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Christian Standard Bible ®

1 Samuel 2:22

Now Eli was very old. He heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Adultery;   Children;   Eli;   Hophni;   Judge;   Lasciviousness;   Minister, Christian;   Obduracy (Hardness);   Priest;   Rulers;   Tabernacle;   Women;   Thompson Chain Reference - Eli;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Priests;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Priest, Priesthood;   Prostitution;   Samuel, First and Second, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Samuel;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Pentateuch;   Holman Bible Dictionary - High Priest;   Phinehas;   Samuel, Books of;   Temple of Jerusalem;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Hophni and Phinehas;   Mary;   Priests and Levites;   Samuel, Books of;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Hannah;   Hophni;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Abner;   Eli;   Smith Bible Dictionary - E'li;   Hoph'ni;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Samuel the Prophet;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Criticism (the Graf-Wellhausen Hypothesis);   How;   Samuel, Books of;   Woman;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Chastity;   Hophni;   Phinehas;   Samuel, Books of;   Valuation;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Now `Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did to all Yisra'el, and how that they lay with the women who served at the door of the tent of meeting.
King James Version
Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Lexham English Bible
Now Eli was very old, and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel and that they were having sexual relations with the women who were serving at the entrance of the tent of assembly.
English Standard Version
Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
New Century Version
Now Eli was very old. He heard about everything his sons were doing to all the Israelites and how his sons had sexual relations with the women who served at the entrance to the Meeting Tent.
New English Translation
Now Eli was very old when he heard about everything that his sons used to do to all the people of Israel and how they used to have sex with the women who were stationed at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
Amplified Bible
Now Eli was very old; and he heard about everything that his sons were doing to all [the people of] Israel, and how they were lying with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle).
New American Standard Bible
Now Eli was very old; and he heard about everything that his sons were doing to all Israel, and that they slept with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting.
Geneva Bible (1587)
So Eli was very olde, and heard all that his sonnes did vnto all Israel, and howe they laye with the women that assembled at the doore of the tabernacle of the Congregation.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting.
Contemporary English Version
Eli was now very old, and he heard what his sons were doing to the people of Israel.
Complete Jewish Bible
When ‘Eli was very old, he heard about everything his sons were doing to all Isra'el, and that they were having sex with the women doing service at the door of the tent of meeting.
Darby Translation
And Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and that they lay with the women that served at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
Easy-to-Read Version
Eli was very old. He heard about the bad things his sons were doing to the Israelites at Shiloh and how his sons were having sexual relations with the women who served at the door of the Meeting Tent.
George Lamsa Translation
Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel; and how they reviled the women who prayed in the tabernacle of the congregation.
Good News Translation
Eli was now very old. He kept hearing about everything his sons were doing to the Israelites and that they were even sleeping with the women who worked at the entrance to the Tent of the Lord 's presence.
Literal Translation
And Eli was very old and had heard all that his sons did to Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
As for Eli, he was very olde, and herde of all that his sonnes dyd vnto all Israel, and how they laye with the wemen that serued God before the dore of the tabernacle of witnesse,
American Standard Version
Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how that they lay with the women that did service at the door of the tent of meeting.
Bible in Basic English
Now Eli was very old; and he had news from time to time of what his sons were doing to all Israel.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Eli was very olde, and heard all that his sonnes did vnto Israel, & how they lay with the women that wayted at the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how that they lay with the women that did service at the door of the tent of meeting.
King James Version (1611)
Now Eli was very olde, and heard all that his sonnes did vnto all Israel, and how they lay with the women that assembled at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Heli was very old, and he heard what his sons did to the children of Israel.
English Revised Version
Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how that they lay with the women that did service at the door of the tent of meeting.
Berean Standard Bible
Now Eli was very old, and he heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Hely was ful eld, and he herde alle `thingis whiche hise sones diden in al Israel, and hou thei slepten with wymmen, that awaitiden at the dore of the tabernacle.
Young's Literal Translation
And Eli [is] very old, and hath heard all that his sons do to all Israel, and how that they lie with the women who are assembling [at] the opening of the tent of meeting,
Update Bible Version
Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they lay with the women that did service at the door of the tent of meeting.
Webster's Bible Translation
Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did to all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
World English Bible
Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they lay with the women who served at the door of the tent of meeting.
New King James Version
Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, [fn] and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
New Living Translation
Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. He knew, for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
New Life Bible
Now Eli was very old. He heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the door of the meeting tent.
New Revised Standard
Now Eli was very old. He heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now, Eli, was very old, - but he used to hear all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how they even lay with the women who did service, at the opening of the tent of meeting.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now Heli was very old, and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel: and how they lay with the women that waited at the door of the tabernacle:
Revised Standard Version
Now Eli was very old, and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
THE MESSAGE
By this time Eli was very old. He kept getting reports on how his sons were ripping off the people and sleeping with the women who helped out at the sanctuary. Eli took them to task: "What's going on here? Why are you doing these things? I hear story after story of your corrupt and evil carrying on. Oh, my sons, this is not right! These are terrible reports I'm getting, stories spreading right and left among God 's people! If you sin against another person, there's help—God's help. But if you sin against God , who is around to help?" But they were far gone in disobedience and refused to listen to a thing their father said. So God , who was fed up with them, decreed their death. But the boy Samuel was very much alive, growing up, blessed by God and popular with the people. A holy man came to Eli and said: "This is God 's message: I revealed myself openly to your ancestors when they were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt. Out of all the tribes of Israel, I chose your family to be my priests: to preside at the Altar, to burn incense, to wear the priestly robes in my presence. I put your ancestral family in charge of all the sacrificial offerings of Israel. So why do you now treat as mere loot these very sacrificial offerings that I commanded for my worship? Why do you treat your sons better than me, turning them loose to get fat on these offerings, and ignoring me? Therefore—this is God 's word, the God of Israel speaking—I once said that you and your ancestral family would be my priests indefinitely, but now— God 's word, remember!—there is no way this can continue. I honor those who honor me; those who scorn me I demean. "Be well warned: It won't be long before I wipe out both your family and your future family. No one in your family will make it to old age! You'll see good things that I'm doing in Israel, but you'll see it and weep, for no one in your family will live to enjoy it. I will leave one person to serve at my Altar, but it will be a hard life, with many tears. Everyone else in your family will die before their time. What happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be the proof: Both will die the same day. Then I'll establish for myself a true priest. He'll do what I want him to do, be what I want him to be. I'll make his position secure and he'll do his work freely in the service of my anointed one. Survivors from your family will come to him begging for handouts, saying, ‘Please, give me some priest work, just enough to put some food on the table.'"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting.

Contextual Overview

11Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy served the Lord in the presence of the priest Eli. 12Eli’s sons were wicked men; they did not respect the Lord 13or 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 14and plunge it into the container, kettle, cauldron, or cooking pot. 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. 15Even before the fat was burned, 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.” 16If that person said to him, “The fat must be burned first; then you can take whatever you want for yourself,” the servant would reply, “No, I insist that you hand it over right now. If you don’t, I’ll take it by force!” 17So the servants’ sin was very severe in the presence of the Lord, because the men treated the Lord’s offering with contempt. 18Samuel served in the Lord’s presence—this mere boy was dressed in the linen ephod. 19Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. 20Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife: “May the Lord give you children by this woman in place of the one she has given to the Lord.” Then they would go home.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Now: 1 Samuel 8:1

did unto: 1 Samuel 2:13-17, Jeremiah 7:9, Jeremiah 7:10, Ezekiel 22:26, Hosea 4:9-11

women: It is probable that these were persons who had some employment about the tabernacle - see note on Exodus 38:8.

assembled: assembled by troops, Exodus 38:8

Reciprocal: Genesis 37:2 - evil report 1 Samuel 2:24 - ye make 1 Samuel 3:2 - his eyes 1 Samuel 3:13 - his sons 1 Samuel 4:4 - Hophni 1 Samuel 12:2 - my sons 2 Samuel 13:21 - he was very wroth Ezra 10:18 - the sons Zephaniah 3:4 - her priests Matthew 18:7 - unto Luke 1:25 - hath Titus 1:6 - having

Cross-References

Genesis 2:8
The Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he placed the man he had formed.
Genesis 2:9
The Lord God caused to grow out of the ground every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden, as well as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 2:19
The Lord God formed out of the ground every wild animal and every bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it. And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.
Psalms 127:1
Unless the Lord builds a house,its builders labor over it in vain;unless the Lord watches over a city,the watchman stays alert in vain.
Proverbs 18:22
A man who finds a wife finds a good thingand obtains favor from the Lord.
Proverbs 19:14
A house and wealth are inherited from fathers,but a prudent wife is from the Lord.
1 Timothy 2:13
For Adam was formed first, then Eve.
Hebrews 13:4
Marriage is to be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, because God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now Eli was very old,.... It is very probable he was now about ninety years of age, since when he died he was ninety eight, 1 Samuel 4:15 which is observed to show his incapacity for the discharge of his office, and inspection into public affairs; which gave his sons opportunity of acting the wicked part they did without reproof, and with impunity, Eli knowing nothing of it; and accounts in some measure for the gentle reproof he gave them, when he did know of it; for being old, he was not so full of spirit and vigour, and more given to tenderness and mercy; besides, his sons were grown up and married, and he had less authority over them; though he ought to have considered himself not as a father only, but as an high priest and judge of Israel, and performed his office as such; however, it must be a great affliction to him in his old age, and added to the weight of it, that his sons should behave so unworthily as they did:

and heard all that his sons had done unto Israel; who, besides what was by the law allowed them, took flesh out of the pot as it was boiling, and demanded raw flesh to roast before the fat was offered to the Lord; and in this manner they used all, without distinction, that came with their sacrifices:

and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; not that they lay with them at the door in a public beastly manner; but the women that came thither they decoyed into their own apartments, or into some of the courts of the tabernacle, and there debauched them: who these women were, and what their business at the tabernacle, is not easy to say; some think they came about business which belonged to women to do there, as to wash and clean the rooms, to sew and spin, and the like; but one would think that these latter works should be done, not at the door of the tabernacle, but in some apartment in it, or rather at their own houses, for the use of it: the Targum is, that they there assembled to pray, which is more likely, and that they were devout women; who came there in large numbers, for the word used has the signification of armies; to perform religious exercises in fasting, and praying, and bringing sacrifices to be offered for them; though they do not seem to be such, as was Anna the prophetess, Luke 2:37 who made their abode in the tabernacle, and served God night and day with fastings and prayers, since these were only at the door of the tabernacle; nor were there in the tabernacle conveniences for such persons, as afterwards in the temple. The Jews, for the most part, by these understand new mothers, who came with their offerings for purification, attended with many other women, their relations, friends, and neighbours, and which especially, when several met together on such an occasion, made a crowd at the door of the tabernacle; and some are of opinion that these men did not lie with them, or debauch them, according to the literal sense of the word; but that they delayed the offering of their nests of doves they brought, so that they were forced to stay all night, and could not return home; and because by this means they were restrained from their husbands, it is reckoned as if these men had lain with them t; and which they think is confirmed, in that the man of God sent to Eli, after mentioned, takes no notice of this lewdness of theirs, only of their ill behaviour as to sacrifices, but the text is so express for their debauchery, that it cannot be denied.

t T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 55. 2. Ben Gersom & Abarbinel in loc.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Women that assembled - Or, “Served.” See the marginal reference and note. Probably such service as consisted in doing certain work for the fabric of the tabernacle as women are accustomed to do, spinning, knitting, embroidering, mending, washing, and such like.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 2:22. They lay with the women that assembled — It is probable that these were persons who had some employment about the tabernacle. Exodus 38:8, where the Hebrew text is similar to that in this place.


 
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