The verb fulfil may present difficulties to translators in certain languages. In Hebrew it is literally “cause to arise.” The idea is that Yahweh will make everything happen that he had previously said would happen to Eli and his family. All that I have spoken is a reference to the words of the LORD speaking through the “man of God,” which are recorded in 2.27-36.

His house does not refer to the building in which Eli lived but to his family. In many languages it will be important to use something other than a literal rendering in order to avoid misunderstanding.

From beginning to end: literally “beginning and finishing.” This Hebrew idiom stands for totality and may be translated “I will fulfill completely what I have spoken.” In other languages the same idea may be expressed by saying “without missing anything at all” or, as a separate sentence, “I will not fail to do even one of those things.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .