Eli’s Wicked Sons

¹² Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard^(A) for the Lord. ¹³ Now it was the practice^(B) of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat^(C) was being boiled ¹⁴ and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot. Whatever the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. ¹⁵ But even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”

¹⁶ If the person said to him, “Let the fat^(D) be burned first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would answer, “No, hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.”

¹⁷ This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they^[a] were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.^(E)

²² Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything^(A) his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women^(B) who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

²⁵ If one person sins against another, God^[a] may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will^(A) intercede^(B) for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.

²⁸ I chose^(A) your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense,^(B) and to wear an ephod^(C) in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings^(D) presented by the Israelites.

²⁹ Why do you^[a] scorn my sacrifice and offering^(A) that I prescribed for my dwelling?^(B) Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’