1Samuel 2

Hannah’s Prayer

2And Hannah prayed and said, "My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is exalted in the LORD. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.H2584H6419H559H3820H5970H3068H7161H7311H3068H6310H7337H341H8055H34442"There is none holy like the LORD; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.H6918H3068H1115H6697H4303Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.H1696H7235H1364H1364H6277H3318H6310H3068H410H1844H5949H85054The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength.H7198H1368H2844H3782H247H24285Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.H7649H7936H3899H7457H2308H6135H3205H7651H7227H1121H5356The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.H3068H4191H2421H3381H7585H59277The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.H3068H3423H6238H8213H637H73118He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and on them he has set the world.H6965H1800H6083H7311H34H830H3427H5081H5157H3678H3519H4690H776H3068H7896H83989"He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.H8104H7272H2623H7563H1826H2822H3581H376H139610The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the power of his anointed."H7378H3068H2865H8064H7481H3068H1777H657H776H5414H5797H4428H7311H7161H489911Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy ministered to the LORD in the presence of Eli the priest.H511H3212H7414H1004H5288H1961H8334H3068H6440H5941H3548

Eli’s Worthless Sons

12Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the LORD.H1121H5941H1121H1100H3045H306813The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand,H3548H4941H5971H376H2076H2077H3548H5288H935H1320H1310H4207H7969H8127H302714and he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.H5221H3595H1731H7037H6517H4207H5927H3548H3947H6213H7887H3478H93515Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, "Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw."H6999H2459H3548H5288H935H559H376H2076H5414H1320H6740H3548H3947H1310H1320H241616And if the man said to him, "Let them burn the fat first, and then take as much as you wish," he would say, "No, you must give it now, and if not, I will take it by force."H376H559H6999H6999H2459H3117H3947H5315H183H559H5414H3947H239417Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD, for the men treated the offering of the LORD with contempt.H2403H5288H3966H1419H6440H3068H582H5006H4503H306818Samuel was ministering before the LORD, a boy clothed with a linen ephod.H8050H8334H6440H3068H5288H2296H906H64619And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.H517H6213H6996H4598H5927H3117H3117H5927H376H2076H3117H207720Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, "May the LORD give you children by this woman for the petition she asked of the LORD." So then they would return to their home.H5941H1288H511H802H559H3068H7760H2233H802H7596H7592H3068H1980H472521Indeed the LORD visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the young man Samuel grew in the presence of the LORD.H3588H3068H6485H2584H2029H3205H7969H1121H8147H1323H5288H8050H1431H5973H3068

Eli Rebukes His Sons

22Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting.H5941H3966H2204H8085H1121H6213H3478H7901H802H6633H6607H168H415023And he said to them, "Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people.H559H6213H1697H8085H7451H1697H597124No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the LORD spreading abroad.H1121H2896H8052H8085H3068H5971H567425If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?" But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the LORD to put them to death.H376H2398H376H430H6419H376H2398H3068H6419H8085H6963H1H3068H2654H419126Now the young man Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the LORD and also with man.H5288H8050H1432H1980H2896H3068H582

The Lord Rejects Eli’s Household

27And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, "Thus the LORD has said, 'Did I indeed reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt subject to the house of Pharaoh?H935H376H430H5941H559H559H3068H1540H1540H1004H1H4714H6547H100428Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel.H977H7626H3478H3548H5927H4196H6999H7004H5375H646H6440H5414H1004H1H801H1121H347829Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?'H1163H2077H4503H6680H4583H3513H1121H1254H7225H4503H3478H597130Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: 'I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,' but now the LORD declares: 'Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.H3068H430H3478H5002H559H559H1004H1004H1H1980H6440H5704H5769H3068H5002H2486H3513H3513H959H704331Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father's house, so that there will not be an old man in your house.H3117H935H1438H2220H2220H1H1004H2205H100432Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever.H5027H6862H4583H3190H3478H2205H1004H311733The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants of your house shall die by the sword of men.H376H3772H4196H3615H5869H109H5315H4768H1004H4191H58234And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day.H226H935H8147H1121H2652H6372H259H3117H4191H814735And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever.H6965H539H3548H6213H3824H5315H1129H539H1004H1980H6440H4899H311736And everyone who is left in your house shall come to implore him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and shall say, "Please put me in one of the priests' places, that I may eat a morsel of bread."'"H3498H1004H935H7812H95H3701H3603H3899H559H5596H259H3550H398H6595H3899