God’s Word Translation
1 Samuel 2:13
13Now, this was how the priests dealt with the people who were offering sacrifices: While the meat was boiling, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand.
1 Samuel 2:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the priests’ custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;
- New International Version (NIV)Now it was the practice 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 was being boiled
- English Standard Version (ESV)The 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,
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the priests’ custom with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fleshhook in his hand while the meat was boiling.
Context of 1 Samuel 2:13
11Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. But the boy ⌞Samuel⌟ served the Lord under the priest Eli. 12Eli’s sons, ⌞Hophni and Phinehas,⌟ were good-for-nothing priests; they had no faith in the Lord. Now, this was how the priests dealt with the people who were offering sacrifices: While the meat was boiling, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand. 14Then he would stick it into the pot, kettle, cauldron, or pan. Whatever the fork brought up ⌞from the pot⌟ belonged to the priest. This is what the priests did in Shiloh to all the people of Israel who came there ⌞to sacrifice⌟. 15But ⌞in the case of Eli’s sons,⌟ even before the people burned the fat, their servants would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the meat to the priest to roast. He doesn’t want boiled meat from you. He wants it raw.”
Read all of 1 Samuel 21 Samuel 2:13 word by word
וּמִשְׁפַּ֥ט הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים אֶת־הָעָ֑ם כָּל־אִ֞ישׁ זֹבֵ֣חַ זֶ֗בַח וּבָ֨א נַ֤עַר הַכֹּהֵן֙ כְּבַשֵּׁ֣ל הַבָּשָׂ֔ר וְהַמַּזְלֵ֛ג שְׁלֹ֥שׁ־הַשִּׁנַּ֖יִם בְּיָדֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the priests’כֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- customמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: customH4941
- with the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- when any manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- offeredזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
- sacrificeזֶ֫בַחzebach · sacrificeH2077
- servantנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- while the fleshבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320
- was in seethingבָּשַׁלbâshal · to boilH1310
- with a fleshhookמַזְלֵגmazlêg mizlâgâh · forkH4207
- of threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- teethשֵׁןshên · tooth: prongH8127
- in his handיָדyâd · handH3027
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 2:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13When any man offered sacrifice - That is, when a peace-offering was brought, the right shoulder and the breast belonged to the priest, the fat was burnt upon the altar, and the blood was poured at the bottom of the altar; the rest of the flesh belonged to the offerer. Under pretense of taking only their own part, they took the best of all they chose, and as much as they chose.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13The Law of Moses defined exactly what was to be the priest‘s portion of every peace offering Leviticus 7:31-35, as it also gave express directions about the burning of the fat Leviticus 7:23-25, Leviticus 7:31. It was therefore a gross act of disobedience and lawlessness on the part of Hophni and Phinehas to take more than the Law gave them. Incidental evidence is afforded by this passage to the existence of the Levitical law at this time.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. 13-17The priests were meant to take their share of the meat only after it was boiled (see Numbers 6:19). Eli’s sons ignored God's rules (1 Samuel 2:13–14, 17).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1713-17. the priests' custom with the people--When persons wished to present a sacrifice of peace offering on the altar, the offering was brought in the first instance to the priest, and as the Lord's part was burnt, the parts appropriated respectively to the priests and offerers were to be sodden. But Eli's sons, unsatisfied with the breast and shoulder, which were the perquisites appointed to them by the divine law (Ex 29:27; Le 7:31, 32), not only…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 2:13
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries