1 Samuel
2 And Hannah prayed and said
“My heart exults in Jehovah, my horn is uplifted in Jehovah,
my mouth opens wide against my enemies, because
I rejoice in your deliverance.
2 There is no Holy One like Jehovah; for there is none but you;
and there is no Rock like our God.
3 Talk not overmuch loftily, loftily, arrogance coming
out of your mouths;
for Jehovah is a God of knowledge; and are not
deeds measured out?
5* Well-fed men have hired themselves out for bread, and
hungry men have ceased;
even the barren has borne seven, and she who had
many children is forlorn.
6 Jehovah puts to death and brings to life,
brings down to the world below, and up.
7 Jehovah impoverishes and enriches,
abases and exalts,
8 Lifts the poor man from the dust, raises the needy
man from the rubbish-dump,
to seat him with nobles and allot to him a throne of glory;
For the pillars of the earth are Jehovah’s,
and he has set the world upon them.
9* He guards the feet of his godly, and ungodly men are
stilled in darkness; for not by strength does a man prevail.
10* Jehovah strikes with dismay the one who contends with him,
thunders over him in the sky;
Jehovah pronounces judgment for the ends of the earth,
to give power to his king and uplift the horn of his anointed.”
11 And she left him there before Jehovah and went to Ramah.
And the boy officiated in the service of Jehovah before Priest ʽEli. 12 And ʽEli’s sons were reprobates who did not know Jehovah 13 nor the due of the priest from the people; when any man was offering a sacrifice, the priest’s man would come when they were boiling the flesh, with the three-tined fork in his hand, 14* and strike it into the kettle or pipkin or caldron or stewpan; whatever the fork brought up, the priest took to himself. Thus they did to all Israel who came there to Shiloh. 15 Even before they had burned the fat, the priest’s man would come and say to the man who was sacrificing “Give flesh to roast for the priest, so that he shall not get boiled flesh from you, but raw.” 16 And the man would say “They have to burn the fat first; then take whatever you like.” And he would say “No, you are to give it now; if not, I take it by force.” 17 And the young men’s sin was very great before Jehovah, because people held Jehovah’s offerings in contempt.
18 And Samuel, a boy belted with a white linen ephod, was officiating before Jehovah. 19 And his mother made him a little robe and brought it up to him when she came up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. 20* And ʽEli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said “May Jehovah repay you with offspring by this woman for the grant that has been made to Jehovah.” And they went to their place. 21 And Jehovah visited Hannah, and she conceived and had three sons and two daughters; and the boy Samuel grew up with Jehovah.
22 And ʽEli, who was very old, used to hear of all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and their lying with the women who did duty at the door of the Tent of Meeting; 23 and he said to them “Why do you do such things as these, that I hear these bad things about you from all the people? 24 Do not do it, my sons; for the report that I hear Jehovah’s people circulating is not good. 25 If a man sins against a man, God will mediate; but if a man sins against Jehovah, who shall mediate for him?” but his sons would not obey their father, because it was Jehovah’s pleasure to cause their death. 26 And the boy Samuel went on pleasing both Jehovah and men.
27* And a man of God came to ʽEli and said to him “Says Jehovah, I did reveal myself to your family when they were in Egypt, the Pharaoh’s home, 28* and chose it out of all the tribes of Israel to be priests to me, to go up my altar, to burn incense and bear an ephod before me, and gave your family all the fire-offerings of the sons of Israel. 29* Why do you look askance at my sacrifices and offerings which I have ordained, and rank your sons above me, fattening them on the prime of the offerings of Israel my people? 30 So Israel’s God Jehovah quoth, I did say your family, your own and the family you come of, should walk before me forever; but now, quoth Jehovah, away with the thought; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be of little account. 31 Here are days coming when I will hew off your arm and the arm of your kin, that there shall never be an old man in your family in all time. 32* —— 33** But not every man of yours will I cut off from my altar, to consume your eyes and to famish your soul; but all the main body of your family shall die by the sword of men. 34 And this is the token you are to have, what shall come to your two sons Hophni and Pinehas: they shall both die in one day. 35 And I will set up for myself a steadfast priest; he shall do as is in my heart and mind; and I will build him a steadfast house, and he shall walk before my anointed for all time. 36 And whoever is left in your family shall come to do reverence to him for a bit of silver and a biscuit, and shall say ‘Please attach me to one of the priestly offices, so that I can eat a morsel of bread.’”