New English Translation
1 Samuel 2:22
22Now Eli was very old when he heard about everything that his sons used to do to all the people of Israel and how they used to have sex with the women who were stationed 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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.
Context of 1 Samuel 2:22
20Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife saying, “May the Lord raise up for you descendants from this woman to replace the one that she dedicated to the Lord.” Then they would go to their home. 21So the Lord graciously attended to Hannah, and she was able to conceive and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. The boy Samuel grew up at the Lord’s sanctuary. Now Eli was very old when he heard about everything that his sons used to do to all the people of Israel and how they used to have sex with the women who were stationed at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 23He said to them, “Why do you behave in this way? For I hear about these evil things from all these people. 24This ought not to be, my sons! For the report that I hear circulating among the Lord’s people is not good.
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 8:1In his old age Samuel appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
- 1 Samuel 2:13Now the priests would always treat the people in the following way: Whenever anyone was making a sacrifice, while the meat was boiling, the priest’s attendant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand.
- Jeremiah 7:9You steal. You murder. You commit adultery. You lie when you swear on oath. You sacrifice to the god Baal. You pay allegiance to other gods whom you have not previously known.
- Ezekiel 22:26Her priests abuse my law and have desecrated my holy things. They do not distinguish between the holy and the profane, or recognize any distinction between the unclean and the clean. They ignore my Sabbaths and I am profaned in their midst.
- Hosea 4:9I will deal with the people and priests together: I will punish them both for their ways, and I will repay them for their deeds.
- Exodus 38:8He made the large basin of bronze and its pedestal of bronze from the mirrors of the women who served at 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
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