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After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the Lord.[a] Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord.(A) 10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 She made this vow: “O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants,[b] and no razor shall touch his head.”(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 1.9 Gk: Heb lacks and presented herself before the Lord
  2. 1.11 Cn Compare Gk Q ms: MT child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life

19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.(A) 20 In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I have asked him of the Lord.”(B)

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Hannah’s Prayer

Hannah prayed and said,

“My heart exults in the Lord;
    my strength is exalted in my God.[a]
My mouth derides my enemies
    because I rejoice in your victory.(A)

There is no Holy One like the Lord,
    no one besides you;
    there is no Rock like our God.(B)
Talk no more so very proudly;
    let not arrogance come from your mouth,
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
    and by him actions are weighed.(C)
The bows of the mighty are broken,
    but the feeble gird on strength.(D)
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
    but those who were hungry are fat with spoil.
The barren has borne seven,
    but she who has many children is forlorn.(E)
The Lord kills and brings to life;
    he brings down to Sheol and raises up.(F)
The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
    he brings low; he also exalts.(G)
He raises up the poor from the dust;
    he lifts the needy from the ash heap
to make them sit with princes
    and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
    and on them he has set the world.(H)

He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
    but the wicked will perish in darkness,
    for not by might does one prevail.(I)
10 The Lord! His adversaries will be shattered;
    the Most High[b] will thunder in heaven.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
    he will give strength to his king
    and exalt the power of his anointed.”(J)

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Footnotes

  1. 2.1 Gk: Heb the Lord
  2. 2.10 Cn: Heb against him he

Mary’s Song of Praise

46 And Mary[a] said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,(A)
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,(B)
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
    Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,(C)
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name;(D)
50 indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.(E)
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.(F)
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
    and lifted up the lowly;(G)
53 he has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away empty.(H)
54 He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,(I)
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”(J)

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Footnotes

  1. 1.46 Other ancient authorities read Elizabeth