1 Samuel 2:12 kjv
Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
1 Samuel 2:12 nkjv
Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the LORD.
1 Samuel 2:12 niv
Eli's sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the LORD.
1 Samuel 2:12 esv
Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the LORD.
1 Samuel 2:12 nlt
Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the LORD
1 Samuel 2 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 3:13 | For I told him that I would judge his house forever... because his sons were bringing a curse on themselves... | God's judgment on Eli's house due to sons' wickedness. |
| 1 Sam 2:17 | The sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD, for the men treated the LORD’s offering with contempt. | Their practical manifestation of "not knowing" the LORD. |
| 1 Sam 2:22-25 | Now Eli was very old... his sons were doing to all Israel, and... they lay with the women... But they would not listen to the voice of their father... | Eli's futile attempts to correct them; their rejection of correction. |
| Judg 19:22 | as they were making their hearts merry, behold, men of the city, worthless fellows (sons of Belial), surrounded the house... | Use of "worthless fellows" (sons of Belial) for depraved men. |
| Deut 13:13 | certain worthless fellows (sons of Belial) have gone out from among you... and lured away the inhabitants... | Describing rebellious and immoral individuals. |
| 2 Cor 6:15 | Or what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? | Later NT use of "Belial" as an antithesis to Christ, signifying ultimate evil. |
| Jer 4:22 | "For My people are foolish; they know Me not; they are foolish children; they have no understanding..." | Describes spiritual ignorance and lack of relational knowledge of God. |
| Hos 4:1 | Hear the word of the LORD... for there is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land. | General societal lack of knowledge of God, similar to priests. |
| Hos 4:6 | My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest. | Direct link between rejection of knowledge and removal from priesthood. |
| Is 1:3 | The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master's crib, but Israel does not know, My people do not understand. | Contrasts animals' instinctive knowledge with Israel's spiritual ignorance. |
| Rom 1:28 | And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind... | Consequence of choosing not to know or acknowledge God. |
| Tit 1:16 | They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their deeds. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. | Echoes the sons of Eli who professed but denied by actions. |
| Matt 23:27-28 | Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!... outwardly they appear beautiful, but within are full of dead bones and all uncleanness. | Comparison to religious leaders who outwardly appeared holy but were corrupt. |
| Mal 2:8 | But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction... | Critiques priests who caused others to stumble and dishonored the covenant. |
| 1 Pet 2:16 | Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. | Admonition against misusing a position for wicked deeds. |
| Job 21:14 | They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.’ | Demonstrates a willful rejection of God and His path. |
| Ps 73:22 | I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. | Reflection on personal ignorance of God, contrasting with those who knew Him. |
| Prov 1:7 | The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. | Establishes fear of the LORD as foundational to true knowledge. |
| John 17:3 | And this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. | Defines "knowing God" in the NT as foundational to eternal life. |
| 1 John 2:4 | Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. | Emphasizes that true knowledge of God involves obedience. |
| Lev 10:10 | You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean... | Priests' responsibility to know and teach the distinctions, which Eli's sons failed. |
| 1 Kgs 21:10, 13 | And set two worthless men (sons of Belial) before him... accusing him... and then stone him... | "Sons of Belial" are malicious false accusers, furthering their depravity. |
1 Samuel 2 verses
1 Samuel 2 12 Meaning
1 Samuel 2:12 states that the sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were worthless men (or "sons of Belial") and fundamentally lacked a true, intimate knowledge of the LORD. Despite their high position as priests, they did not acknowledge God in their lives or respect His holy things, leading to their profound wickedness.
1 Samuel 2 12 Context
This verse immediately follows the description of Samuel serving the LORD at the tabernacle in Shiloh, and the powerful song of Hannah (1 Sam 2:1-10) which celebrates God's sovereignty, His raising of the humble, and humbling of the proud. Hannah's song serves as a prophetic contrast to the corruption about to be revealed. 1 Samuel 2:12 introduces Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of the high priest Eli. Their wickedness sets the stage for a dramatic conflict between God's purposes (exemplified by Samuel) and human depravity within the religious leadership of Israel, leading to the decline of Eli's house and the rise of a new era. The surrounding verses detail their specific abuses: contempt for sacrificial offerings and immoral behavior with the women who served at the tabernacle entrance, desecrating the very worship of God.
1 Samuel 2 12 Word analysis
Now: wǝ (וְ). A simple conjunction, but here it marks a crucial transition in the narrative, shifting the focus from the devout child Samuel and the humble family of Elkanah and Hannah, to the corrupt sons of the high priest Eli. It signals a stark contrast in spiritual disposition and character within the very sanctuary.
the sons of Eli: Referring to Hophni and Phinehas. Their identity as "sons of Eli" is significant because Eli was the high priest, holding the highest religious office in Israel at the time. Their high standing should have entailed exemplary piety and adherence to Mosaic law. Their familial relation underscores the profound tragedy and scandal of their behavior; corruption festered at the very top of Israel's religious structure.
were worthless men: The Hebrew phrase is bĕnê běliya‘al (בְּנֵי בְלִיַּעַל), literally "sons of Belial."
- Belial (Beliya‘al): A profound term in the Old Testament. Its etymology is debated but widely understood to mean "worthless," "profitless," "wickedness," "destruction," or "without usefulness." It denotes extreme depravity and moral worthlessness, often implying a rejection of God and authority, and engagement in corrupt and rebellious acts. It is used to describe those who are particularly debased, violent, or deceptive. In later Jewish and Christian tradition, "Belial" evolved to become a name for Satan or a major demon (e.g., in the Dead Sea Scrolls and 2 Cor 6:15), indicating its strong association with evil.
- Sons of: Not literal progeny, but people characterized by or devoted to "Belial," meaning they embody wickedness. They are defined by their utter moral and spiritual corruption. This strong descriptor indicates their character even before their specific misdeeds are detailed.
they did not know the LORD: lo' yāde‘û YHWH (לֹא יָדְעוּ יְהוָה).
- Did not know: The verb yada‘ (יָדַע) in Hebrew signifies more than intellectual awareness or factual information. It denotes an experiential, relational, and often covenantal knowledge, involving personal interaction, intimacy, and obedience. It is a "knowledge" that implies recognition, acknowledgment, and faithful living in accordance with what is known.
- the LORD: YHWH, the sacred covenant name of God, revealing His personal, self-existent nature and His active involvement with His people.
- Significance: For priests who were ostensibly dedicated to serving YHWH and mediating His presence to Israel, this statement is utterly devastating. It means they lacked a genuine, living relationship with the God they purported to serve. Their service was a mere formality, devoid of heart, reverence, or truth. They did not truly acknowledge Him as God or honor His holy nature and commands. This explains and undergirds their subsequent profane and abusive actions.
"the sons of Eli...were worthless men": This phrase directly associates their high lineage and office with profound moral failure. It creates a shocking juxtaposition. Their worthlessness wasn't just personal character flaw; it desecrated their divinely appointed roles.
"worthless men, they did not know the LORD": This second part functions as an explanation for the first. Their deep corruption ("worthless men") stemmed directly from their fundamental failure to "know the LORD." Without a true, intimate, and obedient knowledge of God, their actions could only be ungodly. This highlights a critical spiritual principle: true relationship with God transforms behavior.
1 Samuel 2 12 Bonus section
The phrase "sons of Belial" is used throughout the Old Testament to denote the most wicked and lawless individuals (e.g., men of Gibeah in Judg 19:22; conspirators against Naboth in 1 Kgs 21:10, 13). Its application to Eli's sons emphasizes that their sin was not a mere mistake but a deliberate and profound turning away from God, making them truly contemptible. Their lack of "knowing the LORD" speaks to the deeper issue of spiritual formation within the priesthood. While their father Eli was a passive observer, allowing their actions to persist, their personal corruption stemmed from their own willful rebellion, showcasing that even inherited religious privilege cannot substitute for a personal and obedient relationship with God. This spiritual blindness among those in positions of spiritual authority serves as a powerful cautionary tale about the need for integrity and true devotion, ultimately leading to divine intervention and a radical shift in leadership from the house of Eli to Samuel.
1 Samuel 2 12 Commentary
1 Samuel 2:12 provides the chilling assessment of Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas. Their identity as "sons of Eli" (the high priest) underscores the gravity of their depravity; the very leaders of Israel's worship were profoundly corrupt. They are labeled "worthless men" (bĕnê běliya‘al), a strong biblical denouncement implying deep moral bankruptcy, deceit, and rebellion against God's standards. This is not a casual insult but a divine condemnation of their character. The subsequent clause, "they did not know the LORD," serves as both the cause and explanation for their worthlessness. This "knowing" is not intellectual assent but an experiential, covenantal relationship of intimate recognition and faithful obedience. As priests, they were meant to be the conduits of God's knowledge to Israel, but they themselves were bereft of it. Their actions—contempt for sacrifices and immorality at the tabernacle (1 Sam 2:17, 22)—were direct manifestations of this fundamental spiritual ignorance. They ministered without reverence, reducing holy worship to a secular business for personal gain and gratification. This verse sets the stage for the narrative of God's impending judgment upon Eli's house and highlights the importance of genuine relationship with God for those in spiritual leadership, contrasting starkly with the devout Samuel who "knew" the LORD even in his youth.