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1 Samuel 2
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
1 Samuel 2
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Hannah’s Prayer
2 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)
2 There is no Holy One like the Lord,
no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.(B)
3 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)
4 The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the feeble gird on strength.(D)
5 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)
6 The Lord kills and brings to life;
he brings down to Sheol and raises up.(F)
7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
he brings low; he also exalts.(G)
8 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)
9 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)
Eli’s Wicked Sons
11 Then they left him there before the Lord and went[c] home to Ramah, while the boy remained to minister to the Lord in the presence of the priest Eli.(K)
12 Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord(L) 13 or for the duties of the priests to the people. When anyone offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand,(M) 14 and he would thrust it into the pan, kettle, caldron, or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself.[d] This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. 15 Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the one who was sacrificing, “Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw.”(N) 16 And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat first and then take whatever you wish,” he would say, “No, you must give it now; if not, I will take it by force.” 17 Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord, for they treated the offerings of the Lord with contempt.(O)
The Child Samuel at Shiloh
18 Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy wearing a linen ephod.(P) 19 His mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.(Q) 20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the Lord repay[e] you with children by this woman for the loan that she made to[f] the Lord,” and then they would return to their home.(R)
21 And[g] the Lord took note of Hannah; she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.(S)
Prophecy against Eli’s Household
22 Now Eli was very old. He heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel and how they lay with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.(T) 23 He said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. 24 No, my sons; it is not a good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad.(U) 25 If one person sins against another, someone can intercede for the sinner with the Lord,[h] but if someone sins against the Lord, who can make intercession?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to kill them.(V)
26 Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with the people.(W)
27 A man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus the Lord has said: I revealed[i] myself to the family of your ancestor in Egypt when they were slaves[j] to the house of Pharaoh.(X) 28 I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to offer incense, to wear an ephod before me, and I gave to the family of your ancestor all my offerings by fire[k] from the Israelites.(Y) 29 Why then look[l] with greedy eye at my sacrifices and my offerings[m] and honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?(Z) 30 Therefore the Lord the God of Israel declares: I promised that your family and the family of your ancestor should go in and out before me forever, but now the Lord declares: Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be treated with contempt.(AA) 31 See, a time is coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your ancestor’s family.[n](AB) 32 No one in your family shall ever live to old age.(AC) 33 The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep out his[o] eyes and grieve his[p] heart; all the members of your household shall die by the sword.[q] 34 The fate of your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day.(AD) 35 I will raise up for myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed one forever.(AE) 36 Everyone who is left in your family shall come and prostrate himself before him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and shall say, ‘Please put me in one of the priest’s places, that I may eat a morsel of bread.’ ”(AF)
Footnotes
- 2.1 Gk: Heb the Lord
- 2.10 Cn: Heb against him he
- 2.11 Gk: Heb Then Elkanah went
- 2.14 Gk Syr Vg: Heb with it
- 2.20 Q ms Gk: MT give
- 2.20 Q ms Gk: MT for the request that she asked of
- 2.21 Q ms Gk: MT When
- 2.25 Gk Q ms: MT another, God will intercede for him
- 2.27 Gk Tg Syr: Heb Did I reveal
- 2.27 Q ms Gk: MT lacks slaves
- 2.28 Or my gifts
- 2.29 Q ms Gk: MT then kick
- 2.29 Q ms Gk: MT adds that I commanded at this dwelling
- 2.31–32 Q ms Gk: MT adds so that no one in your family will live to old age.
Then in a distressed place you will look upon all the prosperity of Israel. No one - 2.33 Q ms Gk: MT your
- 2.33 Q ms Gk: MT your
- 2.33 Q ms Gk: MT die like mortals
1 Samuel 2
New King James Version
1 Samuel 2
New King James Version
Hannah’s Prayer(A)
2 And Hannah (B)prayed and said:
(C)“My heart rejoices in the Lord;
(D)My [a]horn is exalted in the Lord.
[b]I smile at my enemies,
Because I (E)rejoice in Your salvation.
2 “No(F) one is holy like the Lord,
For there is (G)none besides You,
Nor is there any (H)rock like our God.
3 “Talk no more so very proudly;
(I)Let no arrogance come from your mouth,
For the Lord is the God of (J)knowledge;
And by Him actions are weighed.
4 “The(K) bows of the mighty men are broken,
And those who stumbled are girded with strength.
5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
And the hungry have ceased to hunger.
Even (L)the barren has borne seven,
And (M)she who has many children has become feeble.
6 “The(N) Lord kills and makes alive;
He brings down to the grave and brings up.
7 The Lord (O)makes poor and makes rich;
(P)He brings low and lifts up.
8 (Q)He raises the poor from the dust
And lifts the beggar from the ash heap,
(R)To set them among princes
And make them inherit the throne of glory.
(S)“For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
And He has set the world upon them.
9 (T)He will guard the feet of His saints,
But the (U)wicked shall be silent in darkness.
“For by strength no man shall prevail.
10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be (V)broken in pieces;
(W)From heaven He will thunder against them.
(X)The Lord will judge the ends of the earth.
11 Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah. But the child [d]ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest.
The Wicked Sons of Eli
12 Now the sons of Eli were (AB)corrupt;[e] (AC)they did not know the Lord. 13 And the priests’ custom with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fleshhook in his hand while the meat was boiling. 14 Then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; and the priest would take for himself all that the fleshhook brought up. So they did in (AD)Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. 15 Also, before they (AE)burned the fat, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who sacrificed, “Give meat for roasting to the priest, for he will not take boiled meat from you, but raw.”
16 And if the man said to him, “They should really burn the fat first; then you may take as much as your heart desires,” he would then answer him, “No, but you must give it now; and if not, I will take it by force.”
17 Therefore the sin of the young men was very great (AF)before the Lord, for men (AG)abhorred[f] the offering of the Lord.
Samuel’s Childhood Ministry
18 (AH)But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, (AI)wearing a linen ephod. 19 Moreover his mother used to make him a little robe, and bring it to him year by year when she (AJ)came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20 And Eli (AK)would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “The Lord give you descendants from this woman for the [g]loan that was (AL)given to the Lord.” Then they would go to their own home.
21 And the Lord (AM)visited[h] Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel (AN)grew before the Lord.
Prophecy Against Eli’s Household
22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, [i]and how they lay with (AO)the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 23 So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. 24 No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the Lord’s people transgress. 25 If one man sins against another, (AP)God[j] will judge him. But if a man (AQ)sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?” Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, (AR)because the Lord desired to kill them.
26 And the child Samuel (AS)grew in stature, and (AT)in favor both with the Lord and men.
27 Then a (AU)man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: (AV)‘Did I not clearly reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house? 28 Did I not (AW)choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before Me? And (AX)did I not give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire? 29 Why do you (AY)kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My (AZ)dwelling place, and honor your sons more than (BA)Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?’ 30 Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: (BB)‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says: (BC)‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and (BD)those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold, (BE)the days are coming that I will cut off your [k]arm and the arm of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. 32 And you will see an enemy in My dwelling place, despite all the good which God does for Israel. And there shall not be (BF)an old man in your house forever. 33 But any of your men whom I do not cut off from My altar shall consume your eyes and grieve your heart. And all the descendants of your house shall die in the flower of their age. 34 Now this shall be (BG)a sign to you that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: (BH)in one day they shall die, both of them. 35 Then (BI)I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. (BJ)I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before (BK)My anointed forever. 36 (BL)And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and say, “Please, [l]put me in one of the priestly positions, that I may eat a piece of bread.” ’ ”
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 2:1 Strength
- 1 Samuel 2:1 Lit. My mouth is enlarged
- 1 Samuel 2:10 Strength
- 1 Samuel 2:11 served
- 1 Samuel 2:12 Lit. sons of Belial
- 1 Samuel 2:17 despised
- 1 Samuel 2:20 gift
- 1 Samuel 2:21 attended to
- 1 Samuel 2:22 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; DSS, LXX omit rest of verse
- 1 Samuel 2:25 Tg. the Judge
- 1 Samuel 2:31 strength
- 1 Samuel 2:36 assign
1 Samuel 2
New International Version
1 Samuel 2
New International Version
Hannah’s Prayer
2 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.
2 “There is no one holy(F) like(G) the Lord;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock(H) like our God.
3 “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)
4 “The bows of the warriors are broken,(M)
but those who stumbled are armed with strength.(N)
5 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.
6 “The Lord brings death and makes alive;(Q)
he brings down to the grave and raises up.(R)
7 The Lord sends poverty and wealth;(S)
he humbles and he exalts.(T)
8 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.
9 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.
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 Samuel 2:1 Horn here symbolizes strength; also in verse 10.
- 1 Samuel 2:17 Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; Masoretic Text people
- 1 Samuel 2:20 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text and asked from
- 1 Samuel 2:25 Or the judges
- 1 Samuel 2:29 The Hebrew is plural.
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
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New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.