1 Samuel 2:12

Eli’s Sons Misuse Their Sacred Office

2:12 The sons of Eli were wicked men. ¹  They did not recognize the Lord’s authority. ² 

1 Samuel 2:17

2:17 The sin of these young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they ³  treated the Lord’s offering with contempt.

¹ tn Heb “sons of worthlessness.”

² tn Heb “they did not know the Lord.” The verb here has the semantic nuance “recognize the authority of.” Eli’s sons obviously knew who the Lord was; they served in his sanctuary. But they did not recognize his moral authority.

³ tc Heb “the men,” which is absent from one medieval Hebrew ms, a Qumran ms, and the LXX.