¹² Although Eli’s sons served as priests, they were really worthless men with no understanding of the Eternal ^13-14 or of their priestly duties. When someone presented meat as a ritual offering to the Lord, the priest would send a servant with a three-pronged fork to probe around in the pot or kettle as the sacrifice boiled; and whatever he brought up with the fork, the priest would keep as his own. They did this at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came to sacrifice.

¹⁵ The priest’s servant would even tell those who were going to burn fat as a sacrifice,

¹⁶ And if the worshiper protested, saying the priest could take whatever he wanted after the fat was burned, the servant would say,

¹⁷ Because they despised the Eternal’s ritual offerings, the Eternal One judged that the sons of Eli had sinned greatly.

²² Eli, who had grown old and tired, heard what his sons were doing to all those Israelites who came to Shiloh to perform their sacrifices. He heard that they were even having sexual relations with the women who worked at the door of the meeting tent.

But Eli’s sons did not listen to his words, for the Eternal One had already decided to destroy them.