Add parallel Print Page Options

And Hannah worshipped, and said, Mine heart fully joyed in the Lord, and mine horn is raised in my God; my mouth is alarged on mine enemies, for I was glad in thine health. (And Hannah worshipped, and said, My heart full out joyeth in the Lord, and my head is raised up to my God; my mouth is enlarged upon my enemies, or harshly speaketh about them, and I am happy for thy help.)

None is holy as the Lord is; for none other is, except thee, and none is strong as our God. (No one is as holy as the Lord is; for there is no other, except thee, and no one is as strong as our God.)

Do not ye multiply to speak high things, and have glory therein; eld things go away from your mouth; for God is Lord of knowings, and thoughts be made ready to him. (Do not ye continue to speak proud things, and have glory in it; let not proud words come out of your mouth; for God is the Lord of all knowledge, and he judgeth all that people do.)

The bow of strong men is overcome, and feeble men be girded with strength.

Men full-filled before, setted themselves to hire for loaves, and hungry men be filled; while the barren woman childed full many, and she that had many sons, was made sick. (Men filled full before, now hire themselves out to work for loaves, and hungry men be filled; while the barren woman bare a great many, and she who had many sons, was made feeble, or weak.)

The Lord slayeth, and quickeneth; he leadeth forth to hells, and bringeth again. (The Lord killeth, and maketh alive; he leadeth down to Sheol, or into the grave, and bringeth up again.)

The Lord maketh poor, and he maketh rich; he maketh low, and he raiseth up.

He raiseth a needy man from powder, and he raiseth a poor man from drit, that he sit with princes, and hold the seat of glory; for the ends of [the] earth be of the Lord, and he hath set the world on those. (He raiseth up the needy from the dust, and he raiseth up the poor from the dirt, so that they sit with princes, and have seats, or places, of honour; for the ends of the earth be the Lord’s, and he hath set the world upon them.)

He shall keep the feet of his saints, and wicked men shall be still (al)together in darknesses; for a man shall not be made strong in his own strength. (He shall guard the footsteps of his saints, and the wicked shall be still, or shall be silent, in the darkness; for no one shall be made strong by their own strength.)

10 [The] Adversaries of the Lord shall dread him, and from (the) heavens he shall thunder upon them; the Lord shall deem the ends of [the] earth, and he shall give lordship to his king, and he shall enhance the horn, that is, (the) power, of his Christ. (The Lord’s adversaries shall fear him, and he shall thunder upon them from heaven; the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth, and he shall give lordship to his king, yea, he shall enhance the horn, that is, the power, of his anointed king.)

11 And Elkanah went into Ramah, into his house; and the child was (a) servant in the sight of the Lord before the face of Eli the priest.

12 Forsooth the sons of Eli were the sons of Belial, and they knew not the Lord,

13 neither the office of (the) priests to the people; but whoever had offered sacrifice, the servant of the priest came, while the fleshes were in seething, and he had a fleshhook with three teeth in his hand;

14 and he sent it into the great vessel of stone, either into the cauldron, either into the pot, either into the pan; and whatever thing the fleshhook raised, the priest took that to himself; so they did to all Israel of men coming into Shiloh. (and he sent it into the great stone vessel, or the cauldron, or the pot, or the pan; and whatever thing the fleshhook raised up, or caught hold of, the priest took that for himself; and so they did to all Israel who came to Shiloh.)

15 Yea, before that they burnt the inner fatness, the priest’s servant came, and said to the offerer, Give thou flesh to me/Give to me the flesh, that I seethe it to the priest; for I shall not take of thee sodden flesh, but raw. (Yea, before that they burned the inner fatness, the priest’s servant came, and said to the offerer, Give thou to me the flesh, so that I can roast it for the priest; for I shall not take boiled flesh from thee, but only raw meat.)

16 And he that offered said to him, Be first the inner fatness burnt today after the custom, and take thou then to thee how much ever thy soul desireth. The which answered, and said to him, Nay, but thou shalt give it now; for else I shall take it by violence. (And if he who offered said to him, First let the inner fatness be burned today, after the custom, and then take thou for thyself however much thy soul desireth, the servant would answer, and say, No, thou shalt give it to me now; or else I shall take it by force.)

17 Therefore the sin of the young men was full grievous before the Lord; for they withdrew men from the sacrifice of the Lord (for they drew people away, or discouraged them, from sacrificing to the Lord).

18 Forsooth Samuel, a child girded with a linen cloth (a boy wearing a linen cloak), ministered before the face of the Lord.

19 And his mother made to him a little coat, the which (s)he brought to him in the days ordained to offer, and she went up with her husband, that he would offer a solemn offering, and his avow. (And his mother made a little coat for him, which she brought to him in the days ordained for offering, when she went up each year with her husband, when he offered a solemn sacrifice, and renewed his vow.)

20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife; and said, The Lord yield to thee seed of this woman, for the gift which thou hast given to the Lord. And they went into their place again. (And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife; and said, May the Lord give thee children from this woman, for the loan which thou hast lent to the Lord. And then they went home again.)

21 Therefore the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived, and childed three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel was magnified at the Lord (But their boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord).

22 And Eli was full eld, and he heard all the things that his sons did in all Israel, and how they slept with women, that waited at the door of the tabernacle. (And Eli grew very old, and he heard of all the improper things that his sons did to all Israel, and how they slept with the women, who served at the entrance to the Tabernacle of the Witnessing.)

23 And he said to them, Why do ye such things, (yea,) the worst things, which I hear of (from) all the people?

24 Do not ye, my sons; it is not a good fame, that I hear, that ye make the Lord’s people to do trespass. (Do not ye do this, my sons; for it is not a good report that I hear, that ye make the Lord’s people to trespass.)

25 If a man sinneth against a man, God may be pleased to him by prayers and sacrifices; but if a man sinneth against the Lord, who shall pray for him? And they heard not the voice of their father, for God would slay them. (If a man sinneth against another man, God may make him appeased by prayers and sacrifices; but if a man sinneth against the Lord, who shall pray for him? But they would not listen to their father, for God had decided to kill them.)

26 Forsooth the child Samuel profited, and increased, and pleased both God and men. (And the boy Samuel grew, and learned, and pleased both God and men.)

27 Soothly a man of God came to Eli, and said to him, The Lord saith these things, Whether I was not showed apertly to the house of thy father, when he was in Egypt, in the house of Pharaoh? (And a man of God came to Eli, and said to him, The Lord saith these things, Was I not openly showed to thy father’s family, when they were in Egypt, in Pharaoh’s house?)

28 And I chose him of all the lineages of Israel to be a priest to me, that he should go up to mine altar, and should burn incense to me, and that he should bear before me a priest’s cloak; and I gave to the house of thy father all things of the sacrifices of the sons of Israel. (And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, so that he could go up to my altar, and burn incense to me, and that he would wear the ephod; and I gave to thy father’s family all of the sacrifices of the Israelites.)

29 Why hast thou cast away with the heel my sacrifice, and my gifts, which I [have] commanded to be offered in the temple; and thou honouredest more thy sons than me, that ye eat the principal parts of each sacrifice of Israel my people? (Why hast thou kicked away my sacrifice, and my gifts, which I commanded to be offered in the Temple; and why hast thou honoured thy sons more than me, so that ye eat the principal, or the choicest, parts of each offering from my people Israel?)

30 Therefore the Lord God of Israel saith these things, I speaking spake, that thine house, and the house of thy father, should minister in my sight till into without end; now forsooth the Lord saith, Far be this from me; but whoever honoureth me, I shall glorify him; forsooth they that despise me, shall be unnoble. (And so the Lord God of Israel saith these things, Before I said, that thy family, and thy father’s family, shall serve before me forevermore; but now the Lord saith, Far be this from me; yea, whoever honoureth me, I shall glorify him; but they who despise me, shall be despised.)

31 Lo! [the] days come, and I shall cut away thine arm, or thy power, and the arm of the house of thy father, that an eld man be not in thine house (so that no man shall grow old in thy family).

32 And thou shalt see thine enemy in the temple, in all the prosperities of Israel (amidst all of Israel’s prosperity); and an eld man shall not be in thine house in all days.

33 Nevertheless I shall not utterly take away of thee a man from mine altar, but that thine eyes fail, and thy soul fail/and thy life languish; and a great part of thine house shall die, when it shall come to man’s age. (And I shall not utterly take away all of thy men from my altar, but he who is left, his eyes shall fail, and his soul shall fail/and his life shall languish; and a great part of thy family shall die, when they come to a man’s age.)

34 Forsooth this shall be [the] sign, that shall come to thy two sons, Hophni and Phinehas; both they shall die in one day (they shall both die on the same day).

35 And I shall raise to me a faithful priest, that shall do by mine heart and my soul; and I shall build to him a faithful house, and he shall go before my Christ in all days. (And I shall raise up a faithful priest for me, one who shall do according to my heart and my soul; and I shall build him a faithful family, and he shall go before my anointed king in all his days.)

36 Forsooth it shall come, that whoever [still] dwelleth in thine house, that he come to bow for himself, in an half-penny of silver, and a cake of bread, and say, I beseech, suffer thou me to one part of the priest(s’) (offices), that I eat a morsel of bread. (And it shall come, that whoever still remaineth in thy family, he shall come to beg for himself, for a half-penny of silver, and for a cake of bread, and he shall say, I beseech thee, allow me to hold one of the priests’ offices, so that I can get a morsel of bread to eat.)

Hannah’s Prayer

Then Hannah prayed and said:(A)

“My heart rejoices(B) in the Lord;
    in the Lord my horn[a](C) is lifted high.
My mouth boasts(D) over my enemies,(E)
    for I delight in your deliverance.

“There is no one holy(F) like(G) the Lord;
    there is no one besides you;
    there is no Rock(H) like our God.

“Do not keep talking so proudly
    or let your mouth speak such arrogance,(I)
for the Lord is a God who knows,(J)
    and by him deeds(K) are weighed.(L)

“The bows of the warriors are broken,(M)
    but those who stumbled are armed with strength.(N)
Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
    but those who were hungry(O) are hungry no more.
She who was barren(P) has borne seven children,
    but she who has had many sons pines away.

“The Lord brings death and makes alive;(Q)
    he brings down to the grave and raises up.(R)
The Lord sends poverty and wealth;(S)
    he humbles and he exalts.(T)
He raises(U) the poor(V) from the dust(W)
    and lifts the needy(X) from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
    and has them inherit a throne of honor.(Y)

“For the foundations(Z) of the earth are the Lord’s;
    on them he has set the world.
He will guard the feet(AA) of his faithful servants,(AB)
    but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.(AC)

“It is not by strength(AD) that one prevails;
10     those who oppose the Lord will be broken.(AE)
The Most High will thunder(AF) from heaven;
    the Lord will judge(AG) the ends of the earth.

“He will give strength(AH) to his king
    and exalt the horn(AI) of his anointed.”

11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah,(AJ) but the boy ministered(AK) before the Lord under Eli the priest.

Eli’s Wicked Sons

12 Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard(AL) for the Lord. 13 Now it was the practice(AM) of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat(AN) was being boiled 14 and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot. Whatever the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. 15 But even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”

16 If the person said to him, “Let the fat(AO) be burned first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would answer, “No, hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.”

17 This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they[b] were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.(AP)

18 But Samuel was ministering(AQ) before the Lord—a boy wearing a linen ephod.(AR) 19 Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual(AS) sacrifice. 20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed(AT) for and gave to[c] the Lord.” Then they would go home. 21 And the Lord was gracious to Hannah;(AU) she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew(AV) up in the presence of the Lord.

22 Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything(AW) his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women(AX) who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 23 So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. 24 No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the Lord’s people is not good. 25 If one person sins against another, God[d] may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will(AY) intercede(AZ) for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.

26 And the boy Samuel continued to grow(BA) in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people.(BB)

Prophecy Against the House of Eli

27 Now a man of God(BC) came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal myself to your ancestor’s family when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh? 28 I chose(BD) your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense,(BE) and to wear an ephod(BF) in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings(BG) presented by the Israelites. 29 Why do you[e] scorn my sacrifice and offering(BH) that I prescribed for my dwelling?(BI) Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’

30 “Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.(BJ)’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor,(BK) but those who despise(BL) me will be disdained.(BM) 31 The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age,(BN) 32 and you will see distress(BO) in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age.(BP) 33 Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants(BQ) will die in the prime of life.

34 “‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign(BR) to you—they will both die(BS) on the same day.(BT) 35 I will raise up for myself a faithful priest,(BU) who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed(BV) one always. 36 Then everyone left in your family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread and plead,(BW) “Appoint me to some priestly office so I can have food to eat.(BX)”’”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 2:1 Horn here symbolizes strength; also in verse 10.
  2. 1 Samuel 2:17 Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; Masoretic Text people
  3. 1 Samuel 2:20 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text and asked from
  4. 1 Samuel 2:25 Or the judges
  5. 1 Samuel 2:29 The Hebrew is plural.