1Samuel 2

1 Then Hannah prayed: “My heart exults in the LORD; my strength ^{a2:1 Lit. horn; i.e. a symbol of strength and well-being} is increased by the LORD. I will open my mouth to speak ^{b2:1 The Heb. lacks to speak} against my enemies, because I rejoice in your deliverance.ISV — 1Samuel 2:1

2 Indeed, ^{c2:2 So 4QSama LXX; MT lacks Indeed} there is no one holy like the LORD, indeed, there is no one besides you, there is no rock like our God.ISV — 1Samuel 2:2

3 Don’t continue to talk proudly, and don’t speak arrogantly, for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.ISV — 1Samuel 2:3

4 The bows of warriors are shattered, ^{d2:4 Lit. are shattering; 4QSama reads warriors shatter} but those who stumble are equipped with ^{e2:4 Lit. stumble gird on} strength.ISV — 1Samuel 2:4

5 Those who had an abundance of bread now hire themselves out, and those who were hungry hunger no more. ^{f2:5 Lit. cease} While the barren woman gives birth to seven children, ^{g2:5 The Heb. lacks children} she who had many children languishes.ISV — 1Samuel 2:5

6 The LORD kills and gives life, he brings people down to where the dead are ^{h2:6 Lit. Sheol; i.e. the realm of the dead} and he raises them up.ISV — 1Samuel 2:6

7 The LORD makes people poor and he makes people rich, he brings them low, and he also exalts them.ISV — 1Samuel 2:7

8 He raises the poor up from the dust, he lifts up the needy from the trash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. Indeed the pillars of the earth belong to the LORD, and he has set the world on them.ISV — 1Samuel 2:8

9 He guards the steps ^{i2:9 Lit. feet; cf. 4QSama} of his faithful ones, while the wicked are made silent ^{j2:9 Or are destroyed} in darkness. He grants the request of the one who prays. ^{k2:9 So 4QSama LXX; MT lacks this line} He blesses the year of the righteous. ^{l2:9 So 4QSama LXX; MT lacks this line} Indeed it’s not by strength that a person prevails.ISV — 1Samuel 2:9

10 The LORD will shatter his enemies ^{m2:10 So 4QSama LXX; MT lacks his enemies} —those who contend against him. Who is holy? ^{n2:10 So 4QSama; MT lacks this line; LXX reads The Lord is holy} The one who will thunder ^{o2:10 So MT; or He thundered; 4QSama reads And he thundered} against them in the heavens. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth, he will give strength to his king, and he will increase the strength of His anointed one.”ISV — 1Samuel 2:10

11 Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah, while the boy was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli the priest.ISV — 1Samuel 2:11

12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless men who did not know the LORD.ISV — 1Samuel 2:12

13 The custom of the priests with the people was that whenever a person offered a sacrifice, a servant ^{p2:13 Lit. lad} of the priest would come with a three pronged fork in his hand while the meat was boiling, and ^{q2:13 So 4QSama; 4QSama reads and take; MT LXX read when anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant came while the meat was boiling with a three-pronged fork in his hand.}ISV — 1Samuel 2:13

14 he would stick it into the boiler or pot, ^{r2:14 So 4QSama; MT reads the pan, kettle, caldron, or pot; LXX reads the caldron, kettle, or pot} and take everything ^{s2:14 So 4QSama; MT LXX read the priest took for himself} the fork brought up—that is, the priest would take it for himself. This is what they were supposed to do with all the Israelis who came there to Shiloh.ISV — 1Samuel 2:14

15 But even before they burned the fat, the servant of the priest would come and say to the person offering the sacrifice, “Give me meat to roast for the priest. He won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”ISV — 1Samuel 2:15

16 If the man told him ^{t2:16 So MT; 4QSama reads man answered and told the priest’s servant; LXX reads man who was making the sacrifice told him} , “They must surely ^{u2:16 So MT; 4QSama reads Let the priest LXX reads Let him} burn up the fat first, and then take for yourself whatever ^{v2:16 So MT; 4QSama LXX read everything} you desire,” the servant would say, “No, ^{w2:16 Lit. Rather} give it now, and if you don’t, ^{x2:16 So MT LXX; 4QSama now, or} I’ll take it by force!” ^{y2:16 So MT LXX; 4QSama reads now, or I’ll take the ram by force to give him the meat}ISV — 1Samuel 2:16

17 By doing this, the sin of the young men was very serious in the LORD’s sight because the men ^{z2:17 So MT; 4QSama LXX read because they} despised the LORD’s offering.ISV — 1Samuel 2:17

18 Now Samuel was ministering in the LORD’s presence, as a boy wearing a linen ephod. ^{aa2:18 The ephod was a type of vest normally worn by the Levite priests.}ISV — 1Samuel 2:18

19 His mother would make a small robe for him, and she would bring it each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.ISV — 1Samuel 2:19

20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, ^{bb2:20 So MT; 4QSama reads wife, saying} “May the LORD give ^{cc2:20: So MT; 4QSama read LORD repay you by giving} you descendants ^{dd2:20 Lit. seed} from this woman in place of the one she dedicated ^{ee2:20 So LXX and DSS; MT, he dedicated or asked} to the LORD.” Then they would return to their ^{ff2:20 So MT; 4QSama LXX read his} home. ^{gg2:20 Lit. place}ISV — 1Samuel 2:20

21 The LORD took note of Hannah, ^{hh2:21 So MT; 4QSama LXX read LORD visited} and she became pregnant and gave birth to ^{ii2:21 So MT; 4QSama LXX read she bore more children—} three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel continued to grow, ^{jjSo MT LXX; 4QSama reads grow there} and the LORD was constantly ^{kk2:21 The Heb. lacks constantly} with him.ISV — 1Samuel 2:21

22 Now Eli was very ^{ll2:22 So MT LXX; 4QSama reads was 98 years} old, and he had heard everything that ^{mm2:22 So MT; 4QSama LXX read heard what} his sons were doing ^{nn2:22 So 4QSama; MT reads sons would do} to the Israelis, ^{oo2:22 So 4QSama LXX; MT reads to all of Israel} and how they lay with the women who were serving regularly ^{pp2:22 Lit. who had assembled in order} at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.ISV — 1Samuel 2:22

23 “Why are you doing these things that I’m hearing about?” he asked his sons, ^{qq2:23 Lit. them} “These reports about your evil deeds are coming from all these ^{rr2:23 So MT; 4QSama LXX read from the LORD’s} people!ISV — 1Samuel 2:23

24 No, my sons, I’m not hearing good news being circulated by the LORD’s people.ISV — 1Samuel 2:24

25 If a person sins ^{ss2:25 So MT; 4QSama LXX read sins gravely} against another, God ^{tt2:25 Or a judge} will mediate for him, ^{uu2:25 So MT; 4QSama reads another, he will appeal to the LORD} but if a person sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not follow the advice of ^{vv2:25 So MT LXX; 4QSama lacks the advice of} their father; for the LORD wanted to put them to death.ISV — 1Samuel 2:25

26 But the boy Samuel continued to grow both physically and in favor with the LORD and the people.ISV — 1Samuel 2:26

27 A man of God came to Eli, saying to him, ^{ww2:27 So MT; 4QSama LXX read Eli and said} “This is what the LORD says: ‘When they were in Egypt and slaves ^{xx2:27 So LXX and DSS; the Heb. lacks slaves} to the house of Pharaoh, did I not reveal ^{yy2:27 So MT; 4QSama LXX read Pharaoh, I did indeed} to the family of your ancestor Aaron ^{zz2:27 The Heb. lacks Aaron}ISV — 1Samuel 2:27

28 that I had chosen him ^{aaa2:28 So MT; 4QSama LXX read chosen your father’s house} out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer up burnt offerings on my altar, burn incense, and carry ^{bbb2:28 So MT; 4QSama LXX read wear} the ephod in my presence? And did I not give to your ancestors’ family all the Israeli fire-offerings?ISV — 1Samuel 2:28

29 Why, then, do all of you show contempt for ^{ccc2:29 Lit. do you (pl.) tread down; 4QSama LXX read do you (sing) look down on} my sacrifice and offering that I’ve commanded for my ^{ddd2:29 The Heb. lacks my} dwelling? And you honor your sons more than me in order to fatten yourselves ^{eee2:29 So MT; 4QSama reads yourself} from the best of all the offerings of my people Israel.’ ^{fff2:29 So MT; 4QSama LXX read Israel in my presence}ISV — 1Samuel 2:29

30 “Therefore, the LORD God of Israel has declared, ‘I did, in fact, say ^{ggg2:30 So MT LXX; 4QSama reads seek} that your family and your ancestor’s family would walk before me forever,’ but now the LORD declares, ‘Far be it from me! The one who honors me I’ll honor, and the one who despises me is to be treated with contempt.ISV — 1Samuel 2:30

31 The time is coming when I’ll cut away ^{hhh2:21 So MT; 4QSama LXX read away your strength and the strength of your father’s house} at your family ^{iii2:31 Lit. arm} and your ancestor’s family ^{jjj2:31 Lit. arm} until there are no old men left in your family.ISV — 1Samuel 2:31

32 Distress will settle down to live in your household, and despite all the good that I do for Israel, ^{kkk2:32 Or you are to look with envy on all that happens good with Israel, and} there will never be an old man in your family forever, and you will never again have an old man in my house. ^{lll2:32 So 4QSama LXX; MT reads left in my dwelling. You will look in distress at all the prosperity given to Israel, while there never again will be an old man in your house}ISV — 1Samuel 2:32

33 Any of you whom I don’t eliminate from serving at my altar will grow tired from weeping, ^{mmm2:33 The Heb. lacks from weeping} and their ^{nnn2:33 Lit. your} souls will grieve. All the increase of your family will die by violence. ^{ooo2:33 Lit. by the sword; so with LXX and DSS; MT die like men}ISV — 1Samuel 2:33

34 Here’s a sign for you—your two sons Hophni and Phineas will both die on the same day!ISV — 1Samuel 2:34

35 And I’ll raise up for myself a faithful ^{ppp2:35 Or an enduring; MT word translated faithful here is translated enduring later in this verse.} priest who will do according to what is in my heart and according to my desire. I’ll build for him an enduring ^{qqq2:35 Or faithful; MT word translated enduring here is translated faithful earlier in this verse.} house and he will walk before my anointed one forever.ISV — 1Samuel 2:35

36 Anyone who remains in your family will come and prostrate themselves before him for a small wage ^{rrr2:36 Lit. a payment of silver} or a loaf of bread and will say, ^{sss2:36 So MT; 4QSama LXX read bread, saying} “Please put me in one of the priest’s offices so I can eat a piece of bread.”’”ISV — 1Samuel 2:36