New Living Translation
1 Samuel 2:22
22Now 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.
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
20Before they returned home, Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the Lord give you other children to take the place of this one she gave to the Lord.” 21And the Lord blessed Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord. 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. 23Eli said to them, “I have been hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are doing. Why do you keep sinning? 24You must stop, my sons! The reports I hear among the Lord’s people are 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 8:1As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel.
- 1 Samuel 2:13or for their duties as priests. Whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, Eli’s sons would send over a servant with a three-pronged fork. While the meat of the sacrificed animal was still boiling,
- Jeremiah 7:9Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours,
- Ezekiel 22:26Your priests have violated my instructions and defiled my holy things. They make no distinction between what is holy and what is not. And they do not teach my people the difference between what is ceremonially clean and unclean. They disregard my Sabbath days so that I am dishonored among them.
- Hosea 4:9‘And what the priests do, the people also do.’ So now I will punish both priests and people for their wicked deeds.
- Exodus 38:8Bezalel made the bronze washbasin and its bronze stand from bronze mirrors donated by the women who served at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
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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