I Samuel 2

1. And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart rejoices in the LORD, my horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth is enlarged over my enemies because I rejoice in Your salvation.

2. There is none holy as the LORD, for there is none beside You. Neither is there any rock like our God.

3. Talk no more so very proudly. Remove arrogance out of your mouth, for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed.

4. The bows of the mighty are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

5. They that were full have hired themselves out for bread, and they that were hungry have ceased to hunger; yea, while even the barren has borne seven, and she who had many sons has languished.

6. The LORD kills and makes alive. He brings down to the grave and brings up.

7. The LORD takes away, and He gives riches; He brings low; yea, He lifts up high.

8. He raises up the poor out of the dust; He lifts up the needy from the dunghill to set them among princes; yea, He causes them to inherit a throne of honor, for to the LORD belong the pillars of the earth; and He sets the habitable world upon them.

9. He keeps the feet of His saints, and the wicked are silenced in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

10. The foes of the LORD shall be broken to pieces. He thunders in the heavens upon them. The LORD shall judge the ends of the earth. And He shall give strength to His king, and exalts the horn of His anointed.”

11. And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child served the LORD before Eli the priest.

12. And the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the LORD.

13. And the priests’ custom with the people was: If any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came while the flesh was boiling, with a fleshhook of three prongs in his hand.

14. And he stuck it into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot. All that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites that came there.

15. Yea, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant came and said to the man who sacrificed, “Give flesh to roast for the priest, for he will not have boiled flesh from you, but raw!”

16. And if any man said to him, “Let them not fail to burn the fat at once, and then take as your soul desires,” then he would answer him, “No! But you shall give now! And if not, I will take it by force.”

17. And the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for men despised the offering of the LORD.

18. And Samuel served before the LORD, a child girded with a linen ephod.

19. And his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

20. And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, “May the LORD give you seed of this woman for the loan which is loaned to the LORD.” And they went to their own home.

21. And the LORD visited Hannah so that she conceived, and she bore three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.

22. And Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who gathered at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

23. And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings by all the people.

24. No, my sons, for it is no good report that I hear. You make the LORD’S people to transgress.

25. If one man sins against another, the judge shall judge him. But if a man sins against the LORD, who shall plead for him?” But they did not hearken to the voice of their father because the LORD desired to slay them.As punishment for their grievous sins

26. And the child Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor, both with the LORD and also with men.

27. And there came a man of God to Eli, and said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Did I plainly appear to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house?

28. And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before Me? And did I give to the house of your father all the offerings made by fire from the children of Israel?

29. Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering, which I have commanded in My house? Do you honor your sons above Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?

30. Wherefore the LORD God of Israel says, ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever.’ But now the LORD says, ‘Far be it from Me! For those who honor Me I will honor, and those that think little of Me shall be lightly regarded.

31. Behold, the days come when I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, so that no old man shall be in your house.

32. And you shall see with an envious eye, a rival in My house in all the good which he does with Israel. And there shall not be an old man in your house forever.

33. And that man of yours whom I shall not cut off from My altar shall be left in order to make your eyes fail and to grieve your heart. And all the increase of your house shall die young men.

34. And this shall be a sign to you, which shall come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day both of them shall die.

35. And I will raise up a faithful priest to Myself, one 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 walk before My anointed forever.

36. And it shall be that everyone who is left in your house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a piece of bread. And they shall say, “Please put me into one of the priests’ offices so that I may eat a piece of bread.” ’ ”