King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.
Complete Jewish Bible:
He asked them, "Why are you doing things like this? I am hearing bad reports about you from all these people.
Berean Standard Bible:
“Why are you doing these things?” Eli said to his sons. “I hear about your wicked deeds from all these people.
American Standard Version:
And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And he said{H559} unto them, Why do{H6213} ye such things{H1697}? for I hear{H8085} of your evil{H7451} dealings{H1697} by all this people{H5971}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Acts 9:4
- And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
1 Kings 1:6
- And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also [was a] very goodly [man]; and [his mother] bare him after Absalom.
Jeremiah 8:12
- Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 3:3
- Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.
Acts 14:15
- And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
Isaiah 3:9
- ¶ The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide [it] not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.
Philippians 3:19
- Whose end [is] destruction, whose God [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for 1 Samuel 2:23
1 Samuel 2:23 is part of the narrative concerning the early life of the prophet Samuel and the corruption within the priesthood at the time. The verse captures a moment when an unnamed man of God confronts the sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, who were priests at the tabernacle in Shiloh. These priests had been exploiting their religious authority, taking more than their fair share of the sacrifices brought by the people and engaging in immoral behavior with the women who served at the tabernacle entrance (as described in 1 Samuel 2:12-17,22).
The man of God, likely a prophet or a righteous individual, challenges the brothers with a direct question: "Why do ye such things?" He indicates that their misdeeds are widely known among the people, suggesting a public awareness and disapproval of their actions. This confrontation highlights themes of accountability, the misuse of religious power, and the importance of integrity among those who serve in positions of spiritual leadership.
In the broader historical context, this incident reflects the period of the judges, a time characterized by moral decline and a cycle of apostasy and deliverance in Israel. Eli's ineffective leadership and his sons' corruption set the stage for a pivotal transition in Israel's history, leading to the eventual rejection of Eli's priestly line and the rise of Samuel as a prophet and judge. The verse underscores the expectation that religious leaders should model righteousness and justice, and it foreshadows the coming judgment on Eli's house, as previously foretold by another man of God in 1 Samuel 2:27-36. This judgment would eventually be fulfilled with the defeat of Israel by the Philistines and the capture of the Ark of the Covenant, along with the deaths of Hophni and Phinehas (1 Samuel 4).
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. - Strong's Number: H6213
There are 2286 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָשָׂה
Transliteration: ʻâsâh
Pronunciation: aw-saw'
Description: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. - Strong's Number: H1697
There are 1290 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: דָּבָר
Transliteration: dâbâr
Pronunciation: daw-baw'
Description: from דָבַר; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause; act, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dearth, decree, deed, [idiom] disease, due, duty, effect, [phrase] eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-) ness, [phrase] glory, [phrase] harm, hurt, [phrase] iniquity, [phrase] judgment, language, [phrase] lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, [idiom] ought, [idiom] parts, [phrase] pertaining, [phrase] please, portion, [phrase] power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, [idiom] (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, [phrase] sign, [phrase] so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, [phrase] song, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, task, [phrase] that, [idiom] there done, thing (concerning), thought, [phrase] thus, tidings, what(-soever), [phrase] wherewith, which, word, work. - Strong's Number: H8085
There are 1072 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁמַע
Transliteration: shâmaʻ
Pronunciation: shaw-mah'
Description: a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.); [idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, [idiom] surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness. - Strong's Number: H7451
There are 623 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רַע
Transliteration: raʻ
Pronunciation: rah
Description: from רָעַע; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral); adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, [phrase] not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong. (Incl. feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.). - Strong's Number: H5971
There are 1654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עַם
Transliteration: ʻam
Pronunciation: am
Description: from עָמַם; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock; folk, men, nation, people.