1 Samuel 2
Christian Standard Bible
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 trash heap.(Q)
He seats them with noblemen(R)
and gives them a throne of honor.[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 favor 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 honored 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 forever.(BB) But now,’ this is the Lord’s declaration, ‘no longer! For those who honor me I will honor,(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 International Reader's Version
Hannah’s Prayer
2 Then Hannah prayed. She said,
“The Lord has filled my heart with joy.
He has made me strong.
I can laugh at my enemies.
I’m so glad he saved me.
2 “There isn’t anyone holy like the Lord.
There isn’t anyone except him.
There isn’t any Rock like our God.
3 “Don’t keep talking so proudly.
Don’t let your mouth say such proud things.
The Lord is a God who knows everything.
He judges everything people do.
4 “The bows of great heroes are broken.
But those who trip and fall are made strong.
5 Those who used to be full have to work for food.
But those who used to be hungry aren’t hungry anymore.
The woman who couldn’t have children has seven of them now.
But the woman who has had many children is sad now because hers have died.
6 “The Lord causes people to die. He also gives people life.
He brings people down to the grave. He also brings people up from death.
7 The Lord makes people poor. He also makes people rich.
He brings people down. He also lifts people up.
8 He raises poor people up from the trash pile.
He lifts needy people out of the ashes.
He lets them sit with princes.
He gives them places of honor.
“The foundations of the earth belong to the Lord.
On them he has set the world.
9 He guards the paths of his faithful servants.
But evil people will lie silent in their dark graves.
“People don’t win just because they are strong.
10 Those who oppose the Lord will be totally destroyed.
The Most High God will thunder from heaven.
The Lord will judge the earth from one end to the other.
“He will give power to his king.
He will give honor to his anointed one.”
11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. But the boy Samuel served the Lord under the direction of Eli the priest.
Eli’s Evil Sons
12 Eli’s sons were good for nothing. They didn’t honor the Lord. 13 When any of the people came to offer a sacrifice, here is what the priests would do. While the meat was being boiled, the servant of the priest would come with a large fork in his hand. 14 He would stick the fork into the pan or pot or small or large kettle. Then the priest would take for himself everything the fork brought up. That’s how Eli’s sons treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. 15 Even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come over. He would speak to the person who was offering the sacrifice. He would say, “Give the priest some meat to cook. He won’t accept boiled meat from you. He’ll only accept raw meat.”
16 Sometimes the person would say to him, “Let the fat be burned first. Then take what you want.” But the servant would answer, “No. Hand it over right now. If you don’t, I’ll take it away from you by force.”
17 That sin of Eli’s sons was very great in the Lord’s sight. That’s because they were not treating his offering with respect.
18 But the boy Samuel served the Lord. He wore a sacred linen apron. 19 Each year his mother made him a little robe. She took it to him when she went up to Shiloh with her husband. She did it when her husband went to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife. He would say, “May the Lord give you children by this woman. May they take the place of the boy she prayed for and gave to the Lord.” Then they would go home. 21 The Lord was gracious to Hannah. Over a period of years she had three more sons and two daughters. During that whole time the boy Samuel grew up serving the Lord.
22 Eli was very old. He kept hearing about everything his sons were doing to all the Israelites. He also heard how his sons were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 23 So Eli said to his sons, “Why are you doing these things? All the people are telling me about the evil things you are doing. 24 No, my sons. The report I hear isn’t good. And it’s spreading among the Lord’s people. 25 If a person sins against someone else, God can help that sinner. But if anyone sins against the Lord, who can help them?” In spite of what their father Eli said, his sons didn’t pay any attention to his warning. That’s because the Lord had already decided to put them to death.
26 The boy Samuel continued to grow stronger. He also became more and more pleasing to the Lord and to people.
Prophecy Against Eli’s Family
27 A man of God came to Eli. He told him, “The Lord says, ‘I made myself clearly known to your relatives who lived long ago. I did it when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh’s rule. 28 At that time, I chose Aaron from your family line to be my priest. I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel. I told him to go up to my altar. I told him to burn incense. I chose him to wear a linen apron when he served me. I also gave his family all the food offerings presented by the Israelites. 29 Why don’t you treat my sacrifices and offerings with respect? I require them to be brought to the house where I live. Why do you honor your sons more than me? Why do you fatten yourselves on the best parts of every offering that is made by my people Israel?’
30 “The Lord is the God of Israel. He announced, ‘I promised that members of your family line would serve me as priests forever.’ But now the Lord announces, ‘I will not let that happen! I will honor those who honor me. But I will turn away from those who look down on me. 31 The time is coming when I will cut your life short. I will also cut short the lives of those in your family line of priests. No one in your family line will grow old. 32 You will see nothing but trouble in the house where I live. Good things will still happen to Israel. But no one in your family line will ever grow old. 33 I will prevent the members of your family from serving me at my altar. I will destroy the eyesight of all of you I allow to live. I will also cause you to lose your strength. And everyone in your family line will die while they are still young.
34 “ ‘Something is going to happen to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. When it does, it will show you that what I am saying is true. They will both die on the same day. 35 I will raise up for myself a faithful priest. He will do what my heart and mind want him to do. I will make his family line of priests very secure. They will always serve as priests to my anointed king. 36 Everyone left in your family line will come and bow down to him. They will beg him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread. They will say, “Please give me a place to serve among the priests. Then I can have food to eat.” ’ ”
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