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Judges 21 - 1 Samuel 2
New American Standard Bible

Mourning a Lost Tribe

21 Now the men of Israel (A)had sworn in Mizpah, saying, “None of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin [a]in marriage.” 2 (B)So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, and raised their voices and wept [b]profusely. 3 And they said, “Why, Lord, God of Israel, has this happened in Israel, that one tribe is missing today from Israel?” 4 And it came about the next day that the people got up early and built (C)an altar there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

5 Then the sons of Israel said, “Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who did not go up to the Lord in the assembly?” For [c]they had taken a solemn oath concerning anyone (D)who did not go up to the Lord at Mizpah, saying, “He shall certainly be put to death.” 6 And the sons of Israel were sorry for their brother Benjamin, and said, “Today one tribe is cut off from Israel! 7 What are we to do for wives for those who are left, since we have (E)sworn by the Lord not to give them any of our daughters as wives?”

Provision for Their Survival

8 And they said, “What one is there of the tribes of Israel that did not go up to the Lord at Mizpah?” And behold, no one had come to the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly. 9 For when the people were [d]counted, behold, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there. 10 And the congregation sent twelve thousand [e]of the valiant warriors there, and commanded them, saying, “Go and (F)strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, along with the women and the children. 11 And this is the thing that you shall do: you (G)shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman who has [f]slept with a male.” 12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgins who had not known a man by [g]sleeping with him; and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

13 Then the whole congregation sent word and spoke to the sons of Benjamin who were (H)at the rock of Rimmon, and (I)proclaimed peace to them. 14 And the tribe of Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had allowed to live from the women of Jabesh-gilead; but they [h]were not enough for them. 15 And the people were sorry for Benjamin, because the Lord had created a gap in the tribes of Israel.

16 Then the elders of the congregation said, “What are we to do for wives for those who are left, since the women have been eliminated from Benjamin?” 17 And they said, “There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe will not be wiped out from Israel. 18 But we cannot give them wives from our daughters.” For the sons of Israel (J)had sworn, saying, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin!”

19 So they said, “Behold, there is a feast of the Lord from year to year in (K)Shiloh, which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south side of Lebonah.” 20 And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards, 21 and watch; and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to [i](L)take part in the dances, then you shall come out of the vineyards, and each of you shall seize his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. 22 And when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, we shall say to them, ‘[j]Give them to us voluntarily, because we did not take for each man of Benjamin [k]a wife in battle, [l](M)nor did you give them to them, [m]otherwise you would now be guilty.’” 23 The sons of Benjamin did so, and took wives according to their number from those who danced, whom they seized. And they went and returned to their inheritance, and (N)rebuilt the cities and lived in them. 24 And the sons of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and family, and each one departed from there to his inheritance.

25 (O)In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Naomi Widowed

1 Now it came about in the days (P)when the judges [n]governed, that there was (Q)a famine in the land. And a man (R)of Bethlehem in Judah went to reside in the land of Moab [o]with his wife and his two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi; and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. So they (S)entered the land of Moab and remained there. 3 Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. 4 And they took for themselves Moabite women as wives; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other, Ruth. And they lived there about ten years. 5 Then [p]both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.

6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the land of Moab, because she had heard in the land of Moab that the Lord had (T)visited His people by (U)giving them food. 7 So she departed from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to [q]your mother’s house. (V)May the Lord deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 May the Lord grant that you may find a place of rest, each one in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they raised their voices and wept. 10 However, they said to her, “No, but we will return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Return, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that (W)they may be your husbands? 12 Return, my daughters! Go, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope, if I were even to have a husband tonight and also give birth to sons, 13 would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; for it is much more bitter for me than for you, because (X)the hand of the Lord has come out against me.”

Ruth’s Loyalty

14 And they raised their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

15 Then she said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her (Y)gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not plead with me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you sleep, I will sleep. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May (Z)the Lord do so to me, and worse, if anything but death separates [r]me from you.” 18 When (AA)she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her about it.

19 So they both went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, (AB)all the city was stirred because of them, and [s]the women said, “Is this Naomi?” 20 But she said to them, “Do not call me [t]Naomi; call me [u]Mara, for [v](AC)the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went away full, but (AD)the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me and [w]the Almighty has afflicted me?”

22 So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at (AE)the beginning of barley harvest.

Ruth Gleans in Boaz’s Field

2 Now Naomi had [x]a relative of her husband, a [y]man of great wealth, of the family of (AF)Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field and (AG)glean among the ears of grain following one in whose eyes I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3 So she left and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and [z]she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. 4 Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “(AH)May the Lord be with you.” And they said to him, “May the Lord bless you.” 5 Then Boaz said to his servant who was [aa]in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 And the servant [ab]in charge of the reapers replied, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab. 7 And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came and has remained from the morning until now; she has been sitting in the house for a little while.”

8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “[ac]Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field; furthermore, do not go on from this one, but join my young women here. 9 Keep your eyes on the field which they reap, and go after them. Indeed, I have ordered the servants not to touch you. When you are thirsty, go to the [ad]water jars and drink from what the servants draw.” 10 Then she (AI)fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” 11 Boaz replied to her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know. 12 (AJ)May the Lord reward your [ae]work, and may your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, (AK)under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” 13 Then she said, “I have found favor in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and indeed have spoken [af]kindly to your servant, though I am not like one of your female servants.”

14 And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “[ag]Come here, that you may eat of the bread and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers; and he served her roasted grain, and she ate and was satisfied (AL)and had some left. 15 When she got up to glean, Boaz commanded his servants, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not [ah]insult her. 16 Also you are to purposely slip out for her some grain from the bundles and leave it so that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.”

17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an [ai]ephah of barley. 18 And she picked it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also took some out and (AM)gave [aj]Naomi what she had left after [ak]she was satisfied. 19 Her mother-in-law then said to her, “Where did you glean today and where did you work? May he who (AN)took notice of you be blessed.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, “The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.” 20 Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “(AO)May he be blessed of the Lord who has not withdrawn His kindness from the living and from the dead.” Again Naomi said to her, “The man is our relative; he is one of our (AP)redeemers.” 21 Then Ruth the Moabitess said, “[al]Furthermore, he said to me, ‘You are to stay close to my servants until they have finished all my harvest.’” 22 And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, so that others do not assault you in another field.” 23 So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz in order to glean until (AQ)the end of the barley harvest and the wheat harvest. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

Boaz Will Redeem Ruth

3 Then her mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek [am]security for you, that it may go well for you? 2 Now then, is Boaz not (AR)our relative, with whose young women you were? Behold, he is winnowing barley at the threshing floor tonight. 3 Wash yourself therefore, and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes, and go down to the threshing floor; but do not reveal yourself to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 And it shall be when he lies down, that you shall [an]take notice of the place where he lies, and you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down; then he will tell you what you should do.” 5 And she said to her, “(AS)All that you say I will do.”

6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 When Boaz had eaten and drunk and (AT)his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came secretly, and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 And it happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and [ao]bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. 9 So he said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth your slave. Now spread your garment over your slave, for you are a redeemer.” 10 Then he said, “(AU)May you be blessed of the Lord, my daughter. You have shown your last kindness to be better than the first, by not going after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 So now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you say, for all [ap]my people in the city know that you are (AV)a woman of excellence. 12 But now, although it is true that I am a redeemer, yet there is also a redeemer more closely related than I. 13 Remain this night, and when morning comes, (AW)if he will [aq]redeem you, good; let him redeem you. But if he does not wish to [ar]redeem you, then I will redeem you, (AX)as the Lord lives. Lie down until morning.”

14 So she lay at his feet until morning, and got up before one person could recognize another; and he said, “(AY)Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 Again he said, “Give me the shawl that is on you and hold it.” So she held it, and he measured six measures of barley and laid it on her. Then [as]she went into the city. 16 When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “[at]How did it go, my daughter?” And she told her all that the man had done for her. 17 She also said, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said, ‘Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’” 18 Then she said, “Wait, my daughter, until you know how the matter [au]turns out; for the man will not rest until he has [av]settled it today.”

The Marriage of Ruth

4 Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, (AZ)the redeemer of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, “Come over here, [aw]friend, sit down here.” And he came over and sat down. 2 Then he took ten men of the (BA)elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. 3 And he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has returned from the land of Moab, has to sell the plot of land (BB)which belonged to our brother Elimelech. 4 So I thought that I would [ax]inform you, saying, ‘(BC)Buy it before those who are sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if [ay]not, tell me so that I may know; for (BD)there is no one except you to redeem it, and I am after you.’” And he said, “I will redeem it.” 5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order (BE)to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance.” 6 Then (BF)the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, otherwise I would [az]jeopardize my own inheritance. Redeem it for yourself; you may have my right of redemption, since I cannot redeem it.”

7 Now this was (BG)the custom in former times in Israel concerning the redemption and the exchange of land to confirm any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another; and this was the way of confirmation in Israel. 8 So the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” And he removed his sandal. 9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. 10 Furthermore, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so (BH)that the name of the deceased will not be eliminated from his brothers or from the [ba]court of his birth place; you are witnesses today.” 11 And all the people who were [bb]in the court, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home (BI)like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and may you achieve [bc]wealth in Ephrathah and [bd]become famous in Bethlehem. 12 Moreover, may your house be like the house of (BJ)Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the [be]descendants whom the Lord will give you by this young woman.”

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he had relations with her. And (BK)the Lord [bf]enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 Then the (BL)women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name [bg]become famous in Israel. 15 May he also be to you one who restores life and sustains your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you [bh](BM)and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”

The Line of David

16 Then Naomi took the child and [bi]laid him in her lap, and became his nurse. 17 And the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi!” So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

18 Now these are the generations of Perez: (BN)Perez fathered Hezron, 19 Hezron fathered Ram, and Ram fathered Amminadab, 20 and Amminadab fathered Nahshon, and Nahshon fathered Salmon, 21 and Salmon fathered Boaz, and Boaz fathered Obed, 22 and Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.

Elkanah and His Wives

1 Now there was a man from (BO)Ramathaim-zophim from the (BP)hill country of Ephraim, and his name was (BQ)Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 And he had (BR)two wives: the name of one was (BS)Hannah and the name of the [bj]other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 Now this man would go up from his city (BT)yearly (BU)to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of armies in (BV)Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the Lord there. 4 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he (BW)would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; 5 but to Hannah he would give a double portion, because he loved Hannah, (BX)but the Lord had closed her womb. 6 Her rival, moreover, (BY)would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 And it happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, that she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat. 8 Then Elkanah her husband would say to her, “Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you not eat, and why is your heart sad? (BZ)Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

9 Then Hannah got up after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of (CA)the [bk]temple of the Lord. 10 She, [bl]greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she (CB)made a vow and said, “Lord of armies, if You will indeed (CC)look on the affliction of Your bond-servant and remember me, and not forget Your bond-servant, but will give Your bond-servant a [bm]son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and (CD)a razor shall never come on his head.”

12 Now it came about, as she [bn]continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth. 13 As for Hannah, (CE)she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were quivering, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought that she was drunk. 14 Then Eli said to her, “(CF)How long will you behave like a drunk? Get rid of your wine!” 15 But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman [bo]despairing in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I (CG)have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not [bp]consider your bond-servant a useless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation.” 17 Then Eli answered and said, “(CH)Go in peace; and may the God of Israel (CI)grant your request that you have asked of Him.” 18 She said, “(CJ)Let your bond-servant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went on her way and ate, and (CK)her face was no longer sad.

Samuel Is Born to Hannah

19 Then they got up early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned again to their house in (CL)Ramah. And Elkanah [bq]had relations with Hannah his wife, and (CM)the Lord remembered her. 20 It came about [br]in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “(CN)Because I have asked for him of the Lord.”

21 Then the man Elkanah (CO)went up with all his household to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “I will not go until the child is weaned; then I will (CP)bring him, so that he may appear before the Lord and (CQ)stay there for life.” 23 (CR)Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do [bs]what seems best to you. Stay until you have weaned him; only (CS)may the Lord confirm His word.” So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 Now when she had weaned him, (CT)she took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull, one ephah of flour, and a jug of wine, and brought him to (CU)the house of the Lord in Shiloh, although the child was young. 25 Then (CV)they [bt]slaughtered the bull, and (CW)brought the boy to Eli. 26 And she said, “Pardon me, my lord! (CX)As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. 27 (CY)For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my request which I asked of Him. 28 (CZ)So I have also [bu]dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is [bv]dedicated to the Lord.” And (DA)he worshiped the Lord there.

Hannah’s Song of Thanksgiving

2 Then Hannah (DB)prayed and said,

“My heart rejoices in the Lord;
(DC)My [bw]horn is exalted in the Lord,
My mouth [bx]speaks boldly against my enemies,
Because (DD)I rejoice in Your salvation.
2 (DE)There is no one holy like the Lord,
Indeed, (DF)there is no one besides You,
(DG)Nor is there any rock like our God.
3 Do not go on [by]boasting so very proudly,
(DH)Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth;
(DI)For the Lord is a God of knowledge,
(DJ)And [bz]with Him actions are weighed.
4 (DK)The bows of the mighty are broken to pieces,
(DL)But those who have stumbled strap on strength.
5 Those who were full hire themselves out for bread,
But those who were hungry cease to be hungry.
(DM)Even the infertile woman gives birth to seven,
But (DN)she who has many children languishes.
6 (DO)The Lord puts to death and makes alive;
(DP)He brings down to [ca]Sheol and brings up.
7 (DQ)The Lord makes poor and rich;
(DR)He humbles, He also exalts.
8 (DS)He raises the poor from the dust,
(DT)He lifts the needy from the garbage heap
(DU)To seat them with nobles,
And He gives them a seat of honor as an inheritance;
(DV)For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
And He set the world on them.
9 (DW)He watches over the feet of His godly ones,
(DX)But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness;
(DY)For not by might shall a person prevail.
10 (DZ)Those who contend with the Lord will be terrified;
(EA)Against them He will thunder in the heavens,
(EB)The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
(EC)And He will give strength to His king,
(ED)And will exalt the [cb]horn of His anointed.”

11 Then Elkanah went to his home at (EE)Ramah. (EF)But the boy continued to attend to the service of the Lord before Eli the priest.

The Sin of Eli’s Sons

12 Now the sons of Eli were [cc](EG)useless men; they did not know the Lord. 13 (EH)And this was the custom of the priests with the people: when anyone was offering a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come while the meat was cooking, with a three-pronged fork in his hand. 14 And he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; everything that the fork brought up, the priest would take for himself. They did so in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. 15 Also, before (EI)they [cd]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 cooked meat from you, only raw.” 16 And if the man said to him, “They must [ce]burn the fat [cf]first, then take as much as [cg]you desire,” then he would say, “No, but you must give it to me now; and if not, I am taking it by force!” 17 And so the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for the men (EJ)treated the offering of the Lord disrespectfully.

Samuel before the Lord as a Boy

18 Now (EK)Samuel was ministering before the Lord, as a boy (EL)wearing a linen ephod. 19 And his mother would make for him a little (EM)robe and bring it up to him from year to year when she would come up with her husband to offer (EN)the yearly sacrifice. 20 Then Eli would (EO)bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May the Lord give you [ch]children from this woman in place of the [ci]one she (EP)requested of the Lord.” And they went to their own [cj]home.

21 [ck](EQ)The Lord indeed visited Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And (ER)the boy Samuel grew up [cl]before the Lord.

Eli Rebukes His Sons

22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard about (ES)everything that his sons were doing to all Israel, and that they slept with (ET)the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 23 So he said to them, “Why are you doing such things as these, the evil things that I hear from all these people? 24 No, my sons; for the report is not good (EU)which I hear the Lord’s people circulating. 25 If one person sins against another, (EV)God will mediate for him; but (EW)if a person sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for the (EX)Lord desired to put them to death.

26 Now the boy (EY)Samuel was continuing to grow and to be in favor both with the Lord and with people.

27 Then (EZ)a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘(FA)Did I not indeed reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house? 28 (FB)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 (FC)give to the house of your father all the fire offerings of the sons of Israel? 29 Why are you [cm](FD)showing contempt for My sacrifice and My offering (FE)which I have commanded for My (FF)dwelling, and why are you (FG)honoring your sons above Me, by making yourselves fat with the [cn]choicest of every offering of My people Israel?’ 30 Therefore the Lord God of Israel declares, ‘(FH)I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father was to walk before Me forever’; but now the Lord declares, ‘Far be it from Me—for (FI)those who honor Me I will honor, and those (FJ)who despise Me will be insignificant. 31 Behold, (FK)the days are coming when I will eliminate your [co]strength and the [cp]strength of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. 32 And you will look at (FL)the distress of My dwelling, in spite of all the good that [cq]I do for Israel; and there will never be an (FM)old man in your house. 33 Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar, [cr]so that your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul grieve, and all the [cs]increase of your house will die [ct]in the prime of life. 34 And this will be (FN)the sign to you which will come in regard to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: (FO)on the same day both of them will die. 35 But (FP)I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and My soul; and (FQ)I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before (FR)My anointed always. 36 And everyone who is left in your house will come to bow down to him for a [cu]silver coin or a loaf of bread and say, “Please [cv]assign me to one of the priest’s offices so that I may eat a piece of bread.”’”

Footnotes

  1. Judges 21:1 Lit as a wife
  2. Judges 21:2 Lit with great weeping
  3. Judges 21:5 Lit there was a great oath
  4. Judges 21:9 Or mustered
  5. Judges 21:10 Lit men from the sons of valor
  6. Judges 21:11 Lit known the bed of
  7. Judges 21:12 Lit the bed of a male
  8. Judges 21:14 Lit did not find it so
  9. Judges 21:21 Lit dance
  10. Judges 21:22 Lit Favor us with them
  11. Judges 21:22 Lit his
  12. Judges 21:22 Lit because you did not
  13. Judges 21:22 Lit as
  14. Ruth 1:1 Or judged
  15. Ruth 1:1 Lit he, and
  16. Ruth 1:5 Lit both of them
  17. Ruth 1:8 Lit her
  18. Ruth 1:17 Lit between me and you
  19. Ruth 1:19 Lit they
  20. Ruth 1:20 I.e., pleasant
  21. Ruth 1:20 I.e., bitter
  22. Ruth 1:20 Heb Shaddai
  23. Ruth 1:21 Heb Shaddai
  24. Ruth 2:1 Another reading is an acquaintance
  25. Ruth 2:1 Or mighty, valiant man
  26. Ruth 2:3 Lit her chance chanced upon
  27. Ruth 2:5 Lit appointed over
  28. Ruth 2:6 Lit who was appointed over
  29. Ruth 2:8 Lit Have you not heard
  30. Ruth 2:9 Lit vessels
  31. Ruth 2:12 Or behavior
  32. Ruth 2:13 Lit to the heart of your
  33. Ruth 2:14 Lit Come near here
  34. Ruth 2:15 Or harm
  35. Ruth 2:17 About 1 cubic foot or 0.03 cubic meters
  36. Ruth 2:18 Lit her
  37. Ruth 2:18 Lit her satiety
  38. Ruth 2:21 Lit Also that
  39. Ruth 3:1 Lit a resting place
  40. Ruth 3:4 Lit know
  41. Ruth 3:8 Or tossed around
  42. Ruth 3:11 Lit the gate of my people know
  43. Ruth 3:13 Or act as close relative to
  44. Ruth 3:13 Or act as close relative to
  45. Ruth 3:15 Many mss; MT he
  46. Ruth 3:16 Lit Who are you?
  47. Ruth 3:18 Lit falls
  48. Ruth 3:18 Lit finished the matter
  49. Ruth 4:1 Lit a certain one
  50. Ruth 4:4 Lit uncover your ear
  51. Ruth 4:4 Lit no one will redeem
  52. Ruth 4:6 Lit damage
  53. Ruth 4:10 Lit gate
  54. Ruth 4:11 Lit at the gate
  55. Ruth 4:11 Or power
  56. Ruth 4:11 Lit call the name in
  57. Ruth 4:12 Lit seed
  58. Ruth 4:13 Lit gave her conception
  59. Ruth 4:14 Lit be called in
  60. Ruth 4:15 Lit who
  61. Ruth 4:16 I.e., as her own
  62. 1 Samuel 1:2 Or second
  63. 1 Samuel 1:9 I.e., tabernacle
  64. 1 Samuel 1:10 Lit bitter of soul
  65. 1 Samuel 1:11 Lit seed of men
  66. 1 Samuel 1:12 Lit multiplied
  67. 1 Samuel 1:15 Lit hard
  68. 1 Samuel 1:16 Lit give
  69. 1 Samuel 1:19 Lit knew Hannah
  70. 1 Samuel 1:20 Lit at the circuit of the days
  71. 1 Samuel 1:23 Lit the good in your eyes
  72. 1 Samuel 1:25 I.e., for sacrifice
  73. 1 Samuel 1:28 Or lent
  74. 1 Samuel 1:28 Or lent
  75. 1 Samuel 2:1 I.e., strength
  76. 1 Samuel 2:1 Lit is enlarged
  77. 1 Samuel 2:3 Lit talk much
  78. 1 Samuel 2:3 Or disgraceful actions have no place
  79. 1 Samuel 2:6 I.e., the netherworld
  80. 1 Samuel 2:10 I.e., strength
  81. 1 Samuel 2:12 Lit sons of Belial
  82. 1 Samuel 2:15 Lit offered up in smoke
  83. 1 Samuel 2:16 Lit offer up in smoke
  84. 1 Samuel 2:16 Lit as the day
  85. 1 Samuel 2:16 Lit your soul desires
  86. 1 Samuel 2:20 Lit seed
  87. 1 Samuel 2:20 Lit request
  88. 1 Samuel 2:20 Lit place
  89. 1 Samuel 2:21 Or When the Lord visited...then she; DSS And the Lord visited
  90. 1 Samuel 2:21 Lit with
  91. 1 Samuel 2:29 Lit giving a kick to
  92. 1 Samuel 2:29 Or first
  93. 1 Samuel 2:31 Lit arm
  94. 1 Samuel 2:31 Lit arm
  95. 1 Samuel 2:32 Lit He does
  96. 1 Samuel 2:33 Lit to make your eyes fail and to grieve your soul
  97. 1 Samuel 2:33 I.e., new children
  98. 1 Samuel 2:33 Lit as men
  99. 1 Samuel 2:36 Or payment
  100. 1 Samuel 2:36 Lit attach
Listen to Judges 21 - 1 Samuel 2
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Judges 21 - 1 Samuel 2
New International Version

Wives for the Benjamites

21 The men of Israel had taken an oath(A) at Mizpah:(B) “Not one of us will give(C) his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”

2 The people went to Bethel,[a] where they sat before God until evening, raising their voices and weeping bitterly. 3 “Lord, God of Israel,” they cried, “why has this happened to Israel? Why should one tribe be missing(D) from Israel today?”

4 Early the next day the people built an altar and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.(E)

5 Then the Israelites asked, “Who from all the tribes of Israel(F) has failed to assemble before the Lord?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to assemble before the Lord at Mizpah was to be put to death.

6 Now the Israelites grieved for the tribe of Benjamin, their fellow Israelites. “Today one tribe is cut off from Israel,” they said. 7 “How can we provide wives for those who are left, since we have taken an oath(G) by the Lord not to give them any of our daughters in marriage?” 8 Then they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to assemble before the Lord at Mizpah?” They discovered that no one from Jabesh Gilead(H) had come to the camp for the assembly. 9 For when they counted the people, they found that none of the people of Jabesh Gilead were there.

10 So the assembly sent twelve thousand fighting men with instructions to go to Jabesh Gilead and put to the sword those living there, including the women and children. 11 “This is what you are to do,” they said. “Kill every male(I) and every woman who is not a virgin.(J)” 12 They found among the people living in Jabesh Gilead four hundred young women who had never slept with a man, and they took them to the camp at Shiloh(K) in Canaan.

13 Then the whole assembly sent an offer of peace(L) to the Benjamites at the rock of Rimmon.(M) 14 So the Benjamites returned at that time and were given the women of Jabesh Gilead who had been spared. But there were not enough for all of them.

15 The people grieved for Benjamin,(N) because the Lord had made a gap in the tribes of Israel. 16 And the elders of the assembly said, “With the women of Benjamin destroyed, how shall we provide wives for the men who are left? 17 The Benjamite survivors must have heirs,” they said, “so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.(O) 18 We can’t give them our daughters as wives, since we Israelites have taken this oath:(P) ‘Cursed be anyone who gives(Q) a wife to a Benjamite.’ 19 But look, there is the annual festival of the Lord in Shiloh,(R) which lies north of Bethel(S), east of the road that goes from Bethel to Shechem,(T) and south of Lebonah.”

20 So they instructed the Benjamites, saying, “Go and hide in the vineyards 21 and watch. When the young women of Shiloh come out to join in the dancing,(U) rush from the vineyards and each of you seize one of them to be your wife. Then return to the land of Benjamin. 22 When their fathers or brothers complain to us, we will say to them, ‘Do us the favor of helping them, because we did not get wives for them during the war. You will not be guilty of breaking your oath because you did not give(V) your daughters to them.’”

23 So that is what the Benjamites did. While the young women were dancing,(W) each man caught one and carried her off to be his wife. Then they returned to their inheritance(X) and rebuilt the towns and settled in them.(Y)

24 At that time the Israelites left that place and went home to their tribes and clans, each to his own inheritance.

25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.(Z)

Naomi Loses Her Husband and Sons

1 In the days when the judges ruled,[b](AA) there was a famine in the land.(AB) So a man from Bethlehem in Judah,(AC) together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while(AD) in the country of Moab.(AE) 2 The man’s name was Elimelek,(AF) his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion.(AG) They were Ephrathites(AH) from Bethlehem,(AI) Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.

3 Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 They married Moabite women,(AJ) one named Orpah and the other Ruth.(AK) After they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion(AL) also died,(AM) and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.

Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem

6 When Naomi heard in Moab(AN) that the Lord had come to the aid of his people(AO) by providing food(AP) for them, she and her daughters-in-law(AQ) prepared to return home from there. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home.(AR) May the Lord show you kindness,(AS) as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands(AT) and to me. 9 May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest(AU) in the home of another husband.”

Then she kissed(AV) them goodbye and they wept aloud(AW) 10 and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”

11 But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands?(AX) 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— 13 would you wait until they grew up?(AY) Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter(AZ) for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!(BA)”

14 At this they wept(BB) aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law(BC) goodbye,(BD) but Ruth clung to her.(BE)

15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law(BF) is going back to her people and her gods.(BG) Go back with her.”

16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you(BH) or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go,(BI) and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people(BJ) and your God my God.(BK) 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely,(BL) if even death separates you and me.”(BM) 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.(BN)

19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem.(BO) When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred(BP) because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

20 “Don’t call me Naomi,[c]” she told them. “Call me Mara,[d] because the Almighty[e](BQ) has made my life very bitter.(BR) 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.(BS) Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted[f] me;(BT) the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”

22 So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite,(BU) her daughter-in-law,(BV) arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest(BW) was beginning.(BX)

Ruth Meets Boaz in the Grain Field

2 Now Naomi had a relative(BY) on her husband’s side, a man of standing(BZ) from the clan of Elimelek,(CA) whose name was Boaz.(CB)

2 And Ruth the Moabite(CC) said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain(CD) behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.(CE)”

Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” 3 So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters.(CF) As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.(CG)

4 Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The Lord be with you!(CH)”

“The Lord bless you!(CI)” they answered.

5 Boaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, “Who does that young woman belong to?”

6 The overseer replied, “She is the Moabite(CJ) who came back from Moab with Naomi. 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves(CK) behind the harvesters.’ She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short rest(CL) in the shelter.”

8 So Boaz said to Ruth, “My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me. 9 Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.”

10 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground.(CM) She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me(CN)—a foreigner?(CO)”

11 Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law(CP) since the death of your husband(CQ)—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know(CR) before.(CS) 12 May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord,(CT) the God of Israel,(CU) under whose wings(CV) you have come to take refuge.(CW)”

13 “May I continue to find favor in your eyes,(CX) my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.”

14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come over here. Have some bread(CY) and dip it in the wine vinegar.”

When she sat down with the harvesters,(CZ) he offered her some roasted grain.(DA) She ate all she wanted and had some left over.(DB) 15 As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, “Let her gather among the sheaves(DC) and don’t reprimand her. 16 Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke(DD) her.”

17 So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed(DE) the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah.[g](DF) 18 She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over(DG) after she had eaten enough.

19 Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!(DH)”

Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,” she said.

20 “The Lord bless him!(DI)” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law.(DJ) “He has not stopped showing his kindness(DK) to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative;(DL) he is one of our guardian-redeemers.[h](DM)”

21 Then Ruth the Moabite(DN) said, “He even said to me, ‘Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.’”

22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.”

23 So Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barley(DO) and wheat harvests(DP) were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor

3 One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi(DQ) said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home[i](DR) for you, where you will be well provided for. 2 Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative(DS) of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor.(DT) 3 Wash,(DU) put on perfume,(DV) and get dressed in your best clothes.(DW) Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.(DX) 4 When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”

5 “I will do whatever you say,”(DY) Ruth answered. 6 So she went down to the threshing floor(DZ) and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.

7 When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits,(EA) he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile.(EB) Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet!

9 “Who are you?” he asked.

“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment(EC) over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer[j](ED) of our family.”

10 “The Lord bless you,(EE) my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier:(EF) You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character.(EG) 12 Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family,(EH) there is another who is more closely related than(EI) I. 13 Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer,(EJ) good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives(EK) I will do it.(EL) Lie here until morning.”

14 So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.(EM)”(EN)

15 He also said, “Bring me the shawl(EO) you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he[k] went back to town.

16 When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?”

Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her 17 and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

18 Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”(EP)

Boaz Marries Ruth

4 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate(EQ) and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer[l](ER) he had mentioned(ES) came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

2 Boaz took ten of the elders(ET) of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.(EU) 3 Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek.(EV) 4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you[m] will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you,(EW) and I am next in line.”

“I will redeem it,” he said.

5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite,(EX) the[n] dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”(EY)

6 At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem(EZ) it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”(FA)

7 (Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption(FB) and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal(FC) and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions(FD) in Israel.)(FE)

8 So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.(FF)

9 Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses(FG) that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite,(FH) Mahlon’s widow, as my wife,(FI) in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown.(FJ) Today you are witnesses!(FK)”

11 Then the elders and all the people at the gate(FL) said, “We are witnesses.(FM) May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah,(FN) who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah(FO) and be famous in Bethlehem.(FP) 12 Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez,(FQ) whom Tamar(FR) bore to Judah.”

Naomi Gains a Son

13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive,(FS) and she gave birth to a son.(FT) 14 The women(FU) said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord,(FV) who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer.(FW) May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law,(FX) who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons,(FY) has given him birth.”

16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse,(FZ) the father of David.(GA)

The Genealogy of David(GB)

18 This, then, is the family line of Perez(GC):

Perez was the father of Hezron,(GD)

19 Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram the father of Amminadab,(GE)

20 Amminadab the father of Nahshon,(GF)

Nahshon the father of Salmon,[o]

21 Salmon the father of Boaz,(GG)

Boaz the father of Obed,

22 Obed the father of Jesse,

and Jesse the father of David.

The Birth of Samuel

1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim,(GH) a Zuphite[p](GI) from the hill country(GJ) of Ephraim,(GK) whose name was Elkanah(GL) son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives;(GM) one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

3 Year after year(GN) this man went up from his town to worship(GO) and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh,(GP) where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli,(GQ) were priests of the Lord. 4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice,(GR) he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.(GS) 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion(GT) because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb.(GU) 6 Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.(GV) 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.(GW) 8 Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?(GX)”

9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house.(GY) 10 In her deep anguish(GZ) Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11 And she made a vow,(HA) saying, “Lord Almighty(HB), if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember(HC) me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life,(HD) and no razor(HE) will ever be used on his head.”

12 As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”

15 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled.(HF) I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring(HG) out my soul to the Lord. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”(HH)

17 Eli answered, “Go in peace,(HI) and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.(HJ)”

18 She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.(HK)” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.(HL)

19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah.(HM) Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered(HN) her. 20 So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.(HO) She named(HP) him Samuel,[q](HQ) saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”

Hannah Dedicates Samuel

21 When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual(HR) sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow,(HS) 22 Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present(HT) him before the Lord, and he will live there always.”[r]

23 “Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good(HU) his[s] word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned(HV) him.

24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,[t](HW) an ephah[u] of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed(HX) for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life(HY) he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

Hannah’s Prayer

2 Then Hannah prayed and said:(HZ)

“My heart rejoices(IA) in the Lord;
    in the Lord my horn[v](IB) is lifted high.
My mouth boasts(IC) over my enemies,(ID)
    for I delight in your deliverance.

2 “There is no one holy(IE) like(IF) the Lord;
    there is no one besides you;
    there is no Rock(IG) like our God.

3 “Do not keep talking so proudly
    or let your mouth speak such arrogance,(IH)
for the Lord is a God who knows,(II)
    and by him deeds(IJ) are weighed.(IK)

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

6 “The Lord brings death and makes alive;(IP)
    he brings down to the grave and raises up.(IQ)
7 The Lord sends poverty and wealth;(IR)
    he humbles and he exalts.(IS)
8 He raises(IT) the poor(IU) from the dust(IV)
    and lifts the needy(IW) from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
    and has them inherit a throne of honor.(IX)

“For the foundations(IY) of the earth are the Lord’s;
    on them he has set the world.
9 He will guard the feet(IZ) of his faithful servants,(JA)
    but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.(JB)

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

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

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

Eli’s Wicked Sons

12 Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard(JK) for the Lord. 13 Now it was the practice(JL) 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(JM) 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(JN) 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[w] were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.(JO)

18 But Samuel was ministering(JP) before the Lord—a boy wearing a linen ephod.(JQ) 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(JR) 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(JS) for and gave to[x] the Lord.” Then they would go home. 21 And the Lord was gracious to Hannah;(JT) she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew(JU) up in the presence of the Lord.

22 Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything(JV) his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women(JW) 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[y] may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will(JX) intercede(JY) 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(JZ) in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people.(KA)

Prophecy Against the House of Eli

27 Now a man of God(KB) 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(KC) your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense,(KD) and to wear an ephod(KE) in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings(KF) presented by the Israelites. 29 Why do you[z] scorn my sacrifice and offering(KG) that I prescribed for my dwelling?(KH) 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.(KI)’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor,(KJ) but those who despise(KK) me will be disdained.(KL) 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,(KM) 32 and you will see distress(KN) in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age.(KO) 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(KP) will die in the prime of life.

34 “‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign(KQ) to you—they will both die(KR) on the same day.(KS) 35 I will raise up for myself a faithful priest,(KT) 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(KU) 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,(KV) “Appoint me to some priestly office so I can have food to eat.(KW)”’”

Footnotes

  1. Judges 21:2 Or to the house of God
  2. Ruth 1:1 Traditionally judged
  3. Ruth 1:20 Naomi means pleasant.
  4. Ruth 1:20 Mara means bitter.
  5. Ruth 1:20 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 21
  6. Ruth 1:21 Or has testified against
  7. Ruth 2:17 That is, probably about 30 pounds or about 13 kilograms
  8. Ruth 2:20 The Hebrew word for guardian-redeemer is a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25-55).
  9. Ruth 3:1 Hebrew find rest (see 1:9)
  10. Ruth 3:9 The Hebrew word for guardian-redeemer is a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25-55); also in verses 12 and 13.
  11. Ruth 3:15 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac she
  12. Ruth 4:1 The Hebrew word for guardian-redeemer is a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25-55); also in verses 3, 6, 8 and 14.
  13. Ruth 4:4 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts he
  14. Ruth 4:5 Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew (see also Septuagint) Naomi and from Ruth the Moabite, you acquire the
  15. Ruth 4:20 A few Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate (see also verse 21 and Septuagint of 1 Chron. 2:11); most Hebrew manuscripts Salma
  16. 1 Samuel 1:1 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 6:26-27,33-35; or from Ramathaim Zuphim.
  17. 1 Samuel 1:20 Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for heard by God.
  18. 1 Samuel 1:22 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls always. I have dedicated him as a Nazirite—all the days of his life.”
  19. 1 Samuel 1:23 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint and Syriac your
  20. 1 Samuel 1:24 Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint and Syriac; Masoretic Text with three bulls
  21. 1 Samuel 1:24 That is, probably about 36 pounds or about 16 kilograms
  22. 1 Samuel 2:1 Horn here symbolizes strength; also in verse 10.
  23. 1 Samuel 2:17 Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; Masoretic Text people
  24. 1 Samuel 2:20 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text and asked from
  25. 1 Samuel 2:25 Or the judges
  26. 1 Samuel 2:29 The Hebrew is plural.
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