1 Samuel 2:29 Meaning and Explanation
“Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God charges Eli with honoring his sons above himself by sharing in their greed over the sacrifices.
What Does 1 Samuel 2:29 Mean?
Now comes the charge. After all God's kindness, why do they 'kick' at his sacrifices, treating his commanded offerings with contempt? The Lord names Eli's particular failing: he honored his sons above God, sharing in the choicest portions they had wrongly seized.
The accusation cuts to the heart. Eli had let love for his sons override his love for God, tolerating their sin and even benefiting from it. To honor anyone, even one's own children, above God is to invert the right order of the heart. The verse exposes how family loyalty, when it shields sin, becomes a form of dishonoring the Lord. God must be honored first, above every other tie.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 2:29
What does 1 Samuel 2:29 mean?
God charges Eli with honoring his sons above himself by sharing in their greed over the sacrifices.