1 Samuel 2 · Verse 23

1 Samuel 2:23

And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.
1 Samuel 2:23, King James Version

1 Samuel 2:23 in other translations

BSB“Why are you doing these things?” Eli said to his sons. “I hear about your wicked deeds from all these people.
WEBHe said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people.
ASVAnd he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.
YLTand he saith to them, ‘Why do ye things like these? for I am hearing of your evil words from all the people--these!
DARBYAnd he said to them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil deeds from all this people.
BBEAnd he said to them, Why are you doing such things? for from all this people I get accounts of your evil ways.
WebsterAnd he said to them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.

What does 1 Samuel 2:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 2:22-24

22-24. the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle--This was an institution of holy women of a strictly ascetic order, who had relinquished worldly cares and devoted themselves to the Lord; an institution which continued down to the time of Christ (Lu 2:37). Eli was, on the whole, a good man, but lacking in the moral and religious training of his family. He erred on the side of parental indulgence; and…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 2:22-24 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 Why do ye such things! - Eli appears to have been a fondly affectionate, easy father, who wished his sons to do well, but did not bring them under proper discipline, and did not use his authority to restrain them. As judge, he had power to cast them immediately out of the vineyard, as wicked and unprofitable servants; this he did not, and his and their ruin was the consequence.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 2:11-26

Samuel, being devoted to the Lord in a special manner, was from a child employed about the sanctuary in the services he was capable of. As he did this with a pious disposition of mind, it was called ministering unto the Lord. He received a blessing from the Lord. Those young people who serve God as well as they can, he will enable to improve, that they may serve him better. Eli shunned trouble and exertion. This led…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 2:11-26 →

1 Samuel 2:23 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
לָהֶ֔םla.Hemto <the> them
לָ֥מָּהLa.mah<to> why?H4100
תַעֲשׂ֖וּןta.'a.Sunare you doing !H6213
כַּדְּבָרִ֣יםka.de.va.Rimaccording to the thingsH1697
הָאֵ֑לֶּהha.'E.leh<the> theseH428
אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.SherthatH834
אָנֹכִ֤י'a.no.KhiIH595
שֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙sho.Me.a'[am] hearingH8085
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
דִּבְרֵיכֶ֣םdiv.rei.Khemthings yourH1697
רָעִ֔יםra.'ImwickedH7451
מֵאֵ֖תme.'Etfrom withH854
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
הָעָ֥םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
אֵֽלֶּה\׃'E.lehtheseH428

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 2:23

  • 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.

  • 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 9:4

    And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

  • 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.

  • 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:

  • 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.

  • Philippians 3:19

    Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Why.
1Ki 1:6; Ac 9:4; 14:15
I hear, etc. or, I hear evil words of you. by all.
Isa 3:9; Jer 3:3; 8:12; Php 3:19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 2:22

    Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

  • 1 Samuel 2:23

    And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.

  • 1 Samuel 2:24

    Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to transgress.

Read all of 1 Samuel 2

1 Samuel 2:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y díjoles: ¿Por qué hacéis cosas semejantes? Porque yo oigo de todo este pueblo vuestros malos procederes.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il leur dit: Pourquoi faites-vous des actions comme celles-là? Car, de tout le peuple, j’apprends vos méchantes actions.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er sprach zu ihnen: Warum tut ihr dergleichen Dinge? denn ich höre diese eure bösen Handlungen von dem ganzen Volke.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et dixit eis: Quare facitis res hujuscemodi quas ego audio, res pessimas, ab omni populo?