Moreover: this single Hebrew adverb seems to support the interpretation found in Good News Translation. That is, in addition to (Moreover) the corrupt practice of Eli’s sons in verses 13-14, they also took the meat before the fat was burned. The transition word is extremely important. In other translations it has been rendered “In fact” (New American Bible and Moffatt). Others are content with the use of “Even,” and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible has “Even more,” which may be understood in the sense of “Even worse.”

Revised English Bible and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, however, render this same Hebrew adverb “But now.” As already indicated, these translations suggest that what follows is not the continuation of wrong bhehavior but is rather the beginning of the description of wrong behavior by Eli’s sons.

Before the fat was burned: all of the fat belonged to God and was not to be eaten by the priests (see Lev 3.16-17; Num 18.17). For the sake of clarity some languages may have to say something like “before the fat was burned as an offering to God.”

Revised English Bible has been quoted above as an example of the interpretation that sees verses 13-14 as a statement of what the priestly practice should have been at Shiloh. This same interpretation is favored by Klein, whose translation of verses 13-15 is given here:
This is what was due the priest from the people: whenever someone was making a sacrifice, an attendant of the priest would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, and he would thrust it into the caldron or cooking pot. Whatever the fork brought up, the priest would get for himself, but this is what they did to all Israel who came there, at Shiloh: Before they had burned the fat, the attendant of the priest would come and say to the person sacrificing….

It is difficult to know which interpretation of verses 13-15 is correct. Both make good sense, and both are possible readings of the Hebrew text. But it is very important that translators not mix the two interpretations; that is, verses 13-15 should be taken as a unit. If translators find it difficult to make a decision on this matter, it may be best to follow the model of the majority of modern versions, which includes Good News Translation.

The man who was sacrificing: since there is no special emphasis on the maleness of the person offering the sacrifice, it will be better in most cases to translate “the person who was sacrificing” (Revised English Bible) or “the one who was sacrificing” (New Revised Standard Version).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .