1 Samuel 2:12

Eli’s Sons Misuse Their Sacred Office

2:12 The sons of Eli were wicked men. ¹  They did not recognize the Lord’s authority. ² 

1 Samuel 1:16

1:16 Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman, ³  for until now I have spoken from my deep pain and anguish.”

1 Samuel 10:27

10:27 But some wicked men ⁴  said, “How can this man save us?” They despised him and did not even bring him a gift. But Saul said nothing about it. ⁵ 

1 Samuel 25:17

25:17 Now be aware of this, and see what you can do. For disaster has been planned for our lord and his entire household. ⁶  He is such a wicked person ⁷  that no one tells him anything!”

¹ tn Heb “sons of worthlessness.”

² tn Heb “they did not know the Lord.” The verb here has the semantic nuance “recognize the authority of.” Eli’s sons obviously knew who the Lord was; they served in his sanctuary. But they did not recognize his moral authority.

³ tn Heb “daughter of worthlessness.”

⁵ tn Heb “sons of worthlessness” (see 2:12).

⁶ tc In place of the MT (“and it was like one being silent”) the LXX has “after about a month,” taking the expression with the first part of the following chapter rather than with 10:27. Some Hebrew support for this reading appears in the corrected hand of a Qumran ms of Samuel, which has here “about a month.” However, it seems best to stay with the MT here even though it is difficult.

⁷ tn Heb “all his house” (so ASV, NRSV); NAB, NLT “his whole family.”

⁸ tn Heb “he is a son of worthlessness.”