1 Samuel 2:30

Brenton's Septuagint

Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel, I said, Thy house and the house of thy father shall pass before me for ever: but now the Lord says, That be far from me; for I will only honour them that honour me, and he that sets me at nought shall be despised.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Therefore, this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I did say that your family and your forefather’s family would walk before me forever. But now,’ this is the Lord’s declaration, ‘no longer! For those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disgraced.

Hebrew Names Version
Therefore the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, says, I said indeed that your house, and the house of your father, should walk before me forever: but now the LORD says, Be it far from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

King James Version
Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

Lexham English Bible
Therefore,' declares Yahweh the God of Israel, ‘though I solemnly said that your house and the house of your ancestor would walk before me forever, but now,' declares Yahweh, ‘far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me, I will treat with contempt!

English Standard Version
Therefore the Lord , the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,' but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

New Century Version
"So the Lord , the God of Israel, says: ‘I promised that your family and your ancestor's family would serve me always.' But now the Lord says: ‘This must stop! I will honor those who honor me, but I will dishonor those who ignore me.

New English Translation
Therefore the Lord , the God of Israel, says, ‘I really did say that your house and your ancestor's house would serve me forever.' But now the Lord says, ‘May it never be! For I will honor those who honor me, but those who despise me will be cursed!

Amplified Bible
"Therefore the LORD God of Israel declares, 'I did indeed say that your house and that of [Aaron] your father would walk [in priestly service] before Me forever.' But now the LORD declares, 'Far be it from Me—for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be insignificant and contemptible.

New American Standard Bible
"Therefore the LORD God of Israel declares, 'I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father was to walk before Me forever'; but now the LORD declares, 'Far be it from Me—for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be insignificant.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Wherefore the Lorde God of Israel saith, I saide, that thine house and the house of thy father should walke before mee for euer: but nowe the Lord saith, It shall not be so: for them that honour me, I will honour, and they that despise me, shall be despised.

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, declares, ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever'; but now Yahweh declares, ‘Far be it from Me—for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be cursed.

Contemporary English Version
I am the Lord , the God of Israel. I promised to always let your family serve me as priests, but now I tell you that I cannot do this any longer! I honor anyone who honors me, but I put a curse on anyone who hates me.

Complete Jewish Bible
"Therefore Adonai the God of Isra'el says, ‘I did indeed say that your family and your father's family would walk in my presence forever.' But now Adonai says, ‘Forget it! I respect those who respect me, but those who despise me will meet with contempt.

Darby Translation
Wherefore Jehovah the God of Israel saith, I said indeed, Thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever. But now Jehovah saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

Easy-to-Read Version
"The Lord , the God of Israel, promised that your father's family would serve him forever. But now the Lord says, ‘That will never be! I will honor people who honor me, but bad things will happen to those who refuse to respect me.

George Lamsa Translation
Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel, I said indeed that your house and the house of your father should minister before me for ever; but now the LORD says, Far be this from me; for those that honor me I will honor, and those that despise me shall be despised.

Good News Translation
I, the Lord God of Israel, promised in the past that your family and your clan would serve me as priests for all time. But now I say that I won't have it any longer! Instead, I will honor those who honor me, and I will treat with contempt those who despise me.

Literal Translation
So says Jehovah the God of Israel, I said indeed that your house and your father's house should walk before Me until forever. But now Jehovah says, Be it far from Me! For those who honor Me I will honor; and those despising Me will bedespicable.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Therfore sayeth the LORDE God of Israel: I haue spoken, that thy house and thy fathers house shulde walke before me for euer. But now sayeth the LORDE: That be farre fro me. But who so euer honoureth me, him wil I honor also: as for those yt despyse me, they shal not be regarded.

American Standard Version
Therefore Jehovah, the God of Israel, saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now Jehovah saith, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

Bible in Basic English
For this reason the Lord God of Israel has said, Truly I did say that your family and your father's people would have their place before me for ever: but now the Lord says, Let it not be so; I will give honour to those by whom I am honoured, and those who have no respect for me will be of small value in my eyes.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherefore the Lorde God of Israel saith: I sayde, that thy house and the house of thy father should walke before me for euer: But nowe the Lorde saith, That be farre fro me: For them that worship me, I wyll worship, and they that despise me, shall come to shame.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, saith: I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before Me for ever; but now the LORD saith: Be it far from Me: for them that honour Me I will honour, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.

King James Version (1611)
Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I sayd indeede that thy house, & the house of thy father should walke before me for euer: but now the Lord saith, Be it farre from mee; for them that honour me, I will honour, and they that despise me, shall be lightly esteemed.

English Revised Version
Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

Berean Standard Bible
Therefore, the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: 'I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever. But now the LORD declares: Far be it from Me! For I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be disdained.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor the Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, Y spekynge spak, that thin hows and `the hows of thi fadir schulde mynystre in my siyt til in to with outen ende; `now forsothe the Lord seith, Fer be this fro me; but who euere onourith me, Y schal glorifie hym; forsothe thei that dispisen me, schulen be vnnoble.

Young's Literal Translation
`Therefore -- the affirmation of Jehovah, God of Israel -- I certainly said, Thy house and the house of thy father, do walk up and down before Me to the age; and now -- the affirmation of Jehovah -- Far be it from Me! for he who is honouring Me, I honour, and those despising Me, are lightly esteemed.

Update Bible Version
Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, I said indeed that your house, and the house of your father, should walk before me forever: but now Yahweh says, Be it far from me; for those that honor me I will honor, and those that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed [that] thy house, and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

World English Bible
Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, I said indeed that your house, and the house of your father, should walk before me forever: but now Yahweh says, Be it far from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

New King James Version
Therefore the LORD God of Israel says: "I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.' But now the LORD says: "Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.

New Living Translation
"Therefore, the Lord , the God of Israel, says: I promised that your branch of the tribe of Levi would always be my priests. But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me.

New Life Bible
So the Lord God of Israel says, ‘I did promise that those of your family and the family of your father should walk before Me forever.' But now the Lord says, ‘May this be far from Me. For I will honor those who honor Me. And those who hate Me will not be honored.

New Revised Standard
Therefore the Lord the God of Israel declares: ‘I promised that your family and the family of your ancestor should go in and out before me forever'; but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be treated with contempt.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Hence, the oracle of Yahweh God of Israel, I, said, that, thy house, and the house of thy father, should go to and fro in my presence, unto times age-abiding: But, now, (is the oracle of Yahweh) - Be it far from me! For, them who honour me, will I honour, but, they who despise me, shall be lightly esteemed.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Wherefore thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should minister in my sight, for ever. But now saith the Lord: Far be this from me: but whosoever shall glorify me, him will I glorify: but they that despise me, shall be despised.

Revised Standard Version
Therefore the LORD the God of Israel declares: 'I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me for ever'; but now the LORD declares: 'Far be it from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Therefore the LORD God of Israel declares, 'I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever'; but now the LORD declares, 'Far be it from Me—for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed.

Contextual Overview

²⁷ And a man of God came to Heli, and said, Thus says the Lord, I plainly revealed myself to the house of thy father, when they were servants in Egypt to the house of Pharao. ²⁸ And I chose the house of thy father out of all the tribes of Israel to minister to me in the priest’s office, to go up to my altar, and to burn incense, and to wear an ephod. And I gave to the house of thy father all the offerings by fire of the children of Israel for food. ²⁹ And wherefore hast thou looked upon my incense-offering and my meat-offering with a shameless eye, and hast honoured thy sons above me, so that they should bless themselves with the first-fruits of every sacrifice of Israel before me? ³⁰ Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel, I said, Thy house and the house of thy father shall pass before me for ever: but now the Lord says, That be far from me; for I will only honour them that honour me, and he that sets me at nought shall be despised. ³¹ Behold, the days come when I will destroy thy seed and the seed of thy father’s house. ³² And thou shalt not have an old man in my house for ever. ³³ 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. ³⁴ And this which shall come upon thy two sons Ophni and Phinees shall be a sign to thee; in one day they shall both die. ³⁵ And I will raise up to myself a faithful priest, who shall do all that is in my heart and in my soul; and I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before my Christ for ever. ³⁶ And it shall come to pass that he that survives in thy house, shall come to do obeisance before him for a little piece of silver, saying, Put me into one of thy priest’s offices to eat bread.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I said: Exodus 28:43, Exodus 29:9, Numbers 25:11-13

Be it far: Numbers 35:34, *marg 2 Chronicles 15:2, Jeremiah 18:9, Jeremiah 18:10

them: Judges 9:10, Psalms 50:23, Proverbs 3:9, Proverbs 3:10, Isaiah 29:13, Daniel 4:34, Malachi 1:6, John 5:23, John 8:49, John 13:31, John 13:32, John 17:4, John 17:5

I will honour: Psalms 18:20, Psalms 91:14, John 5:44, John 12:26, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 1 Peter 1:7

that despise: Numbers 11:20, 2 Samuel 12:9, 2 Samuel 12:10, Malachi 2:8, Malachi 2:9

Reciprocal: Genesis 18:19 - that the Genesis 22:18 - obeyed Genesis 39:22 - committed Genesis 39:23 - because Exodus 33:3 - for I Leviticus 10:3 - before Numbers 12:11 - I beseech thee Numbers 14:34 - breach of promise Numbers 25:13 - his seed Deuteronomy 25:9 - So shall Joshua 6:27 - his fame Judges 4:9 - notwithstanding 1 Samuel 2:36 - eat 1 Samuel 13:14 - But now 1 Samuel 15:23 - thou hast rejected 1 Samuel 15:26 - for thou 1 Samuel 18:30 - set by 1 Samuel 22:18 - fourscore 2 Samuel 6:22 - I be had 2 Samuel 23:17 - Be it far 1 Kings 2:27 - So Solomon 1 Kings 9:6 - if ye 1 Kings 11:11 - I will surely 1 Kings 14:10 - as a man taketh 2 Kings 5:27 - unto thy seed 2 Kings 12:6 - the priests 1 Chronicles 17:18 - the honour 2 Chronicles 24:16 - in the city 2 Chronicles 26:18 - neither shall it be 2 Chronicles 28:27 - they brought 2 Chronicles 32:33 - did him Nehemiah 13:29 - the covenant Esther 9:4 - his fame Job 34:24 - set Psalms 91:15 - honour Psalms 112:9 - horn Proverbs 3:35 - wise Proverbs 4:8 - General Proverbs 8:17 - I love Proverbs 27:18 - shall be Jeremiah 23:17 - that despise Jeremiah 29:32 - he shall Jeremiah 49:15 - General Lamentations 1:8 - all Ezekiel 17:14 - the kingdom Ezekiel 33:26 - and shall Ezekiel 44:12 - they ministered Daniel 3:30 - the king Daniel 4:36 - added Daniel 6:2 - of Hosea 4:7 - therefore Hosea 12:14 - and his Zechariah 6:14 - a memorial Zechariah 11:10 - that Malachi 2:3 - spread Matthew 5:19 - the least Matthew 6:4 - reward Matthew 7:26 - doeth Matthew 10:32 - him Matthew 11:11 - a greater Matthew 15:28 - great Matthew 26:13 - there Luke 12:8 - Whosoever Luke 19:17 - Well Luke 19:26 - and from John 12:43 - the praise of God Romans 2:10 - glory 1 Timothy 3:5 - if Titus 1:6 - having Hebrews 4:1 - a promise James 2:5 - the

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith,.... This being the case, so much contempt cast upon his sacrifices, and dishonour on himself:

I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever; or minister in the priest's office before him: if the house of Aaron in general is meant, it did continue so to do, in one branch or another of it, as long as the Mosaic dispensation lasted, which is meant by the phrase "for ever"; but since it is afterwards denied that it should, rather the house of Ithamar, or of the immediate parent of Eli, is meant, and this said when the priesthood was translated from the family of Eleazar to the family of Ithamar; when, and on what account that was done, we nowhere read. It is a tradition f, that it was in the time of the Levite's concubine; and because Phinehas, and the other priests, did not go from city to city, and reprove the Israelites for the many sins they were fallen into, that the priesthood was taken away out of the family of Eleazar, and translated to that of Ithamar:

but now the Lord saith, be it far from me; to continue the priesthood in the line of Ithamar; which argues no change in the purposes or promises of God, this being not a decree of his, but a declaration of his will; that if the house of Ithamar behaved well in the discharge of the office of the high priest, it should continue with them to the end of the Mosaic dispensation, but if not, it should be taken from them, and restored to the family of Eleazar; as it was in Solomon's time:

for them that honour me I will honour; as Phinehas the son of Eleazar did at Shittim, where he showed his zeal for the Lord of hosts, and had the promise of the everlasting priesthood; and which continued in his family until the Babylonish captivity, excepting the interval in which it was in the family of Ithamar, and for what reason is not known:

and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed; as the posterity of Eli, whose sons despised the Lord, and his offerings, as appeared by their conduct; and these were killed in battle in one day, and in the times of Solomon, Abiathar, of the posterity of Eli, was thrust out of the priesthood, and Zadok, of the line of Eleazar, was put in his room, 1 Kings 2:27.

f Midrash Samuel, apud Jarch. & Kimch. in loc.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Be it far from me - The phrase so rendered is a favorite one in the Books of Samuel, where it occurs ten or eleven times. It is variously rendered in the King James Version, “God forbid,” and “Be it far from me, thee, etc.” Literally, “Be it an abomination to me.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 2:30. Should walk before me for ever — See Exodus 29:9; Exodus 40:15; Numbers 25:10-13, where it is positively promised that the priesthood should be continued in the family of Aaron FOR EVER. But although this promise appears to be absolute, yet we plainly see that, like all other apparently absolute promises of God, it is conditional, i.e., a condition is implied though not expressed.

But now - be it far from me — You have walked unworthily; I shall annul my promise, and reverse my ordinance. See Jeremiah 18:9-10.

For them that honour me — This is a plan from which God will never depart; this can have no alteration; every promise is made in reference to it; "they who honour God shall be honoured; they who despise him shall be lightly esteemed."