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, [Num 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.