1 Samuel 3:13

For I have told him The Hebrew may be translated either (a) And I have shewed him that I do judge his house for ever: or (b) And I will shew him that I to judge his house for ever. If the first rendering is adopted, the words refer to the doom already pronounced by the prophet: if the second, the words are to be taken in connexion with the previous verse, to signify that the impending catastrophe would be a sign to Eli that the judgment upon his house was permanent and irreversible. Cp. 1 Samuel 2:34.

judge i.e. punish, as in Ezekiel 7:3, &c.

for the iniquity which he knoweth The Vulgate, followed by Luther, renders -for his iniquity because he knew that his sons dealt shamefully:" describing the judgment as inflicted upon Eli for his own sin in neglecting his duty as father (Deuteronomy 21:18), high-priest (Deuteronomy 17:12), and judge, and failing to restrain the misconduct of his sons. But the rendering of the E. V. which makes the iniquity of Eli's sons the ground of judgment, is possible, and agrees better with 1 Samuel 3:14.

made themselves vile Elsewhere the Heb. word always means to curse, or to blaspheme, and is here best rendered made themselves accursed. There is a Jewish tradition that the original reading was -cursed me," which was altered by the scribes from motives of reverence. The rendering of the LXX. -because his sons were blaspheming God," gives the same sense, corresponding to a slight alteration of the present Hebrew text. Eli's sons had blasphemed God and made light of him by their infamous conduct in His very presence.

he restrained them not But contented himself with gentle expostulation (1 Samuel 2:23), instead of thrusting them out of the sacred office they had so grossly abused. By this weak indulgence he became partaker of their sins.