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Person · Tribe of Levi

Hophni

Priest living at the time of United Monarchy

Hophni, along with his brother Phinehas, was a corrupt priest who served under his father Eli at the tabernacle in Shiloh.

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Hophni was one of the two sons of Eli, the high priest of Israel, who served at the tabernacle in Shiloh (1Sa.1.3). Along with his brother Phinehas, Hophni was known for his corrupt behavior and disregard for the proper handling of the sacrifices and offerings brought to the tabernacle (1Sa.2.12-17).

The corrupt practices of Hophni and Phinehas led to the people's disillusionment with the priesthood and a decline in the spiritual life of Israel. As a consequence of their actions, a prophecy was given to Eli, stating that both of his sons would die on the same day (1Sa.2.34).

During a battle against the Philistines, the Israelites brought the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh to the battlefield, accompanied by Hophni and Phinehas (1Sa.4.4). However, the Israelites were defeated, the Ark was captured, and both Hophni and Phinehas were killed, fulfilling the prophecy (1Sa.4.11). When Eli heard the news of his sons' deaths and the capture of the Ark, he fell backward from his seat, broke his neck, and died (1Sa.4.17-18).

The story of Hophni serves as a warning against the abuse of religious authority and the consequences of disobedience to God's laws. It also highlights the importance of proper worship and the handling of sacred objects in maintaining a right relationship with God.

Family

Father
Eli
Sibling
Phinehas

Connections

Part of: Judges era and the road to David

Eli, Hophni and Phinehas: a priestly house judged

RoleStated in the text

Eli's sons abused their priestly office. Eli failed to restrain them; the ark was captured and both sons died in one day, and Eli died on hearing it. The story also marks the transfer of priestly honour from the line of Eli (of Ithamar) toward Zadok (of Eleazar) under Solomon.

EliA High PriestHophniA priestPhinehasFrom LeviSamuelProphet and Judge
Where the text shows it: 1 Sam 2:12-17 — Sons' abuses1 Sam 4:10-18 — Ark captured; deaths1 Kgs 2:26-27 — Abiathar, Eli's descendant, removed by Solomon

Sources: 1 Sam 2:12-17 · 1 Sam 4:10-18 · 1 Kgs 2:26-27

More background: search Wikipedia ↗

Bible dictionary

Hophni Easton Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)

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.)

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Hophni Smith Smith’s Bible Dictionary (1863)

(pugilist) and Phinehas (brazen mouth), the two sons of Eli, who fulfilled their hereditary sacerdotal duties at Shiloh. Their brutal rapacity and lust, (1 Samuel 2:12-17,22) filled the people with disgust and indignation, and provoked the curse which was denounced against their father’s house, first by an unknown prophet, (1 Samuel 2:27-36) and then by Samuel. ch. (1 Samuel 3:11-14) They were both cut off in one day in the flower of their age, and the ark which they had accompanied to battle against the Philistines was lost on the same occasion. (1 Samuel 4:10,11) (B.C. 1130.)

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Hophni Hastings Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible (1898)

HOPH'NI (a fighter), and PHIN'EHAS (brazen-mouthed), the two sons of Eli, united in their office, their crimes, and their death. They are examples of the evils of lax family government. They were licentious, exacting, and impious. They were slain in the battle when the ark of God was taken. See 1 Sam 1:3; 1 Sam 2:12-17, 1 Sam 2:22-26, 1 Sam 2:34; 1 Sam 4:11. See Eli.

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Hophni Schaff Schaff’s Dictionary of the Bible

HOPH'NI (a fighter), and PHIN'EHAS (brazen-mouthed), the two sons of Eli, united in their office, their crimes, and their death. They are examples of the evils of lax family government. They were licentious, exacting, and impious. They were slain in the battle when the ark of God was taken. See 1 Sam 1:3; 1 Sam 2:12-17, 1 Sam 2:22-26, 1 Sam 2:34; 1 Sam 4:11. See Eli.

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Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.

Where Hophni appears

5 verses in 1 book · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H2652

1 Samuel5

Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.