And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.
And this will be a sign to prove what I'm telling you is true: your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will both die on the same day.
God is giving Eli a specific sign that his prophecy is true - both of his sons will die on the same day as proof of divine judgment.
📚 Historical Context
This prophecy was spoken to Eli, the high priest at Shiloh, whose sons Hophni and Phinehas were corrupt priests who dishonored God and exploited people who came to worship. God had sent a prophet to warn Eli that his family line would be judged because he failed to restrain his sons' wicked behavior. This sign would later be fulfilled when both sons died in battle against the Philistines on the same day the Ark of the Covenant was captured.
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