Original Word: חָפְנִי
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Chophniy
Pronunciation: KHOF-nee
Phonetic Spelling: (khof-nee')
KJV: Hophni
NASB: Hophni
Word Origin: [from H2651 (חוֹפֶן - fists)]

1. perhaps pugilist
2. Chophni, an Israelite

Hophni

From chophen; perhaps pugilist; Chophni, an Israelite -- Hophni.

see HEBREW chophen

Word Origin
from the same as chophen
Definition
a son of Eli
NASB Translation
Hophni (5).

חָפְנִי proper name, masculine (Sabean proper name חפן Hal^{No 14}) — one of Eli's two sons 1 Samuel 1:3; 1 Samuel 2:34; 1 Samuel 4:4,11,17.

Identity and Family Background

Hophni was one of the two sons of Eli, the high priest and judge who ministered at the tabernacle in Shiloh during the closing era of the judges (1 Samuel 1:3). His brother was Phinehas. By birthright the brothers were in line for priestly leadership and carried direct responsibility for the holy service of the LORD.

Historical Setting

The narrative unfolds when Israel’s tribal confederation was fragile and moral decline widespread (Judges 21:25). Shiloh housed the tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant, making it the nation’s spiritual center. Eli’s extended tenure gave stability, yet problems beneath the surface would soon erupt, and Hophni played a decisive role in that unraveling.

Priestly Service at Shiloh

Hophni and Phinehas “were priests to the LORD” (1 Samuel 1:3). They participated in daily sacrifices, cared for sacred vessels, and mediated between the worshiper and God. Their official position carried immense privilege—access to the sanctuary, stewardship of offerings, and instruction of the people.

Moral Character and Sin

1 Samuel 2 concentrates on their corruption. “The sons of Eli were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD” (1 Samuel 2:12). They forcibly seized the choicest portions of sacrificial meat (1 Samuel 2:13–16) and engaged in sexual immorality with women serving at the entrance of the tent of meeting (1 Samuel 2:22). Their actions treated the sacred as common, despised God’s statutes, and caused worshipers to “abhor the offering of the LORD” (1 Samuel 2:17). Hophni’s persistent unrepentant behavior displayed contempt for the covenant and undermined Israel’s confidence in the priesthood.

Divine Judgment Pronounced

A prophetic messenger confronted Eli: “In one day both of your sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will die” (1 Samuel 2:34). The judgment addressed the sons’ sins and Eli’s failure to restrain them. The prophecy also included the removal of Eli’s house from the high priesthood and promised a faithful priestly line to arise—a foreshadowing ultimately fulfilled in Zadok.

Death in Battle and Aftermath

The warning was fulfilled during the Philistine war recorded in 1 Samuel 4. Israel, presuming on the Ark rather than seeking repentance, carried it into battle with Hophni and Phinehas accompanying (1 Samuel 4:4). “The slaughter was very great, and the Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas were killed” (1 Samuel 4:11). A surviving Benjaminite ran to Shiloh to report, “Hophni and Phinehas have been killed, and the Ark of God has been captured” (1 Samuel 4:17). Eli died upon hearing the news; Phinehas’s wife entered premature labor and named her son Ichabod, lamenting, “The glory has departed from Israel” (1 Samuel 4:21–22). Hophni’s death therefore became a national calamity signaling divine judgment and the withdrawal of covenant blessing.

Theological and Practical Lessons

• Sacred office does not shield from accountability. Hophni’s lineage and ceremonial role could not nullify divine justice (Romans 2:11).
• Sin within spiritual leadership corrupts communal worship. The people’s abhorrence of offerings (1 Samuel 2:17) illustrates how ungodly leaders become stumbling blocks (Malachi 2:8).
• Presumption on outward symbols (the Ark) without heart obedience invites defeat (Psalm 51:16–17).
• God’s faithfulness includes judgment and restoration. The downfall of Eli’s house prepared the way for Samuel’s righteous ministry and ultimately for the Davidic covenant.

Key References

1 Samuel 1:3; 1 Samuel 2:12–25, 29–34; 1 Samuel 3:11–14; 1 Samuel 4:2–22.

Related Entries

Eli; Phinehas (son of Eli); Ark of the Covenant; Shiloh; Ichabod; Samuel.

חָפְנִ֖י חָפְנִי֙ חפני chafeNi ḥā·p̄ə·nî ḥāp̄ənîInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts