1 Samuel 2 25

1 Samuel 2:25 kjv

If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.

1 Samuel 2:25 nkjv

If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?" Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because the LORD desired to kill them.

1 Samuel 2:25 niv

If one person sins against another, God may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the LORD, who will intercede for them?" His sons, however, did not listen to their father's rebuke, for it was the LORD's will to put them to death.

1 Samuel 2:25 esv

If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?" But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the LORD to put them to death.

1 Samuel 2:25 nlt

If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede?" But Eli's sons wouldn't listen to their father, for the LORD was already planning to put them to death.

1 Samuel 2 verses

1 Samuel 2 25 Meaning

1 Samuel 2:25 distinguishes between two categories of sin and God's response to them. If an individual sins against another person, God Himself can mediate, arbitrate, or even intercede on behalf of the offended, allowing for resolution and atonement. However, when a person commits a deliberate, persistent, and high-handed sin directly against the LORD, refusing rebuke and despising His sacred things, the question "who can intercede for him?" is rhetorical, implying that no human or even divine intercession can avail. This is because such a severe and unrepentant offense crosses a critical threshold where God's righteous judgment has been irrevocably decided, for "the LORD intends to put them to death." This signifies God's sovereign purpose and unchangeable decree, sealing the fate of those who utterly reject Him.

1 Samuel 2 25 Context

This verse is embedded in the narrative describing the corruption of Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who were priests. Eli had received divine warning through a "man of God" regarding his sons' egregious sins—they were despising the sacrifices, acting immorally at the tabernacle entrance, and exploiting the people (1 Sam 2:12-17, 22). Eli himself, though he verbally rebuked his sons (1 Sam 2:23-24), failed to restrain them, honoring his sons more than God (1 Sam 2:29). Despite Eli’s attempt at intervention, Hophni and Phinehas "would not listen to the voice of their father." It is at this point that 1 Samuel 2:25 pronounces the dire consequence: their unyielding disobedience to Eli’s rebuke, which was effectively God's last warning through their father, signaled their unrepentant heart, sealing their judgment. The verse explains why they could not be saved – their persistent defiance had led to God's final decision for their demise. This divine decree is a solemn declaration of justice, setting the stage for the destruction of Eli's house and the eventual establishment of a faithful priesthood.

1 Samuel 2 25 Word analysis

• If one man sins against another: This highlights sin as primarily against a human party. This category of sin is typically resolvable, with remedies found in Mosaic law, human arbitration, or God's intervention on behalf of the wronged.
• God will mediate for him: The Hebrew verb is pâlal (פָּלַל). While pâlal often means "to pray" or "to intercede," in this context, when God is the subject mediating for a person against another, it implies God's role as a righteous Judge or arbitrator who intervenes in human disputes to bring about justice or reconciliation. God acts as the ultimate court of appeal or enforcer of justice in human-to-human conflicts.
• but if a man sins against the LORD: This marks a distinct and far graver category of sin. It implies a direct offense against God's holiness, His commands, His honor, or His covenant, especially when done with a high hand (i.e., deliberately and defiantly). The sins of Eli's sons—defiling the sacred offerings and sexually immorally at the tabernacle—were precisely this: a direct affront to the LORD Himself and His worship.
• who can intercede for him?: The verb pâlal (פָּלַל) is used again. This question is rhetorical, expecting the answer "no one." It emphasizes the utter hopelessness of a sinner for whom God's definitive judgment has been decreed. When the offense is directly against God and becomes high-handed and unrepentant, no external plea or mediation, whether human or divine, can avert the decreed outcome. This contrasts sharply with God's willingness to mediate in man-to-man conflicts, showing the unique severity of unrepentant sin against the Creator.
• For the LORD intends to put them to death: The Hebrew châphêts (חָפֵץ) translates as "desires," "delights in," or "is pleased to." In this context, it expresses God's firm, settled purpose and resolve, a deliberate decision. This is not a capricious whim but a solemn, just, and unalterable divine decree. Their persistent and defiant sin, rejecting all warning and demonstrating a hardened heart, had reached a point where God's just judgment, pre-determined due to their unyielding wickedness, became unavoidable. It reveals that they crossed a threshold of divine forbearance, sealing their doom.

Words-group analysis:

• "If one man sins against another" vs. "but if a man sins against the LORD": This parallel structure highlights the critical distinction between civil or interpersonal offenses and those that directly violate God's divine authority and holiness. The consequences for the latter are far more severe and final, emphasizing God's ultimate sovereignty.
• "God will mediate for him" vs. "who can intercede for him?": This contrast underscores the availability of mediation and atonement for man-to-man offenses versus the lack thereof for high-handed, unrepentant sins against God. God is the one who can mediate on behalf of humans against other humans, but when humans defy God Himself to a certain point, no one, not even God Himself, will intercede to save them from the decreed judgment.
• "For the LORD intends to put them to death": This entire clause conveys the irreversible nature of God's righteous judgment once a certain line has been crossed due to persistent and deliberate sin. It signifies not merely a consequence but a divinely purposed execution of justice. This is a divine decision, reflecting God's ultimate power and the sanctity of His being.

1 Samuel 2 25 Bonus section

The ultimate and terrifying reality presented in this verse is that God Himself, when faced with complete and hardened rebellion against His person and divine order, will choose not to allow intercession. This highlights the concept that there can be a point of no return for an individual who defiantly and continuously spurns divine grace and instruction, thereby incurring God’s fixed judgment. This verse also serves as a polemic against the pagan notion of manipulating gods through rituals, offerings, or human intercession irrespective of the heart's condition; for sin against YHWH with a defiant spirit is not subject to human or even divine manipulation, but to His unyielding righteousness. Eli’s inability to curb his sons, despite his parental role, stands in stark contrast to God’s definitive action, underscoring God’s sovereignty over human agency, especially in matters of ultimate justice.

1 Samuel 2 25 Commentary

1 Samuel 2:25 delivers a profound and chilling theological statement concerning the nature of sin and divine justice, especially within the context of Eli's wicked sons, Hophni and Phinehas. The verse draws a sharp dichotomy: sin against a fellow human can find arbitration and even mediation from God, implying a path to reconciliation or restitution. God, the righteous Judge, can step in to resolve such disputes or grant succor to the wronged. However, sin directly against the LORD, particularly when characterized by the stubborn defiance and repeated desecration exhibited by Eli's sons (who even after their father's mild rebukes continued their wicked ways), is portrayed as qualitatively different.

For such unyielding rebellion against God’s own person, laws, and sacred institutions, the rhetorical question "who can intercede for him?" unequivocally declares that no mediation is possible. This is not because God lacks the power to forgive, but because the individuals, through their persistent hardness of heart, have reached a point where God, in His perfect justice, has determined their fate. "The LORD intends to put them to death" expresses God's settled, just, and unalterable decree. This is not God being arbitrary or capricious, but exercising His sovereign judgment upon those who have crossed an irrevocable line of deliberate, defiant sin, manifesting a complete disregard for His holiness.

The consequence is rooted in their willful choice to disregard all warnings and to despise the things of God (1 Sam 2:17, 24-25). Their sin became high-handed (Num 15:30), defying the very system designed for reconciliation (the sacrifices they desecrated). This truth prefigures later biblical concepts, such as the unpardonable sin (Matt 12:31-32), and the impossibility of restoring to repentance those who wilfully persist in sin after receiving knowledge of the truth (Heb 6:4-6; 10:26-31). For Eli's sons, this was a divine pronouncement of judicial hardening, sealing their fate. It underscores the ultimate and fearful authority of God, demonstrating that His patience has limits and that persistent rejection of His grace and warnings leads to an irreversible outpouring of His just wrath. This episode serves as a stern warning against trivializing sin, especially sin against God Himself.

• Practical Examples:
  • Contempt for holy things: Neglecting spiritual discipline, mocking Christian teachings, or intentionally disrupting church worship would align with disrespect for sacred things.
  • Refusing correction: A person repeatedly warned by church leadership or fellow believers about a persistent sin, but who continually hardens their heart and persists, shows defiance against divine principle.
  • High-handed sin: Committing known, grave sin with a conscious disregard for God's commands, displaying arrogance rather than brokenness.