[Back] - [Menu] - [Next]

1 Samuel 2

1 And Hannah prayed and said: My heart has rejoiced in Jehovah; my horn has been exalted in Jehovah. My mouth has been enlarged over my enemies, because I have rejoiced in Your salvation.
2 No one is holy like Jehovah, for there is no one besides You, nor is there any rock like our God.
3 Talk no more so very proudly; let no arrogance come out of your mouth, for Jehovah is the Mighty God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed.
4 The bows of the mighty are broken, and those stumbling have been girded with strength.
5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, and the hungry have ceased to hunger. Even the barren has borne seven, and she who has many children has become feeble.
6 Jehovah kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and brings up.
7 Jehovah makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up.
8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are Jehovah's, and He set the world upon them.
9 He guards the feet of His saints, but the wicked are silent in darkness. For man does not prevail by might.
10 The adversaries of Jehovah are broken in pieces; from the heavens He thunders against them. Jehovah judges the ends of the earth. He gives strength to His king, and exalts the horn of His anointed.
11 And Elkanah went to his house at Ramah, and the child served Jehovah before Eli the priest.
12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of wickedness; they did not know Jehovah.
13 And the custom of the priests 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 flesh was boiling.
14 And 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. Thus they did in Shiloh to all Israel who came there.
15 Also, before they burned the fat with smoke, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, Give flesh for roasting to the priest, for he will not take boiled flesh from you, but raw.
16 And if the man said to him, It is time to burn the fat to make it smoke, then you may take as much as your soul 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 before Jehovah, for the men had spurned the offering of Jehovah.
18 But Samuel was serving before Jehovah, even as a boy, girded with a linen ephod.
19 Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him year after year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, Jehovah give you seed from this woman for the petition which has been loaned unto Jehovah. And they went to their place.
21 And Jehovah visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew up with Jehovah.
22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tent of meeting.
23 And he said to them, Why do you do such things? For I am hearing of your evil dealings from all the people.
24 No, my sons; for it is not a good report that I am hearing. You cause the people of Jehovah to transgress.
25 If a man sins against man, God will judge him. But if a man sins against Jehovah, who shall intercede for him? Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because Jehovah desired to kill them.
26 And the boy Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with Jehovah and men.
27 And a man of God came to Eli and said to him, Thus says Jehovah: Have I not revealed to show Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?
28 Did I not choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, and to bear the ephod before Me? And did I not give to the house of your father all the offerings by fire of the children of Israel?
29 Why do you kick at My sacrifice and at My offering which I have commanded for My dwelling place, and honor your sons above Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?
30 Therefore Jehovah the God of Israel says: I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever. But now Jehovah says: Far be it from Me! For those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.
31 Behold, the days are coming that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father's house, so that there shall not be an old man in your house.
32 And you shall see an adversary in My dwelling place, despite all the good which God did for Israel. And there shall not be an old man in your house for all time.
33 And any of your men whom I do not cut off from My altar shall be to consume your eyes and grieve your soul. And all the increase of your house shall die as young men.
34 And this shall be a sign to you that shall come upon your two sons, upon Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die, both of them.
35 Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My soul. I will build him a lasting house, and he shall walk before My anointed for all time.
36 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left in your house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and say, Please, join me to the priesthood, that I may eat a piece of bread.
[Back] - [Menu] - [Next]