1 Samuel 2:23

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He said to them, “Why are you doing these things? I have heard about your evil actions from all these people.

Hebrew Names Version
He said to them, Why do you such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.

King James Version
And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.

Lexham English Bible
And he asked them, "Why are you doing all these things that I am hearing, namely, your evil dealings with all these people?

English Standard Version
And he said to them, "Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people.

New Century Version
Eli said to his sons, "Why do you do these evil things that the people tell me about?

New English Translation
He said to them, "Why do you behave in this way? For I hear about these evil things from all these people.

Amplified Bible
Eli said to them, "Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people?

New American Standard Bible
So he said to them, "Why are you doing such things as these, the evil things that I hear from all these people?

Geneva Bible (1587)
And hee saide vnto them, Why doe ye such things? for of all this people I heare euill reportes of you.

Legacy Standard Bible
So he said to them, "Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people?

Contemporary English Version
"Why are you doing these awful things?" he asked them. "I've been hearing nothing but complaints about you from all of the Lord 's people.

Complete Jewish Bible
He asked them, "Why are you doing things like this? I am hearing bad reports about you from all these people.

Darby Translation
And he said to them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil deeds from all this people.

Easy-to-Read Version
Eli said to his sons, "The people here told me about the evil things you have done. Why are you doing such things?

George Lamsa Translation
And he said to them, Why do you do such things? For I hear evil reports about you from all this people.

Good News Translation
So he said to them, "Why are you doing these things? Everybody tells me about the evil you are doing.

Literal Translation
And he said to them, Why do you do things like these? For I am hearing of your evil doings from all these people.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and he sayde vnto them: wherfore do ye this? For I heare of youre euell conuersacion of all this people.

American Standard Version
And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.

Bible in Basic English
And he said to them, Why are you doing such things? for from all this people I get accounts of your evil ways.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he saide vnto them: Why do ye such thinges? For of all these people I heare euill reportes of you.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said unto them: 'Why do ye such things? for I hear evil reports concerning you from all this people.

King James Version (1611)
And he said vnto them, Why doe ye such things? for I heare of your euil dealings, by all this people.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he said to them, Why do ye according to this thing, which I hear from the mouth of all the people of the Lord?

English Revised Version
And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.

Berean Standard Bible
"Why are you doing these things?" Eli said to his sons. "I hear about your wicked deeds from all these people.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to hem, Whi doen ye siche thingis, the worste thingis whiche Y here of al the puple?

Young's Literal Translation
and he saith to them, `Why do ye things like these? for I am hearing of your evil words from all the people -- these!

Update Bible Version
And he said to them, Why do you do such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.

World English Bible
He said to them, Why do you such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.

New King James Version
So he said to them, "Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people.

New Living Translation
Eli said to them, "I have been hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are doing. Why do you keep sinning?

New Life Bible
And he said to them, "Why do you do such things, the sinful things I hear from all these people?

New Revised Standard
He said to them, "Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So he said to them, Wherefore should ye do such things as these? for I keep hearing of your wicked doings, from all these people.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to them: Why do ye these kinds of things, which I hear, very wicked things, from all the people?

Revised Standard Version
And he said to them, "Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
He said to them, "Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people?

Contextual Overview

¹¹ Elkanah went home to Ramah. The boy stayed and served God in the company of Eli the priest. ¹²Eli's own sons were a bad lot. They didn't know God and could not have cared less about the customs of priests among the people. Ordinarily, when someone offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant was supposed to come up and, while the meat was boiling, stab a three-pronged fork into the cooking pot. The priest then got whatever came up on the fork. But this is how Eli's sons treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh to offer sacrifices to God . Before they had even burned the fat to God , the priest's servant would interrupt whoever was sacrificing and say, "Hand over some of that meat for the priest to roast. He doesn't like boiled meat; he likes his rare." If the man objected, "First let the fat be burned—God's portion!—then take all you want," the servant would demand, "No, I want it now. If you won't give it, I'll take it." It was a horrible sin these young servants were committing—and right in the presence of God !—desecrating the holy offerings to God . ¹⁸In the midst of all this, Samuel, a boy dressed in a priestly linen tunic, served God . Additionally, every year his mother would make him a little robe cut to his size and bring it to him when she and her husband came for the annual sacrifice. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, " God give you children to replace this child you have dedicated to God ." Then they would go home. ²¹ God was most especially kind to Hannah. She had three more sons and two daughters! The boy Samuel stayed at the sanctuary and grew up with God . ²²By 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.'" ²⁶ Hannah prayed: I'm bursting with God -news! I'm walking on air. I'm laughing at my rivals. I'm dancing my salvation. Nothing and no one is holy like God , no rock mountain like our God. Don't dare talk pretentiously— not a word of boasting, ever! For God knows what's going on. He takes the measure of everything that happens. The weapons of the strong are smashed to pieces, while the weak are infused with fresh strength. The well-fed are out begging in the streets for crusts, while the hungry are getting second helpings. The barren woman has a houseful of children, while the mother of many is bereft. God brings death and God brings life, brings down to the grave and raises up. God brings poverty and God brings wealth; he lowers, he also lifts up. He puts poor people on their feet again; he rekindles burned-out lives with fresh hope, Restoring dignity and respect to their lives— a place in the sun! For the very structures of earth are God 's; he has laid out his operations on a firm foundation. He protectively cares for his faithful friends, step by step, but leaves the wicked to stumble in the dark. No one makes it in this life by sheer muscle! God 's enemies will be blasted out of the sky, crashed in a heap and burned. God will set things right all over the earth, he'll give strength to his king, he'll set his anointed on top of the world! Elkanah went home to Ramah. The boy stayed and served God in the company of Eli the priest. Eli's own sons were a bad lot. They didn't know God and could not have cared less about the customs of priests among the people. Ordinarily, when someone offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant was supposed to come up and, while the meat was boiling, stab a three-pronged fork into the cooking pot. The priest then got whatever came up on the fork. But this is how Eli's sons treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh to offer sacrifices to God . Before they had even burned the fat to God , the priest's servant would interrupt whoever was sacrificing and say, "Hand over some of that meat for the priest to roast. He doesn't like boiled meat; he likes his rare." If the man objected, "First let the fat be burned—God's portion!—then take all you want," the servant would demand, "No, I want it now. If you won't give it, I'll take it." It was a horrible sin these young servants were committing—and right in the presence of God !—desecrating the holy offerings to God . In the midst of all this, Samuel, a boy dressed in a priestly linen tunic, served God . Additionally, every year his mother would make him a little robe cut to his size and bring it to him when she and her husband came for the annual sacrifice. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, " God give you children to replace this child you have dedicated to God ." Then they would go home. God was most especially kind to Hannah. She had three more sons and two daughters! The boy Samuel stayed at the sanctuary and grew up with God . 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Why: 1 Kings 1:6, Acts 9:4, Acts 14:15

I hear: etc. or, I hear evil words of you

by all: Isaiah 3:9, Jeremiah 3:3, Jeremiah 8:12, Philippians 3:19

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 3:13 - his sons Proverbs 15:5 - fool Luke 16:2 - How

Cross-References

Genesis 2:8
Then God planted a garden in Eden, in the east. He put the Man he had just made in it. God made all kinds of trees grow from the ground, trees beautiful to look at and good to eat. The Tree-of-Life was in the middle of the garden, also the Tree-of-Knowledge-of-Good-and-Evil.

Genesis 29:14
Laban said, "You're family! My flesh and blood!" When Jacob had been with him for a month, Laban said, "Just because you're my nephew, you shouldn't work for me for nothing. Tell me what you want to be paid. What's a fair wage?"

2 Samuel 5:1
Before long all the tribes of Israel approached David in Hebron and said, "Look at us—your own flesh and blood! In time past when Saul was our king, you were the one who really ran the country. Even then God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel and you'll be the prince.'"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said unto them, why do ye such things?.... As to impose upon the people that bring their offerings, by taking more than is due, and in a very indecent and imperious manner; and especially to defile the women when they came to worship: these were very scandalous sins, and deserved a more severe reprimand, and indeed a greater chastisement than by mere words; Eli should have rebuked them more sharply, and laid open the evil of their doings, and as a judge punished them for them:

for I hear of your evil doings by all this people; the inhabitants of Shiloh, or who came thither to worship, who were continually making their complaints to Eli; which still shows his backwardness to reprove them in the manner he did until he was obliged to it by the continual remonstrances of the people against the practices of his sons; he did not attend to the information he had from a few persons, until it became general.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 2:23. Why do ye such things! — Eli appears to have been a fondly affectionate, easy father, who wished his sons to do well, but did not bring them under proper discipline, and did not use his authority to restrain them. As judge, he had power to cast them immediately out of the vineyard, as wicked and unprofitable servants; this he did not, and his and their ruin was the consequence.