BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY

Hophni

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2652

חׇפְנִי

choph.ni — Hophni

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.1.3; son of: Eli (H5941); brother of: Phinehas (H6372H) § Hophni = "pugilist" one of the two sons of Eli who were priests at Shiloh and were noted for their brutality and lust; their sinfulness provoked a curse against their father's house and were judged by the Lord when they took the ark into battle; the ark was lost and both brothers were killed and Eli died when he heard the news

5 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H5941

עֵלִי

e.li — Eli

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.1.3; father of: Hophni (H2652), Phinehas (H6372H) § Eli = "ascension" descendant of Aaron through Ithamar and high priest and judge of Israel when Samuel entered service as a child

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Historical dictionary entry

Pugilist or client, one of the two sons of Eli, the high priest (1 Sam. 1:3; 2:34), who, because he was “very old,” resigned to them the active duties of his office. By their scandalous conduct they brought down a curse on their father’s house (2:22, 12-27, 27-36; 3:11-14). For their wickedness they were called “sons of Belial,” i.e., worthless men (2:12). They both perished in the disastrous battle with the Philistines at Aphek (4:11). (See PHINEHAS.)

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Hophni in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →