The Meaning of 1 Samuel 2:12 Explained

1 Samuel 2:12

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

YLT: and the sons of Eli are sons of worthlessness, they have not known Jehovah.

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does 1 Samuel 2:12 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 2:12-21 - Growing Before The Lord
Not only were Eli's sons strangers to the power of religion in the heart, but they had gone to great lengths of profligacy. They had seized on a larger share of the offering than was prescribed, and their rapacity had made men abhor the sacred rites. It is an awful thing when the inconsistencies of professing Christians cause men to abhor the service of Christ. It will go very hard with them at the last. The Master says that it would have been better for a millstone to be hanged about their neck; and one cannot but think that great allowance will be made at the last for those who have fallen over these stumbling-blocks.
What love and prayer Hannah must have wrought into that little coat! Every stitch was put in with such motherly pride. It was hard to give the boy up, but at least she could do something for him. How nice he would look in it! How proud she was that every year's new one had to be larger! Thus parents still make the clothes that their children wear. The little ones almost unconsciously become arrayed in the character that is constantly being shown before their quick and inquisitive eyes. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 2

1  Hannah's song in thankfulness
12  The sin of Eli's sons
18  Samuel's ministry
20  by Eli's blessing Hannah is more fruitful
22  Eli reproves his sons
27  A prophecy against Eli's house

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 2:12 mean?

Now the sons of Eli sons [were] corrupt not they did know - Yahweh
וּבְנֵ֥י עֵלִ֖י בְּנֵ֣י בְלִיָּ֑עַל לֹ֥א יָדְע֖וּ אֶת־ יְהוָֽה

וּבְנֵ֥י  Now  the  sons 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
עֵלִ֖י  of  Eli 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵלִי  
Sense: descendant of Aaron through Ithamar and high priest and judge of Israel when Samuel entered service as a child.
בְּנֵ֣י  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
בְלִיָּ֑עַל  [were]  corrupt 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּלִיַּעַל  
Sense: worthlessness.
יָדְע֖וּ  they  did  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.