1 Samuel 2:12 - Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Bible Comments

Sons of Belial - See the marginal reference note. The phrase is very frequent in the books of Samuel. In the New Testament, Paul contrasts Christ and Belial, as if Belial were the name of an idol or the personification of evil 2 Corinthians 6:15. This probably led to the use of the term “Belial” in the the King James Version, instead of expressing its meaning, which is “mischief, wickedness.”

1 Samuel 2:12

12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.