◀ All Reading Plans / Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous) / 1 Samuel 2:1-10 (My heart exults); 1 Samuel 1:21-28 (Hannah gives Samuel to God); 1 Timothy 6:11-21 (Life that really is life) (New English Translation)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with sequential stories told across multiple weeks.

Duration: 1245 days

1 Samuel 2:1-10

Hannah Exalts the Lord in Prayer

2 Hannah prayed,^[a]

“My heart has rejoiced^[b] in the Lord;
my horn^[c] has been raised high because of the Lord.
I have loudly denounced^[d] my enemies.
Indeed I rejoice in your deliverance.
²No one is holy^[e] like the Lord!
There is no one other than you!
There is no rock^[f] like our God!
³Don’t keep speaking^[g] so arrogantly.^[h]
Proud talk should not^[i] come out of your mouth,
for the Lord is a God who knows;
he^[j] evaluates what people do.
⁴The bows of warriors are shattered,
but those who stumbled have taken on strength.^[k]
⁵The well fed hire themselves out to earn food,
but the hungry no longer lack.^[l]
Even^[m] the barren woman has given birth to seven,^[n]
but the one with many children has declined.^[o]
⁶The Lord both kills and gives life;
he brings down to the grave^[p] and raises up.^[q]
⁷The Lord impoverishes and makes wealthy;
he humbles and he exalts.
⁸He lifts the weak^[r] from the dust;
he raises^[s] the poor from the ash heap
to seat them with princes—
he bestows on them an honored position.^[t]
The foundations of the earth belong to the Lord—
he placed the world on them.
⁹He watches over^[u] his holy ones,^[v]
but the wicked are made speechless in the darkness,^[w]
for it is not by one’s own^[x] strength that one prevails.
¹⁰The Lord shatters^[y] his adversaries;^[z]
he thunders against them from^[aa] the heavens.
The Lord executes judgment to the ends of the earth.
He will strengthen^[ab] his king
and exalt the power^[ac] of his anointed one.”^[ad]

Footnotes

1 Samuel 2:1 tn Heb “prayed and said.” This is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation.
1 Samuel 2:1 tn The verb עָלַץ (ʿalats) is a fientive verb. (Some emotion verbs in Hebrew are stative and some are fientive.) The Qal perfect form of a fientive verb is past or perfective (past action with a result that continues into the present). The LXX renders “my heart was strengthened.”
1 Samuel 2:1 sn Horns of animals have always functioned as both offensive and defensive weapons for them. As a figure of speech the horn is therefore often used in the Bible as a symbol of human strength (see also in v. 10). The allusion in v. 1 to the horn being lifted high suggests a picture of an animal elevating its head in a display of strength or virility.
1 Samuel 2:1 tn Heb “my mouth has opened wide against.”
1 Samuel 2:2 sn In this context God’s holiness refers primarily to his sovereignty and incomparability. He is unique and distinct from all other so-called gods.
1 Samuel 2:2 tn The LXX has “and there is none righteous like our God.” The Hebrew term translated “rock” refers to a rocky cliff where one can seek refuge from enemies. Here the metaphor depicts God as a protector of his people. Cf. TEV “no protector like our God”; CEV “We’re safer with you than on a high mountain.”
1 Samuel 2:3 tn Heb “Do not do a lot; do [not] speak.” The two verbs are understood together to refer to abundant speaking.
1 Samuel 2:3 tn Heb “proudly, proudly.” If MT is original, the repetition of the word is for emphasis, stressing the arrogance of those addressed. However, a few medieval Hebrew manuscripts and some other textual witnesses do not reflect the repetition, suggesting that the Hebrew text may be dittographic.
1 Samuel 2:3 tn The negative element, “not,” is understood to reapply from the first sentence through the poetic technique of ellipsis and double duty.
1 Samuel 2:3 tc The translation assumes the reading of the Qere וְלוֹ (v^elo, “and by him”), which is supported by many medieval Hebrew mss, is correct, rather than the reading of the Kethib וְלוֹא (v^eloʾ, “and not”).tn HALOT cites three possibilities for the phrase. Reading the Niphal verb as passive to the Qal meaning (“to examine, check”) and reading the Qere וְלוֹ (v^elo, “and by him”): “actions [are] tested by him.” Taking the Niphal verb to mean “to measure up, be in order, be correct” (cf. Ezek 18:25, 29; 33:17, 20) and reading the Qere וְלוֹ (v^elo): “his [God’s] actions are in order.” Taking the verb as in the previous case but reading the Kethiv וְלֹא (v^eloʾ) and taking the noun עֲלִלוֹת (ʿalilot) as a pejorative: “[disgraceful] actions have no place.” (HALOT s.v. תכן). The translation agrees with the first option and translates the verb with active instead of passive voice.
1 Samuel 2:4 tn Heb “stumblers have put on strength.” Because of the contrast between the prior and current condition, the participle has been translated with past tense. The Hebrew metaphor is a picture of getting dressed with (“putting on”) strength like clothing.
1 Samuel 2:5 tn By implication these lines refer to those formerly well-fed and those formerly hungry.
1 Samuel 2:5 tc Against BHS but with the MT, the preposition (עַד, ʿad) should be taken with what follows rather than with what precedes. For this sense of the preposition see Job 25:5.
1 Samuel 2:5 sn The number seven is used here in an ideal sense. Elsewhere in the OT having seven children is evidence of fertility as a result of God’s blessing on the family. See, for example, Jer 15:9, Ruth 4:15.
1 Samuel 2:5 tn Or “languished.”
1 Samuel 2:6 tn Heb “Sheol”; NAB “the nether world”; CEV “the world of the dead.”
1 Samuel 2:6 tn The first three verbs are participles; the last is a preterite which is normally past consecutive. It is rare, even in poetry, for a preterite verb to follow a participle. The English translations all render the last verb as a participle. They either reason that the preterite continues the force of the participle or assume that it should be repointed as a simple vav plus imperfect (which can be habitual present). If the participles are understood as substantival, then the latter half might mean “the Lord…is one who brings down to [the point of] the grave and then raised up.”
1 Samuel 2:8 tn Or “lowly”; Heb “insignificant.”
1 Samuel 2:8 tn The imperfect verbal form, which is parallel to the participle in the preceding line, is best understood here as indicating what typically happens.
1 Samuel 2:8 tn Heb “he makes them inherit a seat of honor.”
1 Samuel 2:9 tn Heb “guards the feet of.” The expression means that God watches over and protects the godly in all of their activities and movements. The imperfect verbal forms in v. 9 are understood as indicating what is typically true. Another option is to translate them with the future tense. See v. 10b.
1 Samuel 2:9 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading the plural (“his holy ones”) rather than the singular (“his holy one”) of the Kethib.
1 Samuel 2:9 tc The LXX begins the verse differently, “granting the prayer to the one who prays; he blessed the years of the righteous.”
1 Samuel 2:9 tn Heb “For not by strength a person prevails.” Since the Lord’s strength is apparent in the context, the translation adds “one’s own” for clarity.
1 Samuel 2:10 tn The imperfect verbal forms in this line and in the next two lines are understood as indicating what is typically true. Another option is to translate them with the future tense. See v. 10b.
1 Samuel 2:10 tc The present translation follows the Qere, many medieval Hebrew manuscripts, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Vulgate in reading the plural (“his adversaries,” similarly many other English versions) rather than the singular (“his adversary”) of the Kethib. The LXX adds material very similar to Jer 9:23-24. “the Lord is holy. Let not the wise boast in his wisdom, and let not let the strong boast in his strength, and let not let the rich boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this: to understand and know the Lord, and to practice justice and righteousness in the midst of the land.” The Greek text of Jeremiah uses different words for “wise” and “strong” and closes by referring to the Lord as one who performs justice, etc. and whose will is in these things.
1 Samuel 2:10 tn The Hebrew preposition here has the sense of “from within.”
1 Samuel 2:10 tn The imperfect verbal forms in this and the next line are understood as indicating what is anticipated and translated with the future tense, because at the time of Hannah’s prayer Israel did not yet have a king.
1 Samuel 2:10 tn Heb “the horn,” here a metaphor for power or strength. Cf. NCV “make his appointed king strong”; NLT “increases the might of his anointed one.”
1 Samuel 2:10 tc The LXX greatly expands v. 10 with an addition that seems to be taken from Jer 9:23-24.sn The anointed one is the anticipated king of Israel, as the preceding line makes clear.

1 Samuel 1:21-28

²¹Then the man Elkanah and all his family went up to make the yearly sacrifice^[a] to the Lord and to keep his vow.^[b] ²²But Hannah did not go up with them,^[c] because she had told^[d] her husband, “Not^[e] until the boy is weaned. Then I will bring him so that he may appear before the Lord. And he will remain there from then on.”^[f]

²³Then her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do what you think best.^[g] Stay until you have weaned him. Only may the Lord fulfill his promise.”^[h]

So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him. ²⁴Then she took him up with her^[i] as soon as she had weaned him, along with three bulls,^[j] an ephah^[k] of flour, and a container^[l] of wine. She came to the Lord’s house at Shiloh, and the boy was with them.^[m] ²⁵They slaughtered the bull, then brought the boy to Eli.^[n] ²⁶She said, “My lord. Just as surely as you are alive, my lord, I am the woman who previously stood here with you in order to pray to the Lord. ²⁷For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me the request that I asked of him. ²⁸So I also dedicate^[o] him to the Lord. For all the days of his life^[p] he is dedicated to the Lord.” Then he^[q] bowed down there in worship^[r] to the Lord.

Footnotes

1 Samuel 1:21 tn Heb “sacrifice of days.” The plural “days” often refers to a set of days, commonly a year, thus an annual sacrifice (cf. 1 Sam 2:29; 20:6).
1 Samuel 1:21 tn The Hebrew suffix could be “his vow” or “its vow,” referring to his household’s vow. sn The only vow that has been mentioned so far is Hannah’s. This either implies an additional vow not made known to us, or implies Elkanah’s affirmation of her vow. According to Num 30:6-8 a husband could nullify his wife’s vow, or allow it to stand. tc The LXX adds “and all the tithes of his land.”
1 Samuel 1:22 tn The disjunctive clause is contrastive here. The words “with them” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
1 Samuel 1:22 tn The perfect conjugation, used with a dynamic root, may be be past or past perfect. In a כִּי (ki) clause in narrative, it typically refers to a reason that occurred prior to the event in the main timeline. Most translations, however, render it as simple past (KJV, NRSV, NASB, NIV, ESV, Holman). sn According to this understanding, she and Elkanah have already discussed the issue. Her concern to not give the baby up while Samuel is nursing is most sensible; at the same time she affirms her long term commitment to her vow.
1 Samuel 1:22 tn Heb “until the boy is weaned.” The word “not” is implied and provided for clarity.
1 Samuel 1:22 tn Heb “until forever.”
1 Samuel 1:23 tn Heb “what is good in your eyes.”sn A similar phrase is a negative characterization in Judges, that “each would do what was right in his [own] eyes” (Judg 17:6; 21:25, cf. Prov 12:15; 21:2). However the phrase “in one’s own eyes” does not have to have a negative connotation (1 Chron 13:4; 30:4). As Hannah had done, Elkanah affirms the long term commitment to the vow.
1 Samuel 1:23 tc LXX and Qumran “establish what is coming out of your mouth.” MT “establish his word.”sn By reading “his word” (i.e., his promise) the MT is consistent with other passages that deal with establishing God’s word. But what it refers to is unclear. If Eli’s earlier response (v. 17) implies a promise, it has already been fulfilled in the birth. Other have suggested a connection to Deut 18:15, 18 and the promise to raise up a prophet like Moses. The reading preserved in the Greek text and at Qumran may well be the original. In this case Elkanah is affirming the conclusion of Hannah’s vow. Perhaps there is even an underlying admonition in the affirmation. Auld suggests it is possible that readers should discern in Elkanah an affirmation of the prophetic word through Hannah (Graeme Auld, I & II Samuel [Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011] 33).
1 Samuel 1:24 tc LXX “she went up with him to Shiloh.”
1 Samuel 1:24 tc LXX “with a three year old bull and loaves.”
1 Samuel 1:24 sn The ephah was a standard dry measure in OT times; it was the equivalent of one-tenth of the OT measure known as a homer. The ephah was equal to approximately one-half to two-thirds of a bushel.
1 Samuel 1:24 tn The Hebrew term translated “container” may denote either a clay storage jar (cf. CEV “a clay jar full of wine”) or a leather container (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV “a skin of wine”; NCV “a leather bag filled with [full of TEV] wine”).
1 Samuel 1:24 tc The translation follows the LXX. Although “with her” can be conjectured instead of “with them,” the context of the LXX assumes the presence of Elkanah as well as Hannah. The MT has the unusual structure “and the boy was a boy,” possibly the result of dittography. If the MT is correct, perhaps we are to understand two different meanings of the same noun, e.g. “the boy was a servant.” The noun נַעַר (naʿar) is commonly understood to refer to a young man or a servant (HALOT s.v. נַעַר), however, it refers to the infant Moses (Exod 2:6) and to Benjamin when he may be well past adolescence (Gen 43:8). Further those called נַעַר (naʿar) may not simply be servants, but someone in line to receive a position of rank. Samuel does become a servant, or apprentice, and turns out to be in line to replace Eli. Yet since he has not yet been given to Eli, this seems like an odd place to remark on his being an apprentice.
1 Samuel 1:25 tc The LXX is longer, reading: “They brought [him] before the Lord and his father slaughtered the sacrifice which he would bring to the Lord from time to time. And he brought the child and slaughtered the calf. And Hannah, the child’s mother, brought him to Eli.”
1 Samuel 1:28 tn The Hiphil of שָׁאַל (shaʾal) might mean “to loan,” or “to treat as requested” (see HALOT s.v. שָׁאַל).
1 Samuel 1:28 tn Heb “all the days which he lives.”
1 Samuel 1:28 tc The MT is singular, apparently referring to Samuel (but cf. CEV “Elkanah”). A few medieval manuscripts and some ancient versions take the verb as plural (cf. TEV, NLT).
1 Samuel 1:28 sn This Hebrew verb, the Hishtaphel of חָוָה (havah), means “to bow down” or “to prostrate oneself.” When bowing to the Lord it is a gesture of worship. In this context, if Samuel is the subject (see the previous tc note), he demonstrates reverence to the Lord regarding his mother’s vow.

1 Timothy 6:11-21

¹¹But you, as a person dedicated to God,^[a] keep away from all that.^[b] Instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness. ¹²Compete well^[c] for the faith and lay hold of that eternal life you were called for and made your good confession^[d] for^[e] in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³I charge you^[f] before God who gives life to all things and Christ Jesus who made his good confession^[g] before Pontius Pilate, ¹⁴to obey^[h] this command^[i] without fault or failure until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ ¹⁵—whose appearing^[j] the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, will reveal at the right time. ¹⁶He alone possesses immortality and lives in unapproachable light, whom no human has ever seen or is able to see. To him be honor and eternal power! Amen.

¹⁷Command those who are rich in this world’s goods^[k] not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain,^[l] but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. ¹⁸Tell them to do good,^[m] to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others.^[n] ¹⁹In this way they will save up^[o] a treasure for themselves as a firm foundation^[p] for the future and so lay hold of^[q] what is truly life.

Conclusion

²⁰O Timothy, protect what has been entrusted to you. Avoid^[r] the profane chatter and absurdities^[s] of so-called “knowledge.”^[t] ²¹By professing it, some have strayed from the faith.^[u] Grace be with you all.^[v]

Footnotes

1 Timothy 6:11 tn Grk “O man of God.”
1 Timothy 6:11 tn Grk “flee these things.”
1 Timothy 6:12 tn This phrase literally means “compete in the good competition of the faith,” using words that may refer to a race or to a boxing or wrestling match: “run the good race” or “fight the good fight.” The similar phrase in 1 Tim 1:18 uses a military picture and is more literally “war the good warfare.”
1 Timothy 6:12 sn At some point in Timothy’s life, he publicly acknowledged Jesus as the resurrected Lord, perhaps either at his baptism or his ordination as a minister of the gospel. With this reminder of the historical moment of his good confession, Timothy is encouraged to remain steadfast in his faith and to finish his life as a minister in the same way it began (see G. W. Knight, Pastoral Epistles [NIGTC], 264-65).
1 Timothy 6:12 tn Grk “confessed the good confession.”
1 Timothy 6:13 tc ‡ Most witnesses, some of them significant (א² A D H 1175 1505 1881 M al lat sy bo), have σοι (soi, “you”) after παραγγέλλω (parangellō, “I charge [you]”), a predictable variant because the personal pronoun is demanded by the sense of the passage (and was added in the translation because of English requirements). Hence, the omission is the harder reading, and the addition of σοι is one of clarification. Further, the shorter reading is found in several significant witnesses, such as א* F G Ψ 6 33 1739. Although the external evidence is evenly balanced, internally the shorter reading is preferred. NA ²⁸ places σοι in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.tn Grk “I charge.”
1 Timothy 6:13 tn Grk “testified the good confession.”sn Jesus’ good confession was his affirmative answer to Pilate’s question “Are you the king of the Jews?” (see Matt 27:11, Mark 15:2, Luke 23:3, John 18:33-37).
1 Timothy 6:14 tn The Greek word τηρέω (tēreō, traditionally translated “keep”) in this context connotes preservation of and devotion to an object as well as obedience.
1 Timothy 6:14 tn Grk “the command.”sn The command refers to the duties laid upon Timothy for his ministry in Ephesus (1 Tim 1:3-20; 6:2c-5).
1 Timothy 6:15 tn Grk “which.” All of 1 Tim 6:15 is a relative clause which refers back to “appearing” in v.14. The phrase “whose appearing” was supplied to clarify this connection.
1 Timothy 6:17 tn Grk “in the present age.”
1 Timothy 6:17 tn Grk “in uncertainty.”
1 Timothy 6:18 tn Grk “to do good” (the continuation of 6:17). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 18.
1 Timothy 6:18 tn Grk “to be generous,” “sharing.”
1 Timothy 6:19 tn Grk “saving up” (the continuation of 6:18). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 19.
1 Timothy 6:19 tn Grk “treasuring up a good foundation.”
1 Timothy 6:19 tn Grk “that they may lay hold of.”
1 Timothy 6:20 tn Grk “avoiding.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
1 Timothy 6:20 tn Or “contradictions.”
1 Timothy 6:20 tn Grk “the falsely named knowledge.”
1 Timothy 6:21 tn Grk “have deviated concerning the faith.”
1 Timothy 6:21 tc Most witnesses (א² D¹ Ψ 1175 1241 1505 M al sy bo) conclude this letter with ἀμήν (amēn, “amen”). Such a conclusion is routinely added by scribes to NT books because a few of these books originally had such an ending (cf. Rom 16:27; Gal 6:18; Jude 25). A majority of Greek witnesses have the concluding ἀμήν in every NT book except Acts, James, and 3 John (and even in these books, ἀμήν is found in some witnesses). It is thus a predictable variant. Further, the earliest and best witnesses (א* A D* F G 33 81 1739* 1881 it sa) lack the particle, indicating that the letter concluded with “Grace be with you all.”tn Grk “with you” (but the Greek pronoun indicates the meaning is plural here).

New English Translation (NET)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Hannah Exalts the Lord in Prayer

Footnotes

Footnotes

Conclusion

Footnotes