1 Samuel 2:12-17
New Living Translation
Eli’s Wicked Sons
12 Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord 13 or for their duties as priests. Whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, Eli’s sons would send over a servant with a three-pronged fork. While the meat of the sacrificed animal was still boiling, 14 the servant would stick the fork into the pot and demand that whatever it brought up be given to Eli’s sons. All the Israelites who came to worship at Shiloh were treated this way. 15 Sometimes the servant would come even before the animal’s fat had been burned on the altar. He would demand raw meat before it had been boiled so that it could be used for roasting.
16 The man offering the sacrifice might reply, “Take as much as you want, but the fat must be burned first.” Then the servant would demand, “No, give it to me now, or I’ll take it by force.” 17 So the sin of these young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight, for they treated the Lord’s offerings with contempt.
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1 Samuel 2:12-17
International Standard Version
Eli’s Wicked Sons
12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless men who did not know the Lord. 13 The custom of the priests with the people was that whenever a person offered a sacrifice, a servant[a] of the priest would come with a three pronged fork in his hand while the meat was boiling, and[b] 14 he would stick it into the boiler or pot,[c] and take everything[d] the fork brought up—that is, the priest would take it for himself. This is what they were supposed to do with all the Israelis who came there to Shiloh. 15 But even before they burned the fat, the servant of the priest would come and say to the person offering the sacrifice, “Give me meat to roast for the priest. He won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”
16 If the man told him[e], “They must surely[f] burn up the fat first, and then take for yourself whatever[g] you desire,” the servant would say, “No,[h] give it now, and if you don’t,[i] I’ll take it by force!”[j] 17 By doing this, the sin of the young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight because the men[k] despised the Lord’s offering.
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- 1 Samuel 2:13 Lit. lad
- 1 Samuel 2:13 So 4QSama; 4QSama reads and take; MT LXX read when anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant came while the meat was boiling with a three-pronged fork in his hand.
- 1 Samuel 2:14 So 4QSama; MT reads the pan, kettle, caldron, or pot; LXX reads the caldron, kettle, or pot
- 1 Samuel 2:14 So 4QSama; MT LXX read the priest took for himself
- 1 Samuel 2:16 So MT; 4QSama reads man answered and told the priest’s servant; LXX reads man who was making the sacrifice told him
- 1 Samuel 2:16 So MT; 4QSama reads Let the priest LXX reads Let him
- 1 Samuel 2:16 So MT; 4QSama LXX read everything
- 1 Samuel 2:16 Lit. Rather
- 1 Samuel 2:16 So MT LXX; 4QSama now, or
- 1 Samuel 2:16 So MT LXX; 4QSama reads now, or I’ll take the ram by force to give him the meat
- 1 Samuel 2:17 So MT; 4QSama LXX read because they
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