English Standard Version
1 Samuel 2:22
22Now 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.
1 Samuel 2:22 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
- New Living Translation (NLT)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.
Context of 1 Samuel 2:22
20Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, "May the Lord give you children by this woman for the petition she asked of the Lord." So then they would return to their home. 21Indeed the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord. 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. 23And he said to them, "Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. 24No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad.
Read all of 1 Samuel 21 Samuel 2:22 word by word
וְעֵלִ֖י זָקֵ֣ן מְאֹ֑ד וְשָׁמַ֗ע אֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַעֲשׂ֤וּן בָּנָיו֙ לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֵ֤ת אֲשֶֽׁר־יִשְׁכְּבוּן֙ אֶת־הַנָּשִׁ֔ים הַצֹּ֣בְא֔וֹת פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Now Eliעֵלִי‛êlîy · EliH5941
- was veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
- oldזָקֵןzâqên · be oldH2204
- and heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- all that his sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- didעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- unto all Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- and how they layשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: have sexH7901
- with the womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- that assembledצָבָאtsâbâ' · to serveH6633
- the doorפֶּ֫תַחpethach · entranceH6607
- of the tabernacleאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
- of the congregationמוֹעֵדmô‛êd mô‛êd mô‛âdâh · meetingH4150
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 2:22
- 1 Samuel 8:1When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
- 1 Samuel 2:13The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand,
- Jeremiah 7:9Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known,
- Ezekiel 22:26Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.
- Hosea 4:9And it shall be like people, like priest; I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.
- Exodus 38:8He made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered in the entrance of the tent of meeting.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 2:22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22They lay with the women that assembled - It is probable that these were persons who had some employment about the tabernacle. See the note on Exodus 38:8, where the Hebrew text is similar to that in this place.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22Women 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.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-26Verses 11-26 Samuel, being devoted to the Lord in a special manner, was from a child employed about the sanctuary in the services he was capable of. As he did this with a pious disposition of mind, it was called ministering unto the Lord. He received a blessing from the Lord. Those young people who serve God as well as they can, he will enable to improve, that they may serve him better. Eli shunned trouble and exertion. This led him to indulge his…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22sleeping with the women: Eli’s sons were likely influenced by Canaanite religious practices, which included sex as part of the ceremony. who served at the entrance: See Exodus 38:8.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-2422-24. the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle--This was an institution of holy women of a strictly ascetic order, who had relinquished worldly cares and devoted themselves to the Lord; an institution which continued down to the time of Christ (Lu 2:37). Eli was, on the whole, a good man, but lacking in the moral and religious training of his family. He erred on the side of parental indulgence; and though he reprimanded them (see on De…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 2:22
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries