Back to 1 Samuel 2

1 Samuel 2:15-16

Yes, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed, “Give meat to roast for the priest; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but raw.”

If the man said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take as much as your soul desires;” then he would say, “No, but you shall give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force.”

World English Bible · Public Domain
Show the surrounding paragraph

1 Samuel 2:15-16 sits inside this longer paragraph.

Now the sons of Eli were wicked men. They didn’t know Yahweh. The custom of the priests with the people was that when anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant came while the meat was boiling, with a fork of three teeth in his hand; and he stabbed it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot. The priest took all that the fork brought up for himself. They did this to all the Israelites who came there to Shiloh. Yes, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed, “Give meat to roast for the priest; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but raw.”

If the man said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take as much as your soul desires;” then he would say, “No, but you shall give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force.” The sin of the young men was very great before Yahweh; for the men despised Yahweh’s offering. But Samuel ministered before Yahweh, being a child, clothed with a linen ephod. Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, “May Yahweh give you offspring from this woman for the petition which was asked of Yahweh.” Then they went to their own home. Yahweh visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. The child Samuel grew before Yahweh.

Read all of 1 Samuel 2 →

Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    Yes, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed, “Give meat to roast for the priest; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but raw.”

    If the man said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take as much as your soul desires;” then he would say, “No, but you shall give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force.”

  • KJV King James Version

    Also before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.

    And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.

Show all 3 translations
  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    Yea, before the fat was made to smoke, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed: 'Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.'

    And if the man said unto him: 'Let the fat be made to smoke first of all, and then take as much as thy soul desireth'; then he would say: 'Nay, but thou shalt give it me now; and if not, I will take it by force.'

View more translations →

Cross-references (12)

  • Leviticus 3:16 (vv15–16) The priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma; all the fat is Yahweh’s.
  • Leviticus 7:23-25 (v16) “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘You shall eat no fat, of bull, or sheep, or goat. The fat of that which dies of itself, and the…
  • Leviticus 3:3-5 (v15) He shall offer of the sacrifice of peace offerings an offering made by fire to Yahweh. The fat that covers the innards, and all the fat…
  • Romans 16:18 (v15) For those who are such don’t serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the…
  • Philippians 3:19 (v15) whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things.
Show all 11 cross-references
  • 1 Peter 5:2-3 (v16) Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, not for dishonest gain, but…
  • Judges 18:25 (v16) The children of Dan said to him, “Don’t let your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall on you, and you lose your life, with the…
  • Nehemiah 5:15 (v16) But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, plus forty shekels of silver;…
  • Micah 2:1-2 (v16) Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil on their beds! When the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of…
  • Micah 3:5 (v16) Yahweh says concerning the prophets who lead my people astray; for those who feed their teeth, they proclaim, “Peace!” and whoever doesn’t…
  • Jude 1:12 (v15) These are hidden rocky reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you, shepherds who without fear feed themselves; clouds without…

11 distinct cross-references across this passage (12 total citations).

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (12 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv15–16 Which was commanded first to have been offered to…

Which was commanded first to have been offered to God.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv15–16 1Sa 2:15 Also before they burnt the fat, the…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv15–16 The fat, and the other parts to be burnt…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv15–16 And if any man said unto him, let them…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On v15 The fat - And the other parts to be…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On v15 Verse 15. Before they burnt the fat] They would…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v16 1Sa 2:16-17. Nay, but thou shalt give it me…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv15–16 Raw. Here are two other abuses. The fat ought…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv15–16 15. Also] Even. The climax of their transgression was…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv15–16 (15) Before they burnt the fat.—This was a still…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v15 General Information:
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v15 2:15 God’s law stipulated that the sacrificial animal’s fat…
Share