1 Samuel 2:12-17

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 2:13 Now the priests would always treat the people in the following way:³ Whenever anyone was making a sacrifice, while the meat was boiling, the priest’s attendant would come with a three-pronged fork⁴ in his hand. 2:14 He would jab it into the basin, kettle, caldron, or pot, and everything that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they used to do to all the Israelites⁵ when they came there to Shiloh.

2:15 Even before they burned the fat, the priest’s attendant would come and say to the person who was making the sacrifice, “Hand over some meat for the priest to roast! He won’t take boiled meat from you, but only raw.”⁶ 2:16 If the individual said to him, “First let the fat be burned away, and then take for yourself whatever you wish,” he would say, “No!⁷ Hand it over right now! If you don’t, I will take it forcibly!”

2:17 The sin of these young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they⁸ treated the Lord’s offering with contempt.

1 Samuel 2:22

2:22 Now Eli was very old when he heard about everything that his sons used to do to all the people of Israel⁹ and how they used to have sex with¹⁰ the women who were stationed at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

Yehezkiel 22:26

22:26 Her priests abuse my law and have desecrated my holy things. They do not distinguish between the holy and the profane,¹¹ or recognize any distinction between the unclean and the clean. They ignore¹² my Sabbaths and I am profaned in their midst.

Yehezkiel 44:7-8

44:7 When you bring foreigners, those uncircumcised in heart and in flesh, into my sanctuary, you desecrate¹³ it – even my house – when you offer my food, the fat and the blood. You¹⁴ have broken my covenant by all your abominable practices. 44:8 You have not kept charge of my holy things, but you have assigned foreigners¹⁵ to keep charge of my sanctuary for you.

Hosea 4:6-8

4:6 You have destroyed¹⁶ my people

by failing to acknowledge me!

Because you refuse to acknowledge me,¹⁷

I will reject you as my priests.

Because you reject¹⁸ the law of your God,

I will reject¹⁹ your descendants.

4:7 The more the priests increased in numbers,

the more they rebelled against me.

They have turned²⁰ their glorious calling

into a shameful disgrace!

4:8 They feed on the sin offerings of my people;

their appetites long for their iniquity!

Maleakhi 2:8

2:8 You, however, have turned from the way. You have caused many to violate the law;²¹ you have corrupted the covenant with Levi,”²² says the Lord who rules over all.