Bible Strands
1 Samuel 2:12
Now the sons of Eli were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator describes the spiritual condition of Eli’s sons immediately after noting Samuel’s early service under Eli’s supervision. This statement functions as a narrative contrast between the boy’s faithful ministry and the priests’ corruption.
The words — The Hebrew בְלִיָּ֑עַל (beliyaʿal) literally means “worthlessness,” and יָדְע֖וּ (yadaʿu) means “they knew,” with the text stating their failure to acknowledge Yahweh before any inference of moral decay is drawn. The narrative presents their spiritual ignorance as a factual condition rather than a later theological conclusion.
The thread — This pattern of religious leaders failing to know God appears in Judges 2:10, Jeremiah 2:8, and Romans 1:28. The biblical thread consistently links priestly or national spiritual blindness to subsequent divine abandonment and moral collapse.
Why it lands — The verse demands acknowledgment that holding religious office without reverence for God produces systemic corruption. It asks the reader to verify whether their own service is grounded in genuine recognition of Yahweh or merely external ritual.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord.
Cross-references
- Romans 1:28 Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
- Jeremiah 2:8 The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the leaders rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols.
- Judges 2:10 After that whole generation had also been gathered to their fathers, another generation rose up who did not know the LORD or the works that He had done for Israel.
- Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.
- 2 Corinthians 6:15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
- Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.
- John 17:3 Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
- Malachi 2:1 “And now this decree is for you, O priests:
- John 8:55 You do not know Him, but I know Him. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, and I keep His word.
- John 16:3 They will do these things because they have not known the Father or Me.