1 Samuel 3:14 (WEB)

Passage

Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be removed with sacrifice or offering forever.”

Nearby Context

1 Samuel 3:12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end.

1 Samuel 3:13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves, and he didn’t restrain them.

1 Samuel 3:14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be removed with sacrifice or offering forever.”

1 Samuel 3:15 Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of Yahweh’s house. Samuel feared to show Eli the vision.

1 Samuel 3:16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, “Samuel, my son!” He said, “Here I am.”

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "therefore", "sworn", "house", "iniquity", "shall", "removed", and "sacrifice". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "therefore" and "sworn", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 13's "For I have told him that I..." into verse 15's "Samuel lay until the morning and opened...", so "therefore" and "sworn" belong inside that flow. In 1 Samuel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "therefore" and "sworn" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.