of the highest rank, shall still minister as priests at mine altar. "But the majority of try house - lit, the multitude of thy house - shall die as men." This is very well rendered in the A.V. "in the flower of theft age," only we must not explain this of dying of disease. They were to die in their vigour, not, like children and old men, in theft beds, but by violent deaths, such as actually befell them at Shiloh and at Nob.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And every one
וְאִ֗ישׁ (wə·’îš)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

of you
לְךָ֙ (lə·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

that I do not
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

cut off
אַכְרִ֤ית (’aḵ·rîṯ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant

from
מֵעִ֣ם (mê·‘im)
Preposition-m
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

My altar,
מִזְבְּחִ֔י (miz·bə·ḥî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4196: An altar

your eyes
עֵינֶ֖יךָ (‘ê·ne·ḵā)
Noun - cdc | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

will fail
לְכַלּ֥וֹת (lə·ḵal·lō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3615: To be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, or spent

and your heart
נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ (nap̄·še·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

will grieve.
וְלַאֲדִ֣יב (wə·la·’ă·ḏîḇ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 109: To languish

All
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

your descendants
מַרְבִּ֥ית (mar·bîṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 4768: Increase, great number, greatness

will die
יָמ֥וּתוּ (yā·mū·ṯū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

in the prime of life.
אֲנָשִֽׁים׃ (’ă·nā·šîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person


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OT History: 1 Samuel 2:33 The man of yours whom I shall (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 2:32
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