The Meaning of 1 Samuel 2:30 Explained

1 Samuel 2:30

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Samuel 2:30 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 2:22-36 - The Penalty Of Dishonoring God
Eli was held responsible for the excesses of his sons. He was a mild and gentle old man. But there are times when mildness and gentleness are out of place. We must be stern and strong when the occasion demands. It is always necessary to be on the alert, lest flabbiness and weakness should pass under the designation of Christian graces. Moreover, severer measures might have restrained his sons, 1 Samuel 3:13. Therefore in the message of judgment Eli was included, 1 Samuel 2:27-36. He is classed with his sons and reckoned as an accomplice with them in their sin against God, 1 Samuel 2:29-30.
Notice that prediction of the "faithful priests," 1 Samuel 2:35-36. In its first reference Samuel may be seen, but beyond him rises the figure of Another who ever lives to intercede, and is expressly designated as "faithful." Eli and his sons lived in the Temple, where the burning holiness of God was reflected in every service; but they seem never to have heard the chant of the seraphim, nor to have cried, "Woe is me, for I am undone," nor to have felt the burning coal on their lips. Do not trifle with the sacred privileges of God's house! They will condemn where they do not uplift. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 2:30 mean?

therefore says Yahweh God of Israel indeed I said [that] your house and the house of your father would walk before Me for ever but now Far be it from Me for those who honor Me I will honor and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed
לָכֵ֗ן נְאֻם־ יְהוָה֮ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ אָמ֣וֹר אָמַ֔רְתִּי בֵּֽיתְךָ֙ וּבֵ֣ית אָבִ֔יךָ יִתְהַלְּכ֥וּ לְפָנַ֖י עַד־ עוֹלָ֑ם וְעַתָּ֤ה חָלִ֣ילָה לִּ֔י כִּֽי־ מְכַבְּדַ֥י אֲכַבֵּ֖ד וּבֹזַ֥י יֵקָֽלּוּ

נְאֻם־  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָה֮  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵ֣י  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִשְׂרָאֵל֒  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
אָמ֣וֹר  indeed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אָמַ֔רְתִּי  I  said  [that] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בֵּֽיתְךָ֙  your  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וּבֵ֣ית  and  the  house 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אָבִ֔יךָ  of  your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
יִתְהַלְּכ֥וּ  would  walk 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לְפָנַ֖י  before  Me 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
עוֹלָ֑ם  ever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
וְעַתָּ֤ה  but  now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
חָלִ֣ילָה  Far  be  it 
Parse: Interjection, third person feminine singular
Root: חָלִיל  
Sense: far be it (from me), God forbid that, let it not be.
לִּ֔י  from  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
מְכַבְּדַ֥י  those  who  honor  Me 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: כָּבֵד  
Sense: to be heavy, be weighty, be grievous, be hard, be rich, be honourable, be glorious, be burdensome, be honoured.
אֲכַבֵּ֖ד  I  will  honor 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: כָּבֵד  
Sense: to be heavy, be weighty, be grievous, be hard, be rich, be honourable, be glorious, be burdensome, be honoured.
וּבֹזַ֥י  and  those  who  despise  Me 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: בָּזָה 
Sense: to despise, hold in contempt, disdain.
יֵקָֽלּוּ  shall  be  lightly  esteemed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָלַל  
Sense: to be slight, be swift, be trifling, be of little account, be light.