The Meaning of 1 Samuel 2:28 Explained

1 Samuel 2:28

KJV: And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?

YLT: even to choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to Me for a priest, to go up on Mine altar, to make a perfume, to bear an ephod before Me, and I give to the house of thy father all the fire-offerings of the sons of Israel?

Darby: and choose him out of all the tribes of Israel, to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear the ephod before me? and I gave unto the house of thy father all the offerings by fire of the children of Israel.

ASV: and did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up unto mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And did I choose  him out of all the tribes  of Israel  [to be] my priest,  to offer  upon mine altar,  to burn  incense,  to wear  an ephod  before  me? and did I give  unto the house  of thy father  all the offerings made by fire  of the children  of Israel? 

What does 1 Samuel 2:28 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 2:28 mean?

and did I not choose him out of all the tribes of Israel [to be] My priest to offer upon My altar to burn incense and to wear an ephod before Me and did I not give to the house of your father - all the offerings made by fire of the sons of Israel
וּבָחֹ֣ר אֹ֠תוֹ מִכָּל־ שִׁבְטֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל לִי֙ לְכֹהֵ֔ן לַעֲל֣וֹת עַֽל־ מִזְבְּחִ֗י לְהַקְטִ֥יר קְטֹ֛רֶת לָשֵׂ֥את אֵפ֖וֹד לְפָנָ֑י וָֽאֶתְּנָה֙ לְבֵ֣ית אָבִ֔יךָ אֶת־ כָּל־ אִשֵּׁ֖י בְּנֵ֥י ؟ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

וּבָחֹ֣ר  and  did  I  not  choose 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
מִכָּל־  out  of  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
שִׁבְטֵ֨י  the  tribes 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: שֵׁבֶט  
Sense: rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל  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.
לִי֙  [to  be]  My 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
לְכֹהֵ֔ן  priest 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
לַעֲל֣וֹת  to  offer 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
עַֽל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
מִזְבְּחִ֗י  My  altar 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
לְהַקְטִ֥יר  to  burn 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: מֻקְטָר 
Sense: .
קְטֹ֛רֶת  incense 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: קְטֹרֶת  
Sense: incense, smoke, odour of (burning) sacrifice.
לָשֵׂ֥את  and  to  wear 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
אֵפ֖וֹד  an  ephod 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵפֹד  
Sense: ephod.
לְפָנָ֑י  before  Me 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
וָֽאֶתְּנָה֙  and  did  I  not  give 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular, third person feminine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לְבֵ֣ית  to  the  house 
Parse: Preposition-l, 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.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אִשֵּׁ֖י  the  offerings  made  by  fire  of 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אִשֶּׁה  
Sense: burnt-offering, offering made by fire, fire offering.
בְּנֵ֥י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
؟ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  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.