1 Samuel 2:12
Verse
Context
Eli’s Wicked Sons
11Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy began ministering to the LORD before Eli the priest.12Now the sons of Eli were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD 13or for the custom of the priests with the people. When any man offered a sacrifice, the servant of the priest would come with a three-pronged meat fork while the meat was boiling
Sermons
David Guzik
Samuel Logan Brengle
John Daniel JonesSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
The sons of Eli were sons of Belial - They were perverse, wicked, profligate men; devil's children. They knew not the Lord. "They know! nor would an angel show Him; They would not know, nor choose to know Him." These men were the principal cause of all the ungodliness of Israel. Their most execrable conduct, described Sa1 2:13-17, caused the people to abhor the Lord's offering. An impious priesthood is the grand cause of the transgressions and ruin of any nation; witness France, Germany, Spain, Ac., from 1792 to 1814.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
THE SIN OF ELl'S SONS. (Sa1 2:12-17) Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial--not only careless and irreligious, but men loose in their actions, and vicious and scandalous in their habits. Though professionally engaged in sacred duties, they were not only strangers to the power of religion in the heart, but they had thrown off its restraints, and even ran, as is sometimes done in similar cases by the sons of eminent ministers, to the opposite extreme of reckless and open profligacy.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And the priest's custom with the people was,.... Not what was according to the will and law of God, but which the sons of Eli had introduced; and in which they were followed by the rest of the priests, and so it became an established custom, and had the force of a law, statute, or judgment, as the word signifies: that when any man offered sacrifice; not any sort of sacrifice, for if it was a burnt offering, it was wholly consumed by fire, and in that the following custom could not take place; and if it was a sin offering, that was eaten by the priests, and so there was no need of taking such a method as after related; but a peace offering, part of which belonged to the Lord, the fat that was burnt, and the breast and shoulder to the priest, and the rest to the owner, who made a feast of it for his family and friends: the priest's servant came while the flesh was in seething; that is, while those parts were boiling for the owner and his family; which was done in some part of the tabernacle, as afterwards in the temple: with a flesh hook of three teeth in his hand; with a three forked instrument, with which he was sent by order of the priest that slew the sacrifice, and offered it, to whom belonged the parts before mentioned, allowed him by the law; but not content with these, he sent his servant, while the rest were boiling, with such an instrument as here described, to draw up more out of the boiling pot.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
2:12 scoundrels (Hebrew sons of Belial): See study note on 1:16. • had no respect for (literally did not know) the Lord: Although they were priests among God’s people, they did not acknowledge God or seek to abide by his will (cp. Jer 2:8).
1 Samuel 2:12
Eli’s Wicked Sons
11Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy began ministering to the LORD before Eli the priest.12Now the sons of Eli were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD 13or for the custom of the priests with the people. When any man offered a sacrifice, the servant of the priest would come with a three-pronged meat fork while the meat was boiling
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
(1 Samuel) Blessed Sons and Wicked Sons
By David Guzik1.5K37:541SA 2:11SA 2:12MAT 6:33In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of Hannah and her dedication of her son Samuel to the Lord. He emphasizes the joy and praise that Hannah expresses in her prayer to God on the day of Samuel's dedication. The preacher contrasts this joyful scene with the corrupt behavior of the sons of the high priest, Eli. He highlights the importance of humility before the Lord and warns against pride, using Hannah's song as an example. The preacher also mentions the poetic structure of Hannah's song and how it emphasizes the reasons for humility before God.
Sins Against Chastity
By Samuel Logan Brengle0ChastityMoral Integrity1SA 2:12Samuel Logan Brengle addresses the serious nature of sins against chastity, contrasting the actions of Eli's sons with those of Samuel's sons. He argues that Eli's failure to restrain his sons' immoral behavior led to severe divine judgment, emphasizing the gravity of violating the sanctity of womanhood and the moral fabric of society. Brengle asserts that the sins of Eli's sons are among the most heinous in the Bible, as they not only dishonor God but also undermine the sacred rights of individuals and families. He highlights the importance of moral integrity, especially among those in positions of authority, and warns against the consequences of neglecting righteousness. Ultimately, he calls for a deeper understanding of the moral implications of chastity and the responsibilities of leaders in upholding it.
Speaking With the Authority of God
By John Daniel Jones01SA 2:12MAT 28:18JHN 3:27ACT 13:21CO 13:1John Daniel Jones emphasizes the importance of character in wielding moral authority, highlighting that true power for God comes from being a person of God. He stresses that without character, even with official positions, one's influence is empty. Jones underscores that the ultimate source of authority to teach and preach is God Himself, and that human ordination merely ratifies God's ordaining. He acknowledges the value of ordination for orderliness in the Church but emphasizes that the real authority to preach comes from God, who can anoint individuals without human intervention.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
The sons of Eli were sons of Belial - They were perverse, wicked, profligate men; devil's children. They knew not the Lord. "They know! nor would an angel show Him; They would not know, nor choose to know Him." These men were the principal cause of all the ungodliness of Israel. Their most execrable conduct, described Sa1 2:13-17, caused the people to abhor the Lord's offering. An impious priesthood is the grand cause of the transgressions and ruin of any nation; witness France, Germany, Spain, Ac., from 1792 to 1814.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
THE SIN OF ELl'S SONS. (Sa1 2:12-17) Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial--not only careless and irreligious, but men loose in their actions, and vicious and scandalous in their habits. Though professionally engaged in sacred duties, they were not only strangers to the power of religion in the heart, but they had thrown off its restraints, and even ran, as is sometimes done in similar cases by the sons of eminent ministers, to the opposite extreme of reckless and open profligacy.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And the priest's custom with the people was,.... Not what was according to the will and law of God, but which the sons of Eli had introduced; and in which they were followed by the rest of the priests, and so it became an established custom, and had the force of a law, statute, or judgment, as the word signifies: that when any man offered sacrifice; not any sort of sacrifice, for if it was a burnt offering, it was wholly consumed by fire, and in that the following custom could not take place; and if it was a sin offering, that was eaten by the priests, and so there was no need of taking such a method as after related; but a peace offering, part of which belonged to the Lord, the fat that was burnt, and the breast and shoulder to the priest, and the rest to the owner, who made a feast of it for his family and friends: the priest's servant came while the flesh was in seething; that is, while those parts were boiling for the owner and his family; which was done in some part of the tabernacle, as afterwards in the temple: with a flesh hook of three teeth in his hand; with a three forked instrument, with which he was sent by order of the priest that slew the sacrifice, and offered it, to whom belonged the parts before mentioned, allowed him by the law; but not content with these, he sent his servant, while the rest were boiling, with such an instrument as here described, to draw up more out of the boiling pot.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
2:12 scoundrels (Hebrew sons of Belial): See study note on 1:16. • had no respect for (literally did not know) the Lord: Although they were priests among God’s people, they did not acknowledge God or seek to abide by his will (cp. Jer 2:8).