I Samuel 2:27-36 · Bible study
1 Samuel 2:27-36 Commentary: The Oracle Against Eli
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does God recall His grace to Aaron before judging Eli?
Research Summary
- Meaning: God judges the unfaithful priesthood of Eli and promises to raise a faithful priest who will do His heart.
- Key words: “kick” (בָּעַט, H1163), “faithful” (נֶאֱמָן, H0539), “anointed” (מָשִׁיחַ, H4899).
- Main debate: Whether the “faithful priest” is Zadok, Samuel, or ultimately Christ; most see a layered fulfillment.
- Theological theme: God's grace does not excuse complacency; He remains faithful even when His servants fail.
- Best use: A sobering call to integrity in leadership and a hopeful anticipation of God's provision for His people.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
27Then a man of God came to Eli and told him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal Myself to your father’s house when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh’s house?
28And out of all the tribes of Israel I selected your father to be My priest, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence. I also gave to the house of your father all the offerings of the Israelites made by fire.
29Why then do you kick at My sacrifice and offering that I have prescribed for My dwelling place? You have honored your sons more than Me by fattening yourselves with the best of all the offerings of My people Israel.’
30Therefore, the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever. But now the LORD declares: Far be it from Me! For I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be disdained.
31Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that no older man will be left in your house.
32You will see distress in My dwelling place. Despite all that is good in Israel, no one in your house will ever again reach old age.
33And every one of you that I do not cut off from My altar, your eyes will fail and your heart will grieve. All your descendants will die by the sword of men.
34And this sign shall come to you concerning your two sons Hophni and Phinehas: They will both die on the same day.
35Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest. He will do whatever is in My heart and mind. And I will build for him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed one for all time.
36And everyone left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver or a morsel of bread, pleading, “Please appoint me to some priestly office so that I can eat a piece of bread.”’”
WEB World English Bible 2000
27A man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Yahweh says, ‘Did I reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house?
28Didn’t I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? Didn’t I give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?
29Why do you kick at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded in my habitation, and honor your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel my people?’
30“Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father should walk before me forever.’ But now Yahweh says, ‘Far be it from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me will be cursed.
31Behold, the days come that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, that there will not be an old man in your house.
32You will see the affliction of my habitation, in all the wealth which I will give Israel. There shall not be an old man in your house forever.
33The man of yours whom I don’t cut off from my altar will consume your eyes and grieve your heart. All the increase of your house will die in the flower of their age.
34This will be the sign to you that will come on your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they will both die.
35I will raise up a faithful priest for myself who will do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind. I will build him a sure house. He will walk before my anointed forever.
36It will happen that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and will say, “Please put me into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.”’”
KJV King James Version 1769
27And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house?
28And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?
29Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
30Wherefore 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.
31Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.
32And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.
33And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.
34And 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.
35And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.
36And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
27And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Did I reveal myself unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house?
28and did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up unto mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?
29Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation, and honorest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
30Therefore Jehovah, the God of Israel, saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now Jehovah saith, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
31Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thy house.
32And thou shalt behold the affliction of my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel; and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever.
33And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thy heart; and all the increase of thy house shall die in the flower of their age.
34And this shall be the sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die both of them.
35And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.
36And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thy house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
27And there cometh a man of God unto Eli, and saith unto him, `Thus said Jehovah, Was I really revealed unto the house of thy father in their being in Egypt, before Pharaoh's house,
28even to choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to Me for a priest, to go up on Mine altar, to make a perfume, to bear an ephod before Me, and I give to the house of thy father all the fire-offerings of the sons of Israel?
29Why do ye kick at My sacrifice, and at Mine offering which I commanded in My habitation, and dost honour thy sons above Me, to make yourselves fat from the first part of every offering of Israel, of My people?
30`Therefore--the affirmation of Jehovah, God of Israel--I certainly said, Thy house and the house of thy father, do walk up and down before Me to the age; and now--the affirmation of Jehovah--Far be it from Me! for he who is honouring Me, I honour, and those despising Me, are lightly esteemed.
31`Lo, days are coming, and I have cut off thine arm, and the arm of the house of thy father, that an old man is not in thy house;
32and thou hast beheld an adversary in My habitation, in all that He doth good with Israel, and there is not an old man in thy house all the days.
33`And the man I cut not off of thine from Mine altar, is to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thy soul; and all the increase of thy house do die men;
34and this is to thee the sign that cometh unto thy two sons, unto Hophni and Phinehas--in one day they die both of them;
35and I have raised up for Me a stedfast priest; as in My heart and in My soul he doth do; and I have built for him a stedfast house, and he hath walked up and down before Mine anointed all the days;
36and it hath been, every one who is left in thy house doth come in to bow himself to him, for a wage of silver, and a cake of bread, and hath said, Admit me, I pray thee, unto one of the priest's offices, to eat a morsel of bread.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
27And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, Thus saith Jehovah: Did I plainly reveal myself to the house of thy father when they were in Egypt, in Pharaoh's house,
28and choose him out of all the tribes of Israel, to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear the ephod before me? and I gave unto the house of thy father all the offerings by fire of the children of Israel.
29Wherefore do ye trample upon my sacrifice and upon mine oblation which I have commanded [in my] habitation? And thou honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the primest of all the oblations of Israel my people.
30Wherefore Jehovah the God of Israel saith, I said indeed, Thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever. But now Jehovah saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
31Behold, days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thy house.
32And thou shalt see an oppressor [in my] habitation, amidst all the good that shall be done to Israel; and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever.
33And the man of thine [whom] I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to cause thine eyes to fail and to grieve thy soul; and all the increase of thy house shall die in their vigour.
34And this shall be the sign to thee, which shall come upon thy two sons, upon Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die, both of them.
35And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, [who] shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind; and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed continually.
36And it shall come to pass [that] every one that is left of thy house shall come to crouch to him for a small piece of silver and for a cake of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priestly offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
27And there came a man of God to Heli, and said to him: Thus saith the Lord: Did I not plainly appear to thy father's house, when they were in Egypt in the house of Pharao?
28And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, and burn incense to me, and to wear the ephod before me: and I gave to thy father's house of all the sacrifices of the children of Israel.
29Why have you kicked away my victims, and my gifts which I commanded to be offered in the temple: and thou hast rather honoured thy sons than me, to eat the firstfruits of every sacrifice of my people Israel?
30Wherefore thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should minister in my sight, for ever. But now saith the Lord: Far be this from me: but whosoever shall glorify me, him will I glorify: but they that despise me, shall be despised.
31Behold the days come: and I will cut off thy arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thy house.
32And thou shalt see thy rival in the temple, in all the prosperity of Israel, and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever.
33However, I will not altogether take away a man of thee from my altar: but that thy eyes may faint, and thy soul be spent: and a great part of thy house shall die, when they come to man's estate.
34And this shall be a sign to thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, Ophni and Phinees: in one day they shall both of them die.
35And I will raise me up a faithful priest, who shall do according to my heart, and my soul and I will build him a faithful house, and he shall walk all days before my anointed.
36And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall remain in thy house shall come that he may be prayed for, and shall offer a piece of silver, and a roll of bread, and shall say: Put me, I beseech thee, to somewhat of the priestly office, that I may eat a morsel of bread.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Samuel 2:27
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions read this passage as a covenant lawsuit, built on the contrast between God's past grace and Israel's present rebellion. The anonymous “man of God” (a prophet, as the Targum and most commentators affirm) opens with rhetorical questions that recall God's initiative: He chose Aaron's house out of Egypt, appointed him priest, gave him the ephod and the offerings (v27‑28). The Hebrew infinitive absolute ha‑nigleh nigleiti intensifies the reality of that revelation (Gill). Then the charge: “Why do you kick at my sacrifice?”, the verb ba‛at drawn from Deuteronomy 32:15, describing an overfed animal that refuses its master (Barnes, Ellicott). Eli had honored his sons above God (v29). Keil and Delitzsch note that this sin desecrated the sanctuary. The sentence that follows (v30‑36) reverses the promise of a perpetual priesthood; the word chalilah (“far be it”) expresses God's abhorrence of the situation (Cambridge). Yet even in judgment, God pledges to raise a faithful priest (kohen ne’eman, v35) who will do what is in His heart and mind. Matthew Henry observes that the severity of the judgment is matched only by the mercy of the promise.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Immediate historical fulfillment: The faithful priest is Zadok; the judgment on Eli's dynasty is recorded in 1 Kings 2:26‑27,35.
- Messianic/typological fulfillment: The faithful priest prefigures Christ, the ultimate high priest, as developed in Hebrews 7.
- Layered fulfillment: Initial fulfillment in Zadok, with ultimate and perfect fulfillment in Christ; both are recognized in different traditions.
What is clear: God judges sin decisively and remains committed to providing a faithful priesthood for His people, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The judgment on Eli's house | All traditions see it as a historical judgment fulfilled in the deaths of Hophni and Phinehas, the massacre at Nob, and the removal of Abiathar. | Some see a more extensive fulfillment in the entire demise of the Aaronic priesthood; others limit it to the specific line of Ithamar. |
| The identity of the 'faithful priest' | The immediate historical reference is to Zadok, who replaced Abiathar (1 Kings 2:35). | Some Christian traditions see a typological or prophetic reference to Jesus Christ as the ultimate faithful high priest (Hebrews 7:26‑28), while others see only a historical figure. |
| The unknown 'man of God' | He is an anonymous prophet sent by God to deliver a divine oracle. | Later Jewish tradition sometimes identifies him with Phinehas, but most early sources leave him unnamed; some Christian interpreters have speculated about an angelic messenger. |
| The conditionality of the 'forever' promise (v30) | All agree that God's promise to Aaron's house was not absolute; it assumed faithful obedience (Numbers 25:11‑13). | Catholic and Orthodox traditions emphasize that the priesthood itself continues in an unbroken line; Protestant traditions often stress that God can transfer the office when those who hold it become corrupt. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The events of 1 Samuel 2:27‑36 unfold at the tabernacle in Shiloh, the central sanctuary during the period of the judges. Eli, the high priest, was a descendant of Ithamar, Aaron's younger son (Keil & Delitzsch). The priesthood had been promised to Aaron's line in perpetuity (Exodus 29:9; Numbers 25:10‑13), but that promise was conditional on faithful obedience. By Eli's time the spiritual state of Israel had decayed; “the word of Yahweh was rare” (1 Samuel 3:1). The anonymous “man of God” who confronts Eli represents a rare prophetic voice in that dark era (Barnes).
The oracle opens by recalling God's revelation to “the house of your father” in Egypt, Aaron, the first high priest. In Exodus 4:14‑16, God appointed Aaron as Moses' spokesman and later consecrated him and his sons for priestly service. The man of God lists the privileges: chosen out of all tribes, permitted to approach the altar, burn incense, wear the ephod with Urim and Thummim, and receive the offerings (v28). This recitation magnifies the grace that Eli's house had received and now despised.
The specific sin involved Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who treated the offerings with contempt (1 Samuel 2:12‑17). They took meat before the fat was burned and engaged in sexual immorality at the sanctuary entrance (v22). Eli rebuked them weakly but did not restrain them. The man of God charges Eli with honoring his sons above God (v29), a failure of leadership with devastating consequences. The judgment includes the cutting off of the “arm” (strength) of Eli's house, the death of his sons on the same day as a sign, and the eventual transfer of the high priesthood to a faithful priest (v35). Historically, this was fulfilled when the descendant of Aaron, Zadok, replaced Abiathar, Eli's descendant, during Solomon's reign (1 Kings 2:26‑27,35). The promise of a “faithful priest” who would walk before God's anointed points to the enduring line of Zadok that served throughout the monarchy.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries note no significant textual variants for this passage. The wording of verse 32 is considered obscure by some (Cambridge, Barnes), but the overall meaning of the judgment is not disputed across manuscript traditions.
Reception History
Early Jewish interpretation saw the judgment fulfilled in the massacre of the priests at Nob (1 Samuel 22) and the deposing of Abiathar. The Targum identifies the “man of God” simply as a prophet. Christian interpreters from the patristic period onward have read verse 35 as a prophecy of Christ, the faithful high priest who perfectly does the Father's will (Hebrews 7:26‑28). The Reformers used the passage to argue that God judges corrupt religious leaders and can raise up new ones. In modern scholarship, the focus lies on the passage's role in the Deuteronomistic history, where it illustrates the transfer of the high priesthood from the line of Ithamar to that of Eleazar through Zadok.
Preaching This Verse
Three‑point outline
- God's Grace Recalled (v27‑28). God sovereignly chose Aaron's house, revealed Himself in Egypt, and gave them the highest honor and generous provision. The sermon begins with grace, not accusation.
- Human Sin Exposed (v29‑30). Eli's house “kicked” at God's sacrifice, a metaphor for contempt born of comfort. They put family loyalty above divine honor. The reversal of the perpetual promise shows the seriousness of this sin.
- Divine Judgment with Hope (v31‑36). The sentence is severe: loss of strength, early death, and reversal of fortunes. Yet God Himself promises to raise a faithful priest. Judgment is not the final word.
Five‑point outline
- The Grace of Election (v27‑28). God's initiative in choosing Aaron's house and providing for them.
- The Tragedy of Complacency (v29). Taking God's gifts for granted and honoring family above God.
- The Reversal of Promise (v30‑31). The conditional nature of God's “forever” promise, it stands but requires faithfulness.
- The Specificity of Judgment (v32‑34). The sign of Hophni and Phinehas' death, the end of old age in Eli's house, the cutting off of the arm.
- The Promise of Restoration (v35‑36). A faithful priest who does God's heart, a sure house, and a future for those who once depended on Eli.
Illustration hooks
- A company founder who built a thriving business on integrity, then let his children run it into the ground through entitlement and corner‑cutting.
- A pastor whose public teaching is sound, but whose private failure to disciple his own children leads to scandal and a divided church.
- A sports team that coasts on past championships, refusing to adjust, and ends up humiliated by hungrier opponents.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God promised the priesthood “forever,” how can He take it away? Was the promise conditional all along?
- Why does God hold Eli responsible for his adult sons' sins? Does that apply to parents today?
- Who is the “faithful priest” in verse 35, is it Christ, or someone in the Old Testament? Does it matter for us?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows us the seriousness of spiritual leadership and the danger of treating God's grace carelessly. The man of God confronts Eli not merely about his sons' misdeeds, but about his own heart, where he placed his honor. As you discuss these questions, let the weight of God's holiness and the wonder of His promise shape your conversation.
Discussion questions
- Why does the man of God begin with God's actions in Egypt and the choice of Aaron (v27‑28)? What would that reminder do to Eli?
- What do the privileges listed in verse 28 tell us about God's generosity toward the priesthood?
- In what ways did Eli and his sons “kick” at God's sacrifice (v29)? How can we do the same today?
- How do we honor our family, our comfort, or our reputation above God, as Eli did? Where is that line?
- Why does God give a concrete sign (the death of both sons) rather than a general threat? What purpose does that serve?
- How does the promise of a “faithful priest” (v35) give hope beyond the judgment? What does it reveal about God's character?
- How should this passage shape the way we pray for our church leaders and for our own discipleship?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 4:14 | Yahweh’s anger burned against Moses, and he said, “What about Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Also, behold, he is coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. |
| Exodus 4:16 | He will be your spokesman to the people. It will happen that he will be to you a mouth, and you will be to him as God. |
| Exodus 4:27 | Yahweh said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” He went, and met him on God’s mountain, and kissed him. |
| Exodus 12:1 | Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, |
| Exodus 12:43 | Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover. No foreigner shall eat of it, |
| Deuteronomy 33:1 | This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. |
| Judges 6:8 | Yahweh sent a prophet to the children of Israel; and he said to them, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage. |
| Judges 13:6 | Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, “A man of God came to me, and his face was like the face of the angel of God, very awesome. I didn’t ask him where he was from, neither did he tell me his name; |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke stresses that God's promise of a lasting priesthood to Aaron's family was conditional, not absolute. Because Eli honored his sons above God by allowing them to abuse the sacrifices, God revoked that promise. The passage shows a fixed principle: those who honor God will be honored, and those who despise Him will be lightly esteemed.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary argues that the "faithful priest" God promises to raise up is Samuel, not Zadok. The writer points to Samuel's contrast with Eli's corrupt sons, his priestly acts like sacrifice and anointing, and the phrase "walk before mine anointed" as natural fits for Samuel's unique role as prophet-judge who filled the High-priest's office during a time of judgment on Aaron's line.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws on Jewish tradition to identify the unnamed
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that in Eastern culture, the loss of old men was a severe calamity because old age brought family respect. This prophecy was fulfilled through the degradation and untimely deaths that struck Eli's house. He also connects this judgment to the withdrawal of the high priesthood from Eli's family line back to the elder branch of Aaron.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that the prophecy against Eli is not limited to the loss of the high priesthood to Zadok. The judgment is more severe: Eli's descendants will survive the sanctuary's fall but be reduced to begging bread from a faithful priest, a lasting humiliation for their contempt of God.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that the promised faithful priest is fulfilled in Samuel, not in a later high priest like Zadok. Samuel, as judge and prophet, stepped into the priestly gap, acting as mediator in sacrifice, prayer, and intercession when the hereditary priesthood had failed.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry focuses on the stark reversal in this judgment. God's reminder of His gracious election of Aaron's house highlights the ingratitude of Eli's sin. The "kicking" at God's offerings shows contempt, leading to the solemn principle that while God honors those who honor Him, those who despise Him will be brought low.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley sees "Man of God" identifying this rebuker as a prophet. He charges Eli with honoring his sons above God by allowing their irreverent treatment of sacrifices. The promised faithful priest points ultimately to Christ, before whom every high priest ministered.