1 Samuel 2
1 Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in Yahweh. My horn is exalted in Yahweh. My mouth boasts over my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.
At that time Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the LORD in whom my horn is exalted. My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, for I rejoice in Your salvation.
2 There is no one holy like Yahweh, for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.
There is no one holy like the LORD. Indeed, there is no one besides You! And there is no Rock like our God.
3 Boast no more so very proudly; let no arrogance come out of your mouth. For Yahweh is a God of knowledge; by him actions are weighed.
Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogance come from your mouth, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by Him actions are weighed.
4 The bow of the mighty men are broken, but those who stumble put on strength like a belt.
The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble are equipped with strength.
5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread; those who were hungry have stopped being hungry. Even the barren one gives birth to seven, but the woman who has many children languishes.
The well-fed hire themselves out for food, but the starving hunger no more. The barren woman gives birth to seven, but she who has many sons pines away.
The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. (Sheol h7585)
7 Yahweh makes some people poor and some rich. He humbles, but he also lifts up.
The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.
8 He raises up the poor out of the dust. He lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit the seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are Yahweh's and he has set the world upon them.
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s, and upon them He has set the world.
9 He will guard the feet of his faithful people, but the wicked will be put to silence in darkness, for no one will prevail by strength.
He guards the steps of His faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness; for by his own strength shall no man prevail.
10 Those who oppose Yahweh will be broken to pieces; he will thunder against them from heaven. Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
Those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder from heaven against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth and will give power to His king. He will exalt the horn of His anointed.”
11 Then Elkanah went to Ramah, to his house. The child served Yahweh in the presence of Eli the priest.
Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy began ministering to the LORD before Eli the priest.
12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know Yahweh.
Now the sons of Eli were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD
13 The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand, while the meat was boiling.
or for the custom of the priests with the people. When any man offered a sacrifice, the servant of the priest would come with a three-pronged meat fork while the meat was boiling
14 He would stick it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. They did this in Shiloh with all the Israelites that came there.
and plunge it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or cooking pot. And the priest would claim for himself whatever the meat fork brought up. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh.
15 Worse, before they burned the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man who was sacrificing, “Give meat to roast for the priest; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”
Even before the fat was burned, the servant of the priest would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast, because he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”
16 If the man said to him, “They must burn the fat first, and then take as much as you want.” Then he would say, “No, you will give it me now; if not, I will take it by force.”
And if any man said to him, “The fat must be burned first; then you may take whatever you want,” the servant would reply, “No, you must give it to me right now. If you refuse, I will take it by force!”
17 The sin of these young men was very great before Yahweh, for they despised Yahweh's offering.
Thus the sin of these young men was severe in the sight of the LORD, for they were treating the LORD’s offering with contempt.
18 But Samuel served Yahweh as a child clothed with a linen ephod.
Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod.
19 His mother would make him a little robe and bring it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
Each year his mother would make him a little robe and bring it to him when she went with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.
20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May Yahweh give you more children by this woman because of the request she made of Yahweh.” Then they would return to their own home.
And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the LORD give you children by this woman in place of the one she dedicated to the LORD.” Then they would go home.
21 Yahweh again helped Hannah, and again she became pregnant. She bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the child Samuel grew before Yahweh.
So the LORD attended to Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.
22 Now Eli was very old; he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
Now Eli was very old, and he heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
23 He said to them, “Why do you such things? For I hear of your evil actions from all these people.”
“Why are you doing these things?” Eli said to his sons. “I hear about your wicked deeds from all these people.
24 No, my sons; for it is not a good report that I hear. You make Yahweh's people disobey.
No, my sons; it is not a good report I hear circulating among the LORD’s people.
25 “If one man sins against another, God will judge him; but if a man sins against Yahweh, who will speak for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, because Yahweh intended to kill them.
If a man sins against another man, God can intercede for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to their father, since the LORD intended to put them to death.
26 The child Samuel grew up, and increased in favor with Yahweh and also with men.
And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with man.
27 Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Yahweh says, 'Did I not reveal myself to the house of your ancestor, when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh's house?
Then a man of God came to Eli and told him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal Myself to your father’s house when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh’s house?
28 I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, and to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me. I gave to the house of your ancestor all the offerings of the people of Israel made with fire.
And out of all the tribes of Israel I selected your father to be My priest, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence. I also gave to the house of your father all the offerings of the Israelites made by fire.
29 Why, then, do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings that I required in the place where I live? Why do you honor your sons above me by making yourselves fat with the best of every offering of my people Israel?'
Why then do you kick at My sacrifice and offering that I have prescribed for My dwelling place? You have honored your sons more than Me by fattening yourselves with the best of all the offerings of My people Israel.’
30 For Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, 'I promised that your house, and the house of your ancestor, should walk before me forever.' But now Yahweh says, 'Far be it from me to do this, for I will honor those who honor me, but those who despise me will be lightly esteemed.
Therefore, the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever. But now the LORD declares: Far be it from Me! For I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be disdained.
31 See, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father's house, so that there will no longer be any old man in your house.
Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that no older man will be left in your house.
32 You will see distress in the place where I live. Although good will be given to Israel, there will no longer be any old man in your house.
You will see distress in My dwelling place. Despite all that is good in Israel, no one in your house will ever again reach old age.
33 Any one of you that I do not cut off from my altar, I will cause your eyes to fail, and I will cause grief for your life. All the men born in your family will die.
And every one of you that I do not cut off from My altar, your eyes will fail and your heart will grieve. All your descendants will die by the sword of men.
34 This will be the sign for you that will come on your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: They will both die on the same day.
And this sign shall come to you concerning your two sons Hophni and Phinehas: They will both die on the same day.
35 I will raise up for myself a faithful priest who will do what is in my heart and in my soul. I will build him a sure house; and he will walk before my anointed king forever.
Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest. He will do whatever is in My heart and mind. And I will build for him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed one for all time.
36 Everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him, asking for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and will say, “Please assign me to one of the priests' positions so I can eat a piece of bread.”'”
And everyone left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver or a morsel of bread, pleading, “Please appoint me to some priestly office so that I can eat a piece of bread.”’”
