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Hannah prayed, and said:

“My heart exults in Yahweh!
    My horn is exalted in Yahweh.
My mouth is enlarged over my enemies,
    because I rejoice in your salvation.
There is no one as holy as Yahweh,
    for there is no one besides you,
    nor is there any rock like our God.

“Don’t keep talking so exceedingly proudly.
    Don’t let arrogance come out of your mouth,
    for Yahweh is a God of knowledge.
    By him actions are weighed.

“The bows of the mighty men are broken.
    Those who stumbled are armed with strength.
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread.
    Those who were hungry are satisfied.
Yes, the barren has borne seven.
    She who has many children languishes.

“Yahweh kills and makes alive.
    He brings down to Sheol[a] and brings up.
Yahweh makes poor and makes rich.
    He brings low, he also lifts up.
He raises up the poor out of the dust.
    He lifts up the needy from the dunghill
    to make them sit with princes
    and inherit the throne of glory.
For the pillars of the earth are Yahweh’s.
    He has set the world on them.
He will keep the feet of his holy ones,
    but the wicked will be put to silence in darkness;
    for no man will prevail by strength.
10 Those who strive with Yahweh shall be broken to pieces.
    He will thunder against them in the sky.

“Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth.
    He will give strength to his king,
    and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

11 Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. The child served Yahweh before Eli the priest.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:6 Sheol is the place of the dead.

Hannah’s Prayer

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)

There is no Holy One like the Lord,
    no one besides you;
    there is no Rock like our God.(B)
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)
The bows of the mighty are broken,
    but the feeble gird on strength.(D)
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)
The Lord kills and brings to life;
    he brings down to Sheol and raises up.(F)
The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
    he brings low; he also exalts.(G)
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)

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)

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Footnotes

  1. 2.1 Gk: Heb the Lord
  2. 2.10 Cn: Heb against him he
  3. 2.11 Gk: Heb Then Elkanah went