1 Samuel 3:14 (YLT)

Passage

and therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli: the iniquity of the house of Eli is not atoned for, by sacrifice, and by offering--unto the age.'

Nearby Context

1 Samuel 3:12 In that day I establish unto Eli all that I have spoken unto his house, beginning and completing;

1 Samuel 3:13 and I have declared to him that I am judging his house--to the age, for the iniquity which he hath known, for his sons are making themselves vile, and he hath not restrained them,

1 Samuel 3:14 and therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli: the iniquity of the house of Eli is not atoned for, by sacrifice, and by offering--unto the age.'

1 Samuel 3:15 And Samuel lieth till the morning, and openeth the doors of the house of Jehovah, and Samuel is afraid of declaring the vision unto Eli.

1 Samuel 3:16 And Eli calleth Samuel, and saith, `Samuel, my son;' and he saith, `Here <FI>am<Fi> I.'

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "therefore", "sworn", "house", "iniquity", "atoned", "sacrifice", and "offering--unto". 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 "and I have declared to him that..." into verse 15's "And Samuel lieth till the morning and...", 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.