1 Samuel 2
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Hannah’s Triumphant Prayer
2 Hannah prayed:(A)
My heart rejoices in the Lord;(B)
my horn is lifted up by the Lord.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
because I rejoice in your salvation.(C)
2 There is no one holy like the Lord.(D)
There is no one besides you!(E)
And there is no rock like our God.(F)
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.(G)
4 The bows of the warriors are broken,(H)
but the feeble are clothed with strength.(I)
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,(J)
but the woman with many sons pines away.(K)
6 The Lord brings death and gives life;(L)
he sends some down to Sheol, and he raises others up.(M)
7 The Lord brings poverty and gives wealth;(N)
he humbles and he exalts.(O)
8 He raises the poor from the dust(P)
and lifts the needy from the rubbish heap.(Q)
He seats them with noblemen(R)
and gives them a throne of honour.[a]
For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;(S)
he has set the world on them.(T)
9 He guards the steps[b] of his faithful ones,(U)
but the wicked perish in darkness,(V)
for a person does not prevail by his own strength.(W)
10 Those who oppose the Lord will be shattered;[c](X)
he will thunder in the heavens against them.(Y)
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth.(Z)
He will give power to his king;
he will lift up the horn of his anointed.[d](AA)
11 Elkanah went home to Ramah,(AB) but the boy served the Lord in the presence of the priest Eli.(AC)
Eli’s Family Judged
12 Eli’s sons were wicked men;(AD) they did not respect the Lord(AE) 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.(AF) 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,(AG) 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,’(AH) 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.(AI)
18 Samuel served in the Lord’s presence(AJ) – this mere boy was dressed in the linen ephod.(AK) 19 Each year his mother made him a little robe(AL) and took it to him when she went with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.(AM) 20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife:(AN) ‘May the Lord give you children by this woman in place of the one she[e] has given to the Lord.’(AO) Then they would go home.
21 The Lord paid attention to Hannah’s need,(AP) and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.(AQ)
22 Now Eli was very old. He heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel(AR) and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.(AS) 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? ’(AT) But they would not listen to their father, since the Lord intended to kill them.(AU) 26 By contrast, the boy Samuel grew in stature and in favour with the Lord and with people.(AV)
27 A man of God came to Eli and said to him,(AW) ‘This is what the Lord says: “Didn’t I reveal myself to your forefather’s family[f] when they were in Egypt and belonged to Pharaoh’s palace?(AX) 28 Out of all the tribes of Israel, I chose your house[g] to be my priests, to offer sacrifices on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence.(AY) 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?(AZ) You have honoured your sons more than me,(BA) 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 for ever.(BB) But now,” this is the Lord’s declaration, “no longer! For those who honour me I will honour,(BC) but those who despise me will be disgraced.(BD) 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.(BE) 32 You will see distress in the place of worship,(BF) in spite of all that is good in Israel, and no one in your family will ever again reach old age.(BG) 33 Any man from your family I do not cut off from my altar will bring grief[h] and sadness to you. All your descendants will die violently.[i][j] 34 This will be the sign that will come to you concerning your two sons Hophni and Phinehas:(BH) both of them will die on the same day.(BI)
35 ‘ “Then I will raise up a faithful priest(BJ) for myself. He will do whatever is in my heart and mind. I will establish a lasting dynasty for him,(BK) and he will walk before my anointed one for all time.(BL) 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
- 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
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
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
