< 1 Samuel 2 >
1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart exults in Jehovah. My horn is exalted in Jehovah. My mouth is enlarged over my enemies because I rejoice in thy salvation.
2 There is none holy as Jehovah, for there is none besides thee, neither is there any rock like our God.
3 Talk no more so very proudly. Let not arrogancy come out of your mouth, for Jehovah is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and those who stumbled are girded with strength.
5 Those who were full have hired out themselves for bread, and those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. Yea, the barren has borne seven, and she who has many sons languishes.
6 Jehovah kills, and makes alive. He brings down to Sheol, and brings up. (Sheol )
7 Jehovah makes poor, and makes rich. He brings low, he also lifts up.
8 He raises up the poor out of the dust, he lifts up the needy from the dunghill, to make them sit with rulers, and inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are Jehovah's, and he has set the world upon them.
9 He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness, for by strength no man shall prevail.
10 Those who strive with Jehovah shall be broken to pieces. He will thunder against them in heaven. Jehovah will judge the ends of the earth, and he will give strength to his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.
11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house, and the child ministered to Jehovah before Eli the priest.
12 Now the sons of Eli were base men; they knew not Jehovah.
13 And the custom of the priests with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was boiling, with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand,
14 and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot. All that the flesh-hook brought up the priest took with it. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.
15 And before they burned the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest, for he will not have boiled flesh from thee, but raw.
16 And if the man said to him, They will surely burn the fat first, and then take as much as thy soul desires, then he would say, No, but thou shall give it to me now, and if not, I will take it by force.
17 And the sin of the young men was very great before Jehovah, for the men despised the offering of Jehovah.
18 But Samuel ministered before Jehovah, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
19 Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, Jehovah give thee seed by this woman for the petition which was asked of Jehovah. And they went to their own home.
21 And Jehovah visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before Jehovah.
22 Now Eli was very old. And he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tent of meeting.
23 And he said to them, Why do ye such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.
24 No, my sons, for it is no good report that I hear. Ye make Jehovah's people to transgress.
25 If one man sins against another, God shall judge him, but if a man sins against Jehovah, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding, they did not hearken to the voice of their father, because Jehovah intended to kill them.
26 And the child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with Jehovah, and also with men.
27 And there came a man of God to Eli, and said to him, Thus says Jehovah, Did I reveal myself to the house of thy father when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh's house?
28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? And did I give to the house of thy father all the offerings of the sons of Israel made by fire?
29 Why do ye kick at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded in my habitation, and honor thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chief of all the offerings of Israel my people?
30 Therefore Jehovah, the God of Israel, says, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me forever, but now Jehovah says, Be it far from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
31 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thy house.
32 And thou shall see an enemy in my habitation, in all that I shall give Israel, and there shall not be an old man in thy house forever.
33 And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from my altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thy heart. And all the increase of thy house shall die in the flower of their age.
34 And this shall be the sign to thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: In one day they shall die, both of them.
35 And I will raise up for me a faithful priest who shall do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build for him a sure house, and he shall walk before my anointed forever.
36 And it shall come to pass, that everyone who is left in thy house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices that I may eat a morsel of bread.
