1 Samuel 2:12

12 Now the sons of `Eli were base men; they didn't know the LORD.

1 Samuel 2:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 2:12

Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial
Not that Eli their father was Belial, a wicked man; but though they had so good a father, they were very wicked men, unprofitable abandoned wretches, that cast off the yoke of the law of God, and gave themselves up to all manner of wickedness:

they knew not the Lord;
not that they had no knowledge of God in theory, or were real atheists, but they were so practically; they denied him in works, they had no love to him, nor fear of him, and departed from his ways and worship, as much as if they were entirely ignorant of him; so the Targum,

``they did not know to fear before the Lord,''

or serve him; or, as Kimchi,

``they did not know the way of the Lord,''

that is, practically.

1 Samuel 2:12 In-Context

10 Those who strive with the LORD shall be broken to pieces; Against them will he thunder in the sky: The LORD will judge the ends of the eretz; He will give strength to his king, Exalt the horn of his anointed.

11 Elkana went to Ramah to his house. The child did minister to the LORD before `Eli the Kohen.

12 Now the sons of `Eli were base men; they didn't know the LORD.

13 The custom of the Kohanim with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the Kohen's servant came, while the flesh was boiling, with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand;

14 and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the flesh-hook brought up the Kohen took therewith. So they did in Shiloh to all the Yisra'elites who came there.