1 Samuel 2:12-26

Christian Standard Bible

Eli’s Family Judged

¹² Eli’s sons were wicked men;^(A) they did not respect the Lord^{(B) 13} or the priests’ share of the sacrifices from the people. When anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged meat fork while the meat was boiling ¹⁴ and plunge it into the container, kettle, cauldron, or cooking pot.^(C) The priest would claim for himself whatever the meat fork brought up. This is the way they treated all the Israelites who came there to Shiloh. ¹⁵ Even before the fat was burned,^(D) the priest’s servant would come and say to the one who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast, because he won’t accept boiled meat from you—only raw.” ¹⁶ If that person said to him, “The fat must be burned first; then you can take whatever you want for yourself,”^(E) the servant would reply, “No, I insist that you hand it over right now. If you don’t, I’ll take it by force!” ¹⁷ So the servants’ sin was very severe in the presence of the Lord, because the men treated the Lord’s offering with contempt.^(F)

¹⁸ Samuel served in the Lord’s presence^(G)—this mere boy was dressed in the linen ephod.^{(H) 19} Each year his mother made him a little robe^(I) and took it to him when she went with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.^{(J) 20} Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife:^(K) “May the Lord give you children by this woman in place of the one she^[a] has given to the Lord.”^(L) Then they would go home.

²¹ The Lord paid attention to Hannah’s need,^(M) and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.^(N)

²² Now Eli was very old. He heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel^(O) and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.^{(P) 23} He said to them, “Why are you doing these things? I have heard about your evil actions from all these people. ²⁴ No, my sons, the news I hear the Lord’s people spreading is not good. ²⁵ If one person sins against another, God can intercede for him, but if a person sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” ^(Q) But they would not listen to their father, since the Lord intended to kill them.^{(R) 26} By contrast, the boy Samuel grew in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people.^(S)