1 Samuel 2:30 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said, &c.— The office of the high-priesthood was first settled upon Eleazar the eldest son of Aaron, and upon his posterity; for the very same promise is made to Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, Numbers 25:13 which is here said to be made to Eli, who was descended from Ithamar, the youngest son of Aaron. The high-priesthood was translated to him from the family of Eleazar, for some sin or other, as now it was resolved it should be translated back again, from the family of Ithamar to that of Eleazar, because of the horrid sins of the sons of Eli. We frequently read of God's conditional decrees in Scripture; see particularly Jeremiah 7:9-10 and Selden de Success. in Pontif. lib. 1: cap. 2. We cannot too carefully attend to the solemn declaration at the close of this verse, which, while it highly magnifies the goodness of God to us, warns us at the same time, in the strongest manner, to be active in the performance of our duties.