Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
I said indeed, that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever - (see the note at Exodus 28:43; Exodus 29:9.) It is true that this promise was made to Aaron and his house generally, and was verified by the permanent possession of the priestly dignity by his descendants during the subsistence of the Jewish dispensation. The bestowment of that honour upon Phinehas and his descendants (Numbers 25:12) was in token of the divine approval of his holy zeal on a memorable occasion, and the continuance of the privilege in that older branch of the Aaronic family depended on the condition, plainly understood, of their unbroken fidelity in their office. That they had been guilty of some heinous offence, which involved a forfeiture of their sacerdotal status, is evident, though no mention of it occurs in Scripture, from the fact that the priesthood was transferred to the younger branch of Aaron's house; and how it was declared that, in consequence of the flagrant dereliction of duty on the part of Eli, it should be withdrawn from the line of Ithamar (Leviticus 10:1-2; Leviticus 10:12), and reverted to that of Eleazar.