The First Book of Samuel

⭑ Literal Standard Version 2020 ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

(Luke 1:46–56)

And Hannah prays and says: “My heart has exulted in YHWH, || My horn has been high in YHWH, || My mouth has been large over my enemies, || For I have rejoiced in Your salvation.

There is none holy like YHWH, || For there is none except You, || And there is no rock like our God.

You do not multiply—you speak haughtily—The old saying goes out from your mouth, || For YHWH [is] a God of knowledge, || And actions are weighed by Him.

Bows of the mighty are broken, || And the stumbling have girded on strength.

The satiated hired themselves for bread, || And the hungry have ceased. While the barren has borne seven, || And she abounding with sons has languished.

YHWH puts to death, and keeps alive, || He brings down to Sheol, and brings up.

YHWH dispossesses, and He makes rich, || He makes low, indeed, He makes high.

He raises the poor from the dust, || He lifts up the needy from a dunghill, || To cause [them] to sit with nobles, || Indeed, He causes them to inherit a throne of glory, || For the fixtures of earth [are] of YHWH, || And He sets the habitable world on them.

He keeps the feet of His saints, || And the wicked are silent in darkness, || For man does not become mighty by power.

YHWH—His adversaries are broken down, || He thunders against them in the heavens: YHWH judges the ends of the earth, || And gives strength to His king, || And exalts the horn of His anointed.”

And Elkanah goes to Ramath, to his house, and the youth has been serving YHWH [in] the presence of Eli the priest;

Eli’s Wicked Sons

and the sons of Eli [are] sons of worthlessness, they have not known YHWH.

And the custom of the priests with the people [is that when] any man is sacrificing a sacrifice, then the servant of the priest has come in when the flesh is boiling, and [with] the hook of three teeth in his hand,

and has struck [it] into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot; all that the hook brings up the priest takes for himself; thus they do to all Israel who are coming in there in Shiloh.

Also, before they make incense with the fat, then the priest’s servant has come in and said to the man who is sacrificing, “Give flesh to roast for the priest, and he does not take boiled flesh from you, but raw”;

and the man says to him, “Let them surely make incense with the fat according to the [custom] today, then take to yourself as your soul desires”; and he has said to him, “Surely you give now; and if not—I have taken by strength.”

And the sin of the young men is very great [in] the presence of YHWH, for the men have despised the offering of YHWH.

And Samuel is ministering [in] the presence of YHWH, a youth girt [with] an ephod of linen;

and his mother makes a small upper coat for him, and she has brought it up to him from time to time, in her coming up with her husband to sacrifice the sacrifice of the time.

And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, “YHWH appoints seed of this woman for you, for the petition which she asked for YHWH”; and they have gone to their place.

When YHWH has looked after Hannah, then she conceives and bears three sons and two daughters; and the youth Samuel grows up with YHWH.

And Eli [is] very old, and has heard all that his sons do to all Israel, and how that they lie with the women who are assembling [at] the opening of the Tent of Meeting,

and he says to them, “Why do you do things like these? For I am hearing of your evil words from all the people—these!

No, my sons; for the report which I am hearing is not good, causing the people of YHWH to transgress.

If a man sins against a man, then God has judged him; but if a man sins against YHWH, who prays for him?” And they do not listen to the voice of their father, though YHWH has delighted to put them to death.

And the youth Samuel is going on and growing up, and [is] good with both YHWH, and also with men.

A Prophecy against the House of Eli

And a man of God comes to Eli and says to him, “Thus said YHWH: Was I really revealed to the house of your father in their being in Egypt, before Pharaoh’s house,

even to choose him out of all the tribes of Israel for a priest for Myself, to go up on My altar, to make incense, to bear an ephod before Me, and I give to the house of your father all the fire-offerings of the sons of Israel?

Why do you kick at My sacrifice and at My offering, which I commanded [in] My habitation, and honor your sons above Me, to make yourselves fat from the first part of every offering of Israel, of My people?

Therefore—a declaration of YHWH, God of Israel—I certainly said, Your house and the house of your father walk up and down before Me for all time; and now—a declaration of YHWH—Far be it from Me! For he who is honoring Me, I honor, and those despising Me, are lightly esteemed.

Behold, days [are] coming, and I have cut off your arm, and the arm of the house of your father, that an old man is not in your house;

and you have beheld an adversary [in My] habitation, in all that He does good with Israel, and there is not an old man in your house all the days.

And the man of yours I do not cut off from My altar—[My purpose is] to consume your eyes, and to grieve your soul; and all the increase of men [in] your house die;

and this [is] the sign to you that comes to your two sons, to Hophni and Phinehas—in one day both of them die;

and I have raised up a steadfast priest for Myself; he does as in My heart and in My soul; and I have built a steadfast house for him, and he has walked up and down before My anointed all the days;

and it has been, everyone who is left in your house comes to bow himself to him for a wage of silver and a cake of bread, and has said, Please admit me to one of the priest’s offices, to eat a morsel of bread.”