The Meaning of 1 Samuel 2:31 Explained

1 Samuel 2:31

KJV: Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.

YLT: Lo, days are coming, and I have cut off thine arm, and the arm of the house of thy father, that an old man is not in thy house;

Darby: Behold, days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thy house.

ASV: Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thy house.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold, the days  come,  that I will cut off  thine arm,  and the arm  of thy father's  house,  that there shall not be an old man  in thine house. 

What does 1 Samuel 2:31 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 2:31 mean?

Behold the days are coming that I will cut off - your arm and the arm of house of your father so that there will not be an old man in your house
הִנֵּה֙ יָמִ֣ים בָּאִ֔ים וְגָֽדַעְתִּי֙ אֶת־ זְרֹ֣עֲךָ֔ וְאֶת־ זְרֹ֖עַ בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ מִֽהְי֥וֹת זָקֵ֖ן בְּבֵיתֶֽךָ

הִנֵּה֙  Behold 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
יָמִ֣ים  the  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
בָּאִ֔ים  are  coming 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
וְגָֽדַעְתִּי֙  that  I  will  cut  off 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: גָּדַע  
Sense: to cut, hew, chop, cut down, hew down, hew off, cut off, cut in two, shave off.
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.
זְרֹ֣עֲךָ֔  your  arm 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: זְרֹועַ  
Sense: arm, forearm, shoulder, strength.
זְרֹ֖עַ  the  arm 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: זְרֹועַ  
Sense: arm, forearm, shoulder, strength.
בֵּ֣ית  of  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אָבִ֑יךָ  of  your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
מִֽהְי֥וֹת  so  that  there  will  not  be 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
זָקֵ֖ן  an  old  man 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
בְּבֵיתֶֽךָ  in  your  house 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.