1 Samuel 2:35

This verse forms no part of the sign, but is to be connected with 1 Samuel 2:33.

a faithful priest The prophecy is commonly supposed to have been fulfilled in Zadok, whose descendants retained the High-priesthood till the end of the monarchy (1 Chronicles 6:8-15). But that Samuel is meant seems clear on the following grounds.

(a) The faithful priest is obviously contrasted with the unfaithful sons of Eli. This points to Samuel not Zadok. The account of his call is given immediately in ch. 3 and it concludes by saying (1 Samuel 2:20), "all Israel knew that Samuel was establishedto be a prophet of the Lord," a connecting link with the present passage, for it is the same Heb. word which is rendered "faithful," "sure," and "established." This is followed by the death of Hophni and Phinehas (ch. 4).

(b) The "sure house" which is promised does not necessarily imply succession to the priesthood. But if it had originally done so, might not the privilege have been forfeited by the sin of Samuel's sons (ch. 1 Samuel 8:3), as in the case of the exactly similar promise to Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:38) ?That Samuel's descendants flourished is clear, for his grandson Heman (1 Chronicles 6:33) was David's chief musician, and father of fourteen sons and three daughters (1 Chronicles 25:1; 1 Chronicles 25:4-5).

(c) "He shall walk before mine anointed (not, for ever, but) all the daysof his life" (cp. 1 Samuel 1:22). This is most naturally referred to Samuel, who was God's instrument for establishing the kingdom, and occupied a unique position as the authorised adviser of Saul.

(d) But it will be said, Samuel was no priest, only a prophet-judge. True he was not a priest by descent, and is nowhere expressly so called. But the expression I will raise up" (used so commonly of the judges) implies an extraordinary office. And during his lifetime Samuel filled the place of High-priest. The prerogative of the line of Aaron was in abeyance for a time, as a punishment for the corruption of Eli's sons. Ahitub the son of Phinehas never appears in the history. Ahiah is not mentioned till after Saul's first rejection in Samuel's extreme old age (1 Samuel 14:3). Samuel exercised priestly functions by intercession (1 Samuel 7:9), by offering sacrifice (1 Samuel 7:9-10), by benediction (1 Samuel 9:12-13), by anointing Saul and David (1 Samuel 10:1; 1 Samuel 16:13, cp. 1 Kings 1:34). He may be compared with Moses who though not strictly a priest was sometimes regarded as such (Psalms 99:6).

mine anointed See notes on 1 Samuel 2:10 1 Samuel 10:1, 1 Samuel 12:3.