H4207a H4207a
fork (noun); a three-pronged sacrificial implement
This noun denotes a three-pronged fork used in sacrificial rituals. Both occurrences in 1 Samuel 2:13-14 describe the corrupt practice of Eli's sons, who used this fork to claim meat from sacrifices while they were cooking. The text specifies it was 'the fork with three prongs,' clarifying its design. This implements corrupt priestly abuse by claiming portions before God received His due through proper burning. The fork becomes an instrument of sacrilege in the narrative.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A three-pronged implement used for handling sacrificial meat, appearing only in the account of Eli's sons' corruption. They would thrust this fork into the cooking pot and claim whatever it brought up, violating proper sacrificial procedure. Spanish uses 'garfio/garfio' (hook/fork), while other languages transliterate or use 'fork,' emphasizing the utensil's function in the abuse that brought divine judgment on Eli's house. 2×
AR["الـ-شَّوْكَةُ", "وَ-الـ-شَّوْكَةُ"]·ben["এবং-কাঁটা", "কাঁটা"]·DE["der-fork", "und-der-fork"]·EN["and-the-fork", "the-fork"]·FR["et-le-fork", "le-fork"]·heb["ה-מזלג", "ו-ה-מזלג"]·HI["और-काँटा", "काँटा"]·ID["dan-garpu", "garpu-itu"]·IT["e-il-fork", "il-fork"]·jav["garpu", "lan-garpu"]·KO["그-갈고리", "그리고-그-갈고리"]·PT["e-o-garfo", "o-garfo"]·RU["вилка", "и-вилка"]·ES["el-garfio", "y-el-garfio"]·SW["na-uma", "uma"]·TR["-çatal", "ve-çatal"]·urd["اور-کانٹا", "کانٹا"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† מַזְלֵג n.m. appar. a sacrificial implement, three-pronged fork הַמּ׳ שְׁלשׁ הַשִּׁנַּיִם 1 S 2:13, cf. v 14 (v. DrSm. pp. 23, 291).