1 Samuel 2

Hannah's Song of Thanksgiving

1 Then Hannah prayed and said,
"My heart exults in the LORD;
My horn is exalted in the LORD,
My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies,
Because I rejoice in Your salvation.

2 "There is no one holy like the LORD,
Indeed, there is no one besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God.

3 "Boast no more so very proudly,
Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth;
For the LORD is a God of knowledge,
And with Him actions are weighed.

4 "The bows of the mighty are shattered,
But the feeble gird on strength.

5 "Those who were full hire themselves out for bread,
But those who were hungry cease to hunger.
Even the barren gives birth to seven,
But she who has many children languishes.

6 "The LORD kills and makes alive;
He brings down to Sheol and raises up.

7 "The LORD makes poor and rich;
He brings low, He also exalts.

8 "He raises the poor from the dust,
He lifts the needy from the ash heap
To make them sit with nobles,
And inherit a seat of honor;
For the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S,
And He set the world on them.

9 "He keeps the feet of His godly ones,
But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness;
For not by might shall a man prevail.

10 "Those who contend with the LORD will be shattered;
Against them He will thunder in the heavens,
The LORD will judge the ends of the earth;
And He will give strength to His king,
And will exalt the horn of His anointed."

11 Then Elkanah went to his home at Ramah. But the boy ministered to the LORD before Eli the priest.

The Sin of Eli's Sons

12 Now the sons of Eli were tworthless men; they did not know the LORD13 and the custom of the priests with the people. When any man was offering a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand.14 Then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. Thus they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.15 Also, before they burned the fat, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, "Give the priest meat for roasting, as he will not take boiled meat from you, only raw."16 If the man said to him, "They must surely burn the fat first, and then take as much as you desire," then he would say, "No, but you shall give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force."17 Thus the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for the men despised the offering of the LORD.

Samuel before the LORD as a Boy

18 Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD, as a boy wearing a linen ephod.19 And his mother would make him a little robe and bring it to him from year to year when she would come up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, "May the LORD give you children from this woman in place of the one she dedicated to the LORD." And they went to their own home.

21 The LORD visited Hannah; and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew before the LORD.

Eli Rebukes His Sons

22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting.23 He said to them, "Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people?24 No, my sons; for the report is not good which I hear the LORD'S people circulating.25 If one man sins against another, God will mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?" But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for the LORD desired to put them to death.

26 Now the boy Samuel was growing in stature and in favor both with the LORD and with men.

27 Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, 'Did I not indeed reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh's house?28 Did I not choose them from all the tribes of Israel to be My priests, to go up to My altar, to burn incense, to carry an ephod before Me; and did I not give to the house of your father all the fire offerings of the sons of Israel?29 Why do you kick at My sacrifice and at My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling, and honor your sons above Me, by making yourselves fat with the choicest of every offering of My people Israel?'30 Therefore the LORD God of Israel declares, 'I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever'; but now the LORD declares, 'Far be it from Me-for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed.31 Behold, the days are coming when I will break your strength and the strength of your father's house so that there will not be an old man in your house.32 You will see the distress of My dwelling, in spite of all the good that I do for Israel; and an old man will not be in your house forever.33 Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar so that your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul grieve, and all the increase of your house will die in the prime of life.34 This will be the sign to you which will come concerning your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: on the same day both of them will die.35 But I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed always.36 Everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and say, "Please assign me to one of the priest's offices so that I may eat a piece of bread."'"

1 Samuel 2

Hannah Exalts the Lord in Prayer

1 Hannah prayed,t
“My heart rejoices in the Lord;
my horns is exalted high because of the Lord.
I loudly denouncet my enemies,
for I am happy that you delivered me.t

2 No one is holys like the Lord!
There is no one other than you!
There is no rockt like our God!

3 Don’t keep speaking so arrogantly,t
letting proud talk come out of your mouth!
For the Lord is a God who knows;
hes evaluates what people do.

4 The bows of warriors are shattered,
but those who stumble find their strength reinforced.

5 Those who are well-fed hire themselves out to earn food,
but the hungry no longer lack.
Evens the barren woman gives birth to seven,s
but the one with many children withers away.t

6 The Lord both kills and gives life;
he brings down to the gravet and raises up.

7 The Lord impoverishes and makes wealthy;
he humbles and he exalts.

8 He lifts the weakt from the dust;
he raisest the poor from the ash heap
to seat them with princes
and to bestow on them an honored position.t
The foundations of the earth belong to the Lord,
and he has placed the world on them.

9 He watches overt his holy ones,s
but the wicked are made speechless in the darkness,
for it is not by one’s own strength that one prevails.

10 The Lord shatterst his adversaries;s
he thunders against them fromt the heavens.
The Lord executes judgment to the ends of the earth.
He will strengthent his king
and exalt the powert of his anointed one.”ss

11 Then Elkanah went back home to Ramah. But the boy was serving the Lord under the supervision oft Eli the priest.

Eli’s Sons Misuse Their Sacred Office

12 The sons of Eli were wicked men.t They did not recognize the Lord’s authority.t13 Now the priests would always treat the people in the following way:t Whenever anyone was making a sacrifice, while the meat was boiling, the priest’s attendant would come with a three-pronged forks in his hand.

14 He would jab it into the basin, kettle, caldron, or pot, and everything that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they used to do to all the Israelitest when they came there to Shiloh.
15 Even before they burned the fat, the priest’s attendant would come and say to the person who was making the sacrifice, “Hand over some meat for the priest to roast! He won’t take boiled meat from you, but only raw.”t

16 If the individual said to him, “First let the fat be burned away, and then take for yourself whatever you wish,” he would say, “No!s Hand it over right now! If you don’t, I will take it forcibly!”

17 The sin of these young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for theys treated the Lord’s offering with contempt.
18 Now Samuel was ministering before the Lord. The boy was dressed in a linen ephod.19 His mother used to make him a small robe and bring it up to him at regular intervals when she would go up with her husband to make the annual sacrifice.20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife saying, “May the Lord raise up for you descendantst from this woman to replace the one that shet dedicated to the Lord.” Then they would go to theirt home.

21 So the Lord graciously attended to Hannah, and she was able to conceive and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. The boy Samuel grew up at the Lord’s sanctuary.t
22 Now Eli was very old when he heard about everything that his sons used to do to all the people of Israelt and how they used to have sex witht the women who were stationed at the entrance to the tent of meeting.23 He said to them, “Why do you behave in this way? For I hear about these evil things from all theses people.24 This ought not to be,t my sons! For the report that I hear circulating among the Lord’s people is not good.

25 If a man sins against a man, one may appeal to God on his behalf. But if a man sins against the Lord, who then will intercede for him?” But Eli’s sonst would not listen to their father, for the Lord had decidedt to kill them.

26 Now the boy Samuel was growing up and finding favor both with the Lord and with people.

The Lord Judges the House of Eli

27 A man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Did I not plainlyt reveal myself to your ancestor’st house when they were in Egypt in the house of Pharaoh?28 I chose your ancestort from all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer sacrifice on my altar, to burn incense, and to bear the ephod before me. I gave to your ancestor’s house all the fire offerings made by the Israelites.

29 Why are yous scorning my sacrifice and my offering that I commanded for my dwelling place?t You have honored your sons more than you have me by having made yourselves fat from the best parts of all the offerings of my people Israel.’
30 Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘I really did sayt that your house and your ancestor’s house would servet me forever.’ But now the Lord says, ‘May it never be!t For I will honor those who honor me, but those who despise me will be cursed!31 In fact, days are coming when I will remove your strengtht and the strengtht of your father’s house. There will not be an old man in your house!32 You will see trouble in my dwelling place!t Israel will experience blessings,t but there will not be an old man in yours house for all time.t33 Any one of you that I do not cut off from my altar, I will cause yours eyes to failt and will cause you grief.t All of those born to your familyt will die in the prime of life.s34 This will be a confirming sign for you that will be fulfilled through your two sons,t Hophni and Phinehas: in a single day they both will die!35 Then I will raise up for myself a faithful priest. He will do what is in my heart and soul. I will build for him a secure dynastyt and he will serve my chosen one for all time.t

36 Everyone who remains in your house will come to bow before him for a little moneyt and for a scrap of bread. Each will say, ‘Assign me to a priestly task so I can eat a scrap of bread.’”