No, my sons; it is not a good report I hear circulating among the LORD’s people.
Parallel translations
- WEB No, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear! You make Yahweh’s people disobey.
- KJV Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD’s people to transgress.
- NKJV No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the Lord’s people transgress.
- NASB No, my sons; for the report is not good which I hear the Lord’s people circulating.
- NLT You must stop, my sons! The reports I hear among the Lord’s people are not good.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Eli warned that their bad reputation was leading the Lord's people into transgression. Their sin was harming the whole community.
Overview
Eli recognized that his sons' scandalous conduct was spreading evil among God's people, not only condemning themselves. Their misuse of holy office turned others away from proper worship. This communal damage underscores the seriousness of unfaithful leadership, whose sin ripples outward to many.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- 1 Sam 2:17Thus the sin of these young men was severe in the sight of the LORD, for they were treating the LORD’s offering with contempt.
- 1 Sam 2:22Now Eli was very old, and he heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
- 2 Pet 2:18With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error.
- 2 Kgs 10:31Yet Jehu was not careful to follow the instruction of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.
- Acts 6:3Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will appoint this responsibility to them
- Rev 2:20But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
- Mal 2:8But you have departed from the way, and your instruction has caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of Hosts.
- 1 Tim 3:7Furthermore, he must have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the snare of the devil.
- Matt 18:7Woe to the world for the causes of sin. These stumbling blocks must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!
- Exod 32:21“What did this people do to you,” Moses asked Aaron, “that you have led them into so great a sin?”
- 1 Kgs 15:30because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had caused Israel to commit, and because he had provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger.
- 3 Jn 1:12Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also testify for him, and you know that our testimony is true.
- 1 Kgs 13:18–21Then the prophet replied, “I too am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” The old prophet was lying to him,
- 2 Cor 6:8through glory and dishonor, slander and praise; viewed as imposters, yet genuine;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 2:24 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.