Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine {x} arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.

(x) Thy power and authority.

Wesley's Notes

2:31 Arm - That is, I will take away thy strength, or all that in which thou placest thy confidence, either, the ark, which is called God's strength, Psal 78:61, and was Eli's strength, who therefore was not able to bear the very tidings of the loss of it. Or, his priestly dignity or employment, whence he had all his honour and substance. Or rather, his children, to whom the words following here, and in the succeeding verse s, seem to confine it. Father's house - That is, thy children's children, and all thy family which was in great measure accomplished, 1Sam 22:16, and c.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

31. I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house-By the withdrawal of the high priesthood from Eleazar, the elder of Aaron's two sons (after Nadab and Abihu were destroyed, [Nu 3:4]), that dignity had been conferred on the family of Ithamar, to which Eli belonged, and now that his descendants had forfeited the honor, it was to be taken from them and restored to the elder branch.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:27-36 Those who allow their children in any evil way, and do not use their authority to restrain and punish them, in effect honour them more than God. Let Eli's example excite parents earnestly to strive against the beginnings of wickedness, and to train up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. In the midst of the sentence against the house of Eli, mercy is promised to Israel. God's work shall never fall to the ground for want of hands to carry it on. Christ is that merciful and faithful High Priest, whom God raised up when the Levitical priesthood was thrown off, who in all things did his Father's mind, and for whom God will build a sure house, build it on a rock, so that hell cannot prevail against it.