1 Samuel 2:12-17 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

1 Samuel 2:12-17 Wickedness of the Sons of EU.

1 Samuel 2:12. Belial (see 1 Samuel 1:16).

1 Samuel 2:12 f. Move full stop from after Lord to after people, and render they did not regard the Lord, nor the custom (i.e. customary share) of the priests from the people. What follows in 1 Samuel 2:13 f. is an abuse regularly practised, followed in 1 Samuel 2:15 f. by an account of a more serious abuse.

1 Samuel 2:15. Burning the fat was an essential part of the sacrifice; so that to cut off some of the flesh before this rite had been performed was gross irreverence and spoilt the whole act of worship.

1 Samuel 2:16. thy soul: better thou emphatic.

1 Samuel 2:17. men abhorred: render the men (i.e. the sons of Eli), despised (mg.).

Related Commentaries of 1 Samuel 2:12

1 Samuel 2:12-17

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

13 And the priests' custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;

14 And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.

15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.

16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently,b and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.

17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.