King James Version

1 Samuel 2:12

Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

וּבְנֵ֥יuveneand sonבֵּןconjunction, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “and son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […עֵלִ֖יeliEliעֵלִיnoun, proper name — “Eli”H5941Eli, an Israelite highpriestEli.בְּנֵ֣יbenesonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […בְלִיָּ֑עַלveliyaalBelialבְּלִיַּעַלnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “Belial”, the ordinary formH1100without profit, worthlessness; by extension, destruction, wickednessBelial, evil, naughty, ungodly (men), wicked.לֹ֥אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יָדְע֖וּyadevknowיָדַעverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “know”, a completed actionH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).יְהוָֽהyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Now the sons of Eli were base men; they knew not the LORD.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Now the sons of Eli were base men; they knew not Jehovah.

Young’s Literal Translation

and the sons of Eli [are] sons of worthlessness, they have not known Jehovah.

World English Bible

Now the sons of Eli were wicked men. They didn’t know Yahweh.

Darby Translation

Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not Jehovah.

Douay-Rheims

Now the sons of Heli were children of Belial, not knowing the Lord,

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Now the sons of Eli were base men; they knew not the LORD.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And the sons of Heli the priest were evil sons, not knowing the Lord.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἡλὶ τοῦ ἱερέως υἱοὶ λοιμοί, οὐκ εἰδότες τὸν Κύριον.