Add parallel Print Page Options

The Family of Eli the Priest

12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless scoundrels;[a] they did not know[b] Yahweh. 13 And the custom of the priests with the people was this: When any man brought a sacrifice,[c] as the meat was boiling, the servant of the priest would take a three-pronged meat fork in his hand 14 and would thrust it into the pan or into the kettle or into the cauldron or into the cooking pot. All that the meat fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they used to do to all of the Israelites who came there at Shiloh. 15 Also, before they offered up[d] the fat as a burnt offering, the servant of the priest would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest meat for roasting, for he will not take boiled meat from you, but only raw.”[e] 16 And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat completely first,[f] then take for yourself as you[g] desire,” then he would say to him, “No![h] Give it now! If not, I will take it by force!” 17 So the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of Yahweh, because the men treated the offering of Yahweh with contempt.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 2:12 Literally “sons of Belial”
  2. 1 Samuel 2:12 Or “acknowledge”
  3. 1 Samuel 2:13 Literally “was sacrificing a sacrifice” and so throughout 1 & 2 Samuel
  4. 1 Samuel 2:15 Literally “caused to go up in smoke”
  5. 1 Samuel 2:15 Literally “with the life”
  6. 1 Samuel 2:16 Literally “as the day”
  7. 1 Samuel 2:16 Literally “as your soul”
  8. 1 Samuel 2:16 According to the reading tradition (Qere)

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)

Read full chapter