1 Samuel 1-2
Christian Standard Bible
Hannah’s Vow
1 There was a man from Ramathaim-zophim(A) in[a] the hill country of Ephraim.(B) His name was Elkanah(C) son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives,(D) the first named Hannah(E) and the second Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless. 3 This man would go up from his town every year(F) to worship and to sacrifice(G) to the Lord of Armies at Shiloh,(H) where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were the Lord’s priests.
4 Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he always gave portions of the meat(I) to his wife Peninnah and to each of her sons and daughters. 5 But he gave a double[b] portion(J) to Hannah, for he loved her even though the Lord had kept her from conceiving. 6 Her rival would taunt her severely just to provoke her, because the Lord had kept Hannah from conceiving. 7 Year after year, when she went up to the Lord’s house,(K) her rival taunted her in this way. Hannah would weep and would not eat. 8 “Hannah, why are you crying?” her husband, Elkanah, would ask. “Why won’t you eat? Why are you troubled? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” (L)
9 On one occasion, Hannah got up after they ate and drank at Shiloh.[c] The priest Eli was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s temple.(M) 10 Deeply hurt, Hannah prayed to the Lord and wept with many tears.(N) 11 Making a vow,(O) she pleaded, “Lord of Armies, if you will take notice of your servant’s affliction,(P) remember and not forget me, and give your servant a son, I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut.”[d](Q)
12 While she continued praying in the Lord’s presence, Eli watched her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying silently,(R) and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to be drunk?(S) Get rid of your wine!”
15 “No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman with a broken heart. I haven’t had any wine or beer; I’ve been pouring out my heart before the Lord.(T) 16 Don’t think of me as a wicked woman;(U) I’ve been praying from the depth of my anguish and resentment.”(V)
17 Eli responded, “Go in peace,(W) and may the God of Israel grant the request you’ve made of him.”(X)
18 “May your servant find favor with you,”(Y) she replied. Then Hannah went on her way; she ate and no longer looked despondent.[e](Z)
Samuel’s Birth and Dedication
19 The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to worship before the Lord. Afterward, they returned home to Ramah.(AA) Then Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.(AB) 20 After some time,[f] Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,[g] because she said, “I requested him from the Lord.”
21 When Elkanah and all his household went up to make the annual sacrifice(AC) and his vow offering to the Lord, 22 Hannah did not go and explained to her husband, “After the child is weaned, I’ll take him to appear in the Lord’s presence(AD) and to stay there permanently.”(AE)
23 Her husband, Elkanah, replied, “Do what you think is best,(AF) and stay here until you’ve weaned him. May the Lord confirm your[h] word.”(AG) So Hannah stayed there and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 When she had weaned him, she took him with her to Shiloh, as well as a three-year-old bull,[i] half a bushel[j] of flour, and a clay jar of wine.(AH) Though the boy was still young,[k] she took him to the Lord’s house at Shiloh.(AI) 25 Then they slaughtered the bull and brought the boy to Eli.
26 “Please, my lord,” she said, “as surely as you live,(AJ) my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed for this boy,(AK) and since the Lord gave me what I asked him for,(AL) 28 I now give the boy to the Lord. For as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.”(AM) Then he[l] worshiped the Lord there.[m]
Hannah’s Triumphant Prayer
2 Hannah prayed:(AN)
My heart rejoices in the Lord;(AO)
my horn is lifted up by the Lord.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
because I rejoice in your salvation.(AP)
2 There is no one holy like the Lord.(AQ)
There is no one besides you!(AR)
And there is no rock like our God.(AS)
3 Do not boast so proudly,
or let arrogant words come out of your mouth,
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
and actions are weighed by him.(AT)
4 The bows of the warriors are broken,(AU)
but the feeble are clothed with strength.(AV)
5 Those who are full hire themselves out for food,
but those who are starving hunger no more.
The woman who is childless gives birth to seven,(AW)
but the woman with many sons pines away.(AX)
6 The Lord brings death and gives life;(AY)
he sends some down to Sheol, and he raises others up.(AZ)
7 The Lord brings poverty and gives wealth;(BA)
he humbles and he exalts.(BB)
8 He raises the poor from the dust(BC)
and lifts the needy from the trash heap.(BD)
He seats them with noblemen(BE)
and gives them a throne of honor.[n]
For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;(BF)
he has set the world on them.(BG)
9 He guards the steps[o] of his faithful ones,(BH)
but the wicked perish in darkness,(BI)
for a person does not prevail by his own strength.(BJ)
10 Those who oppose the Lord will be shattered;[p](BK)
he will thunder in the heavens against them.(BL)
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth.(BM)
He will give power to his king;
he will lift up the horn of his anointed.[q](BN)
11 Elkanah went home to Ramah,(BO) but the boy served the Lord in the presence of the priest Eli.(BP)
Eli’s Family Judged
12 Eli’s sons were wicked men;(BQ) they did not respect the Lord(BR) 13 or the priests’ share of the sacrifices from the people. When anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged meat fork while the meat was boiling 14 and plunge it into the container, kettle, cauldron, or cooking pot.(BS) The priest would claim for himself whatever the meat fork brought up. This is the way they treated all the Israelites who came there to Shiloh. 15 Even before the fat was burned,(BT) the priest’s servant would come and say to the one who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast, because he won’t accept boiled meat from you—only raw.” 16 If that person said to him, “The fat must be burned first; then you can take whatever you want for yourself,”(BU) the servant would reply, “No, I insist that you hand it over right now. If you don’t, I’ll take it by force!” 17 So the servants’ sin was very severe in the presence of the Lord, because the men treated the Lord’s offering with contempt.(BV)
18 Samuel served in the Lord’s presence(BW)—this mere boy was dressed in the linen ephod.(BX) 19 Each year his mother made him a little robe(BY) and took it to him when she went with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.(BZ) 20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife:(CA) “May the Lord give you children by this woman in place of the one she[r] has given to the Lord.”(CB) Then they would go home.
21 The Lord paid attention to Hannah’s need,(CC) and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.(CD)
22 Now Eli was very old. He heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel(CE) and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.(CF) 23 He said to them, “Why are you doing these things? I have heard about your evil actions from all these people. 24 No, my sons, the news I hear the Lord’s people spreading is not good. 25 If one person sins against another, God can intercede for him, but if a person sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” (CG) But they would not listen to their father, since the Lord intended to kill them.(CH) 26 By contrast, the boy Samuel grew in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people.(CI)
27 A man of God came to Eli and said to him,(CJ) “This is what the Lord says: ‘Didn’t I reveal myself to your forefather’s family[s] when they were in Egypt and belonged to Pharaoh’s palace?(CK) 28 Out of all the tribes of Israel, I chose your house[t] to be my priests, to offer sacrifices on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence.(CL) I also gave your forefather’s family all the Israelite food offerings. 29 Why, then, do all of you despise my sacrifices and offerings that I require at the place of worship?(CM) You have honored your sons more than me,(CN) by making yourselves fat with the best part of all of the offerings of my people Israel.’
30 “Therefore, this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I did say that your family and your forefather’s family would walk before me forever.(CO) But now,’ this is the Lord’s declaration, ‘no longer! For those who honor me I will honor,(CP) but those who despise me will be disgraced.(CQ) 31 Look, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your forefather’s family, so that none in your family will reach old age.(CR) 32 You will see distress in the place of worship,(CS) in spite of all that is good in Israel, and no one in your family will ever again reach old age.(CT) 33 Any man from your family I do not cut off from my altar will bring grief[u] and sadness to you. All your descendants will die violently.[v][w] 34 This will be the sign that will come to you concerning your two sons Hophni and Phinehas:(CU) both of them will die on the same day.(CV)
35 “‘Then I will raise up a faithful priest(CW) for myself. He will do whatever is in my heart and mind. I will establish a lasting dynasty for him,(CX) and he will walk before my anointed one for all time.(CY) 36 Anyone who is left in your family will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread. He will say: Please appoint me to some priestly office so I can have a piece of bread to eat.’”
Footnotes
- 1:1 Or from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from
- 1:5 Or gave only one; Hb obscure
- 1:9 LXX adds and presented herself before the Lord
- 1:11 Lit and no razor will go up on his head
- 1:18 Lit and her face was not to her again
- 1:20 Lit In the turning of the days
- 1:20 In Hb, the name Samuel sounds like the phrase “requested from God.”
- 1:23 DSS, LXX, Syr; MT reads his
- 1:24 DSS, LXX, Syr; MT reads Shiloh with three bulls
- 1:24 Lit bull and an ephah
- 1:24 Lit And the youth was a youth
- 1:28 DSS read she; some Hb mss, Syr, Vg read they
- 1:28 LXX reads Then she left him there before the Lord
- 2:8 DSS, LXX add He gives the vow of the one who makes a vow and he blesses the years of the just.
- 2:9 Lit feet
- 2:10 DSS, LXX read The Lord shatters those who dispute with him
- 2:10 Or Messiah
- 2:20 DSS; MT reads he
- 2:27 Lit the house of your father
- 2:28 Lit selected him
- 2:33 Lit grief to your eyes
- 2:33 DSS, LXX read die by the sword of men
- 2:33 Lit die men
Psalm 120
Christian Standard Bible
Psalm 120
A Cry for Truth and Peace
A song of ascents.
1 In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.(A)
2 “Lord, rescue me from lying lips
and a deceitful tongue.”(B)
3 What will he give you,
and what will he do to you,
you deceitful tongue?(C)
4 A warrior’s sharp arrows
with burning charcoal
Acts 5
Christian Standard Bible
Lying to the Holy Spirit
5 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. 2 However, he kept back part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge, and brought a portion of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet.(A)
3 “Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart(B) to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4 Wasn’t it yours while you possessed it? And after it was sold, wasn’t it at your disposal? Why is it that you planned this thing in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God.” 5 When he heard these words, Ananias dropped dead, and a great fear came on all who heard.(C) 6 The young men got up, wrapped his body, carried him out, and buried him.(D)
7 About three hours later, his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 “Tell me,” Peter asked her, “did you sell the land for this price?”
“Yes,” she said, “for that price.”
9 Then Peter said to her, “Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”(E)
10 Instantly she dropped dead at his feet. When the young men came in, they found her dead, carried her out, and buried her beside her husband. 11 Then great fear came on the whole church and on all who heard these things.
Apostolic Signs and Wonders
12 Many signs and wonders were being done among the people through the hands of the apostles.(F) They were all together in Solomon’s Colonnade.(G) 13 No one else dared to join them, but the people spoke well of them.(H) 14 Believers were added to the Lord in increasing numbers—multitudes of both men and women. 15 As a result, they would carry the sick out into the streets and lay them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow(I) might fall on some of them. 16 In addition, a multitude came together from the towns surrounding Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
In and out of Prison
17 Then the high priest rose up. He and all who were with him, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.(J) 18 So they arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.(K) 19 But an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail during the night, brought them out, and said,(L) 20 “Go and stand in the temple, and tell the people all about this life.”(M) 21 Hearing this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.
The Apostles on Trial Again
When the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin—the full council of the Israelites—and sent orders to the jail to have them brought.(N) 22 But when the servants[a] got there, they did not find them in the jail; so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing in front of the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24 As[b] the captain of the temple police and the chief priests heard these things, they were baffled about them, wondering what would come of this.
25 Someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then the commander went with the servants and brought them in without force, because they were afraid the people might stone them.(O) 27 After they brought them in, they had them stand before the Sanhedrin, and the high priest asked, 28 “Didn’t we strictly order you not to teach in this name?(P) Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”(Q)
29 Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people. 30 The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus,(R) whom you had murdered by hanging him on a tree.(S) 31 God exalted this man to his right hand as ruler and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.(T) 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit(U) whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Gamaliel’s Advice
33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.(V) 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered the men[c] to be taken outside for a little while.(W) 35 He said to them, “Men of Israel, be careful about what you’re about to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, and all his followers were dispersed and came to nothing.(X) 37 After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and attracted a following. He also perished, and all his followers were scattered. 38 So in the present case, I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or this work is of human origin, it will fail;(Y) 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even be found fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him.(Z) 40 After they called in the apostles and had them flogged, they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them.(AA) 41 Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be treated shamefully on behalf of the Name.[d](AB) 42 Every day in the temple, and in various homes, they continued teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Bible Gateway Recommends
