1 Samuel 2:12-17

Evangelical Heritage Version

Eli’s Wicked Sons Contrasted With Samuel

¹² Now the sons of Eli were wicked scoundrels. They did not know the Lord.

¹³ The practice of the priests with the people was that whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, while the meat was still boiling, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand. ¹⁴ He would thrust it into the basin, kettle, caldron, or cooking pot. The priest would then take for himself everything that the fork brought up. This is the way they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. ¹⁵ Before the people had even burned the fat, the priest’s servant would come and tell the person who was making the sacrifice, “Give me meat for the priest to roast, because he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw meat.”

¹⁶ If the man said to him, “Let us burn the fat first. Then take as much as you want,” the servant would say, “No, you must give it to me right now. If you do not, I will take it by force.” ¹⁷ So the sin of the young men was very serious in the sight of the Lord, because the men were treating the Lord’s offerings with contempt.