1 Samuel 2
Dios Habla Hoy
Cántico de Ana
2 Y Ana oró de esta manera:
«Señor, yo me alegro en ti de corazón
porque tú me das nuevas fuerzas.
Puedo hablar contra mis enemigos
porque tú me has ayudado.
¡Estoy alegre!
2 ¡Nadie es santo como tú, Señor!
¡Nadie protege como tú, Dios nuestro!
¡Nadie hay fuera de ti!
3 Que nadie hable con orgullo,
que nadie se jacte demasiado,
porque el Señor es el Dios que todo lo sabe,
y él pesa y juzga lo que hace el hombre.
4 Él destruye los arcos de los poderosos,
y reviste de poder a los débiles;
5 los que antes tenían de sobra,
ahora se alquilan por un pedazo de pan;
pero los que tenían hambre,
ahora ya no la tienen.
La mujer que no podía tener hijos,
ha dado a luz siete veces;
pero la que tenía muchos hijos,
ahora está completamente marchita.
6 El Señor quita la vida y la da;
nos hace bajar al sepulcro
y de él nos hace subir.
7 El Señor nos hace pobres o ricos;
nos hace caer y nos levanta.
8 Dios levanta del suelo al pobre
y saca del basurero al mendigo,
para sentarlo entre grandes hombres
y hacerle ocupar un lugar de honor;
porque el Señor es el dueño
de las bases de la tierra,
y sobre ellas colocó el mundo.
9 Él cuida los pasos de sus fieles,
pero los malvados mueren en la oscuridad,
porque nadie triunfa por la fuerza.
10 El Señor hará pedazos a sus enemigos,
y desde el cielo enviará truenos contra ellos.
El Señor juzgará al mundo entero;
dará poder al rey que ha escogido
y hará crecer su poder.»
11 Luego regresó Elcaná a su casa, en Ramá, pero el niño se quedó sirviendo al Señor bajo las órdenes del sacerdote Elí.
La maldad de los hijos de Elí
12 Los hijos de Elí eran unos malvados, y no les importaba el Señor 13 ni los deberes de los sacerdotes para con el pueblo; pues cuando alguien ofrecía un sacrificio, llegaba un criado del sacerdote con un tenedor en la mano y, mientras la carne estaba cociéndose, 14 metía el tenedor en el perol, en la olla, en el caldero o en la cazuela, y todo lo que sacaba con el tenedor era para el sacerdote. Así hacían con todo israelita que llegaba a Siló. 15 Además, antes de que quemaran la grasa en el altar, llegaba el criado del sacerdote y decía al que iba a ofrecer el sacrificio: «Dame carne para asársela al sacerdote; porque no te va a aceptar la carne ya cocida, sino cruda.» 16 Y si la persona le respondía que primero tenían que quemar la grasa, y que luego él podría tomar lo que quisiera, el criado contestaba: «¡No, me la tienes que dar ahora! De lo contrario, te la quitaré a la fuerza.» 17 Así pues, el pecado que estos jóvenes cometían ante el Señor era gravísimo, porque trataban con desprecio las ofrendas que pertenecían al Señor.
18 Mientras tanto, el joven Samuel, vestido con un efod de lino, continuaba al servicio del Señor. 19 Y cada año, cuando su madre iba al templo con su marido para ofrecer el sacrificio anual, le llevaba una capa pequeña que le había hecho. 20 Entonces Elí bendecía a Elcaná y a su esposa, diciendo: «Que el Señor te recompense dándote hijos de esta mujer, a cambio del que ella le ha dedicado.» Después de esto regresaban a su hogar, 21 y el Señor bendecía a Ana, la cual quedaba embarazada. De esa manera, Ana dio a luz tres hijos y dos hijas, y el niño Samuel seguía creciendo ante el Señor.
22 En cuanto a Elí, era ya muy viejo, pero estaba enterado de todo lo que sus hijos les hacían a los israelitas, y que hasta se acostaban con las mujeres que estaban de servicio a la entrada de la tienda del encuentro con Dios. 23 Por tanto les dijo: «Todo el mundo me habla de las malas acciones de ustedes. ¿Por qué se portan así? 24 No, hijos míos, no es nada bueno lo que sé que el pueblo del Señor anda contando acerca de ustedes. 25 Si una persona comete una falta contra otra, el Señor puede intervenir en su favor; pero si una persona ofende al Señor, ¿quién la defenderá?» Pero ellos no hicieron caso de lo que su padre les dijo, porque el Señor había decidido quitarles la vida.
26 Mientras tanto, el joven Samuel seguía creciendo, y su conducta agradaba tanto al Señor como a los hombres.
27 Por ese tiempo llegó un profeta a visitar a Elí, y le dijo: «El Señor ha declarado lo siguiente: “Cuando tus antepasados estaban en Egipto al servicio del faraón, claramente me manifesté a ellos. 28 Y de entre todas las tribus de Israel los escogí para que fueran mis sacerdotes, para que ofrecieran holocaustos sobre mi altar, y quemaran incienso, y llevaran el efod en mi presencia. Además concedí a tus antepasados todas las ofrendas que los israelitas queman en honor del Señor. 29 ¿Por qué, pues, han despreciado los sacrificios y ofrendas que yo he ordenado realizar? ¿Por qué das más preferencia a tus hijos que a mí, engordándolos con lo mejor de todas las ofrendas de Israel, mi pueblo?” 30 Por lo tanto, el Señor, el Dios de Israel, que había dicho que tú y tu familia le servirían siempre, ahora declara: “Jamás permitiré tal cosa, sino que honraré a los que me honren, y los que me desprecien serán puestos en ridículo. Yo, el Señor, lo afirmo. 31 Ya se acerca el momento en que voy a destruir tu poder y el de tus antepasados, y ninguno de tu familia llegará a viejo. 32 Contemplarás con angustia y envidia todo el bien que yo haré en Israel, y jamás nadie en tu familia llegará a viejo. 33 Pero dejaré a alguno de tus parientes cerca de mi altar, para que se consuman de envidia sus ojos y de dolor su alma, y todos tus otros descendientes serán asesinados. 34 Te servirá de muestra lo que ocurrirá a tus dos hijos, Hofní y Finees: los dos morirán el mismo día. 35 Luego pondré un sacerdote digno de confianza y que actúe de acuerdo con mi voluntad y criterio, al que le daré una descendencia continua y le haré estar siempre al servicio del rey que yo haya escogido. 36 Entonces, todo el que haya quedado vivo en tu familia vendrá a inclinarse ante él a cambio de una moneda de plata o un trozo de pan, rogándole que le dé algún trabajo entre los sacerdotes para poder ganarse el alimento.”»
1 Samuel 2
Evangelical Heritage Version
Hannah’s Song
2 Hannah prayed and said:
My heart rejoices in the Lord!
In the Lord, my horn[a] is raised high.
My mouth is opened wide against my enemies,
because I find joy in your salvation.
2 There is no one holy like the Lord.
Yes, there is no one but you,
and there is no rock like our God.
3 Do not talk so high and mighty.
Do not let proud words come out of your mouth,
because the Lord is a God who knows.
By him actions are weighed.[b]
4 The bows of powerful warriors are broken.
Those who were staggering are now armed with strength.
5 Those who once were full now hire themselves out for bread,
but those who were hungry are satisfied.
Yes, the childless woman has given birth to seven children,
but she who had many children is weak with sorrow.
6 The Lord puts to death, and he makes alive.
He brings down to the grave, and he raises up.
7 The Lord makes some people poor, and he makes others wealthy.
He brings some low. He raises others up.
8 He raises the poor out of the dust.
He lifts up the needy from the garbage pile.
He makes them sit with nobles.
He gives them a glorious throne as a possession.
The pillars of the earth belong to the Lord.
He has set the world upon them.
9 He will guard the feet of his favored ones,
but the wicked will be put to silence in darkness,
because a person does not prevail by his own strength.
10 Those who oppose the Lord will be broken to pieces.
He will thunder against them in the heavens.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth.
He will give strength to his king.
He will raise up the horn of his anointed one.[c]
11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the young boy served the Lord as an attendant to Eli the priest.
Eli’s Wicked Sons Contrasted With Samuel
12 Now the sons of Eli were wicked scoundrels. They did not know the Lord.
13 The practice of the priests with the people was that whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, while the meat was still boiling, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand. 14 He would thrust it into the basin, kettle, caldron, or cooking pot. The priest would then take for himself everything that the fork brought up. This is the way they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. 15 Before the people had even burned the fat, the priest’s servant would come and tell the person who was making the sacrifice, “Give me meat for the priest to roast, because he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw meat.”
16 If the man said to him, “Let us burn the fat first. Then take as much as you want,” the servant would say, “No, you must give it to me right now. If you do not, I will take it by force.” 17 So the sin of the young men was very serious in the sight of the Lord, because the men were treating the Lord’s offerings with contempt.
18 But Samuel ministered before the Lord while he was still a young boy, dressed in a special vest[d] made of linen. 19 His mother would make a little robe for him and bring it to him whenever she came up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. 20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May the Lord give you offspring[e] from this woman in place of the son she asked for, whom she loaned to the Lord.” Then they would go back to their home. 21 The Lord came to Hannah with his blessing,[f] and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. The child Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.
22 Now Eli was very old. He heard about everything that his sons were doing to all Israel and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 23 So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I keep hearing from all these people about your evil actions. 24 No, my sons, it is not a good report that I hear! The people are spreading this report everywhere.[g] 25 If one man sins against another, God will mediate for him. But if a man sins against the Lord, who will mediate for him?” But they did not listen to the voice of their father, because the Lord desired to put them to death.[h]
26 The young man Samuel continued to grow, and he increased in favor with both the Lord and with men.
The Lord’s Warning to Eli
27 A man of God came to Eli and told him this:
This is what the Lord says. Didn’t I clearly reveal myself to the house of your father[i] when they were in Egypt, subject to the house of Pharaoh? 28 Out of all the tribes of Israel, I chose him to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the special vest before me. I also gave the house of your father all the food offerings[j] from the people of Israel. 29 Why do you all kick at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded for my dwelling place?[k] Why do you, Eli, honor your sons more than me? Why do you fatten yourselves with the best of all the offerings from my people Israel?
30 Therefore this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Israel: I stated solemnly that your house[l] and the house of your father would walk before me forever. But now the Lord declares, “This will never be! Yes, I will honor those who honor me, but those who despise me will be cursed.” 31 Look, the days are coming when I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, so that there will never be an old man in your house. 32 You will see the distress of the dwelling place. Even when things are good for Israel, there shall never be an old man in your house. 33 Any man of yours whom I do not cut off from my altar will only wear out your eyes with tears and your heart with grief, and all the future generations of your house will die before they reach old age.[m]
34 This will be the sign for you that will come on your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: In one day they will both die. 35 I will raise up a faithful priest for myself, one who will act according to what is in my heart and in my soul. I will build an enduring house for him, and he will walk before my anointed one forever. 36 Then anyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to the faithful priest to receive a piece of silver and a loaf of bread. The one who is left will say, “Please appoint me to one of the priests’ offices, so that I can eat a scrap of bread.”
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 2:1 A horn is a symbol of power.
- 1 Samuel 2:3 The translation follows the Hebrew reading in the margin (qere). The main Hebrew text (kethiv) reads actions are not weighed.
- 1 Samuel 2:10 Or Messiah. The text points first to David and the coming kings of Judah but ultimately to Christ.
- 1 Samuel 2:18 Hebrew ephod
- 1 Samuel 2:20 Literally seed
- 1 Samuel 2:21 Literally visited Hannah. In the Bible visit means to come with blessing or judgment.
- 1 Samuel 2:24 Or you cause the Lord’s people to transgress
- 1 Samuel 2:25 Or it was the Lord’s will to put them to death
- 1 Samuel 2:27 That is, his ancestor Aaron
- 1 Samuel 2:28 Or offerings made by fire
- 1 Samuel 2:29 Not the common Hebrew name for the Dwelling, but a different word
- 1 Samuel 2:30 House here refers to the family line of the priests.
- 1 Samuel 2:33 The structure and wording of the verse are difficult, and the translation is uncertain.
1 Samuel 2
King James Version
2 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
2 There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.
6 The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
7 The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.
8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them.
9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.
11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest.
12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord.
13 And the priest's custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;
14 And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.
15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.
17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.
18 But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
19 Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The Lord give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the Lord. And they went unto their own home.
21 And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord.
22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.
24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord's people to transgress.
25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.
26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the Lord, and also with men.
27 And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?
28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?
29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
30 Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
31 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.
32 And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.
33 And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.
34 And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.
35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.
36 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.
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The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.