Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD, for the men treated the offering of the LORD with contempt.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Here's what's easy to miss: This verse isn't just about the young men's bad behavior; it's about why it was so serious. Their sin was "very great" because they treated God's own offering with contempt, showing a deep disrespect for God Himself by disrespecting what represented Him and His provision.
Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD, for the men treated the offering of the LORD with contempt.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse occurs in the immediate aftermath of Hannah's prayer of thanksgiving for her son Samuel, highlighting a stark contrast between her devotion and the corrupt behavior of Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas. These priests were shamelessly abusing their priestly duties, taking more than their share of sacrifices and sleeping with women who served at the sanctuary. This passage sets the stage for God's judgment upon Eli's household due to his sons' egregious sins and his own failure to discipline them.
We often measure sin by its impact on others, but what about its impact on God? This verse reveals a crucial difference in how sin is viewed.
The Gravity of Disrespect
Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were not just stealing meat from sacrifices; they were treating the Lord's offering with contempt. Their actions weren't just theft; they were a profound insult to God's holiness and the sacredness of worship.
The ESV translates their sin as "very great in the sight of the LORD." This isn't just a minor infraction; it's an offense that registers deeply with God himself. The core issue isn't just the physical act, but the attitude behind it – a disregard for what is holy.
This teaches us that God sees our disrespect for His commands, His Word, and His people as a serious offense. Our casual disregard for what is sacred is not lost on Him.
It's easy to focus on what Hophni and Phinehas did, but the real issue lay deeper. This verse points to a heart problem that fuels outward sin.
More Than Just Stolen Meat
The sin wasn't merely the physical act of taking more than their allotted portion of the sacrificial meat, nor was it just eating it raw. The critical element was the contempt shown. Their actions demonstrated a heart that had grown numb to the sacredness of worship and God's presence.
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They had lost reverence. Their hearts were hardened by familiarity and likely by a sense of entitlement. This internal posture of disrespect is what made their sin 'very great' in God's eyes. It showed they didn't value God, His covenant, or His people enough to offer Him the respect due His name.
This is a stark reminder that God looks at the heart. Our attitudes towards worship, prayer, Scripture, and fellow believers reveal our true standing with Him.
Understand the original words
chattath · Hebrew Noun
A moral failure, transgression, or missing of the mark in relation to God's holiness and commandments. It encompasses both the act of wrongdoing and the inherent rebellion against God's established order.
minchah · Hebrew Noun
The material or animal sacrifice presented to God as an act of worship, atonement, or thanksgiving. It signifies the surrender of something valuable to express reliance upon and reverence for the Creator.
na'ats · Hebrew Verb
To treat something holy as common, worthless, or profane. It denotes a lack of reverence and an active disregard for the sanctity of God's requirements and His presence.
The deep spiritual corruption within the priestly family of Eli, directly at the place of worship, created a crisis of faith and leadership. This verse highlights how the disrespect shown to God's sacred offerings had devastating consequences for Israel and Eli's own household.
c. 1100-1050 BC
Eli's sons serve at Shiloh
Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of High Priest Eli, served at the Tabernacle in Shiloh, acting as priests. They were entrusted with leading worship and mediating between God and the people.
c. 1100-1050 BC— this verse
Sons of Eli abuse their priestly roles
Instead of honoring God's commands for sacrifices, Hophni and Phinehas acted wickedly. They demanded raw meat before it was offered, took meat by force, and engaged in sexual immorality with women who served at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
c. 1100-1050 BC
Samuel grows in service to the Lord
Young Samuel, dedicated to God by his mother Hannah, served faithfully before the Lord under Eli's supervision. He was set apart from the corrupt practices of Eli's sons and grew in favor with God and man.
c. 1050 BC
God pronounces judgment on Eli's house
The LORD sent a prophet to Eli to declare divine judgment. The entire lineage of Eli's house would be cut off, and his wicked sons would die on the same day as a consequence of their sin.
c. 1050 BC
Battle of Aphek and capture of the Ark
The Philistines defeated the Israelites in battle, and in their despair, the Israelites brought the Ark of the Covenant into battle. The Ark was captured by the Philistines, and both Hophni and Phinehas were killed.
This passage shows a similar disregard for worship, highlighting how God despises offerings made with a corrupted heart and attitude.
Matthew 23:23Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for tithing but neglecting the weightier matters of the law, like justice and faithfulness, paralleling the contempt for God's ways despite outward religious acts.
Hebrews 10:29This New Testament passage warns against trampling the Son of God underfoot and profaning the blood of the covenant, showing the severe consequences of treating God's sacred provisions with contempt.
Proverbs 15:8This verse contrasts the pleasing prayer of the upright with the detestable sacrifice of the wicked, underscoring that the attitude behind the offering is as crucial as the offering itself.
Here's what's easy to miss: This verse isn't just about the young men's bad behavior; it's about why it was so serious. Their sin was "very great" because they treated God's own offering with contempt, showing a deep disrespect for God Himself by disrespecting what represented Him and His provision.
This verse occurs in the immediate aftermath of Hannah's prayer of thanksgiving for her son Samuel, highlighting a stark contrast between her devotion and the corrupt behavior of Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas. These priests were shamelessly abusing their priestly duties, taking more than their share of sacrifices and sleeping with women who served at the sanctuary. This passage sets the stage for God's judgment upon Eli's household due to his sons' egregious sins and his own failure to discipline them.
This verse occurs in the immediate aftermath of Hannah's prayer of thanksgiving for her son Samuel, highlighting a stark contrast between her devotion and the corrupt behavior of Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas. These priests were shamelessly abusing their priestly duties, taking more than their share of sacrifices and sleeping with women who served at the sanctuary. This passage sets the stage for God's judgment upon Eli's household due to his sons' egregious sins and his own failure to discipline them.
"Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD, for the men treated the offering of the LORD with contempt." — Here's what's easy to miss: This verse isn't just about the young men's bad behavior; it's about why it was so serious. Their sin was "very great" because they treated God's own offering with con…
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Last reviewed October 2026