1 Samuel 2

Hannah’s Song of Thanksgiving

1Hannah prayed and said,

“My heart rejoices and triumphs in the Lord;

My horn (strength) is lifted up in the Lord,

My mouth has opened wide [to speak boldly] against my enemies,

Because I rejoice in Your salvation.

2There is no one holy like the Lord,

There is no one besides You,

There is no Rock like our God.

3Do not go on boasting so very proudly,

Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth;

For the Lord is a God of knowledge,

And by Him actions are weighed (examined).

4The bows of the mighty are #Or filled with terror.broken,

But those who have stumbled equip themselves with strength.

5Those who were full hire themselves out for bread,

But those who were hungry cease [to hunger].

Even the barren [woman] gives birth to seven,

But she who has many children withers away.

6The Lord puts to death and makes alive;

He brings down to Sheol (the grave) and raises up [from the grave].

7The Lord makes poor and makes rich;

He brings low and He lifts up.

8He raises up the poor from the dust,

He lifts up the needy from the ash heap

To make them sit with nobles,

And inherit a seat of honor and glory;

For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,

And He set the land on them.

9He guards the feet of His godly (faithful) ones,

But the wicked ones are silenced and perish in darkness;

For a man shall not prevail by might.

10The adversaries of the Lord will be broken to pieces;

He will thunder against them in the heavens,

The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;

And He will give strength to His #This would first apply to Saul, whom Samuel would anoint as king of Israel (10:1), and then to David (16:13) and other earthly kings. Ultimately it can be applied to Christ, who will rule over Israel and the world.king,

And will exalt the horn (strength) of His anointed.”

11Elkanah [and his wife Hannah] returned to Ramah to his house. But the child [Samuel] served the Lord #Lit in the presence of.under the guidance of Eli the priest.

The Sin of Eli’s Sons

12The sons of Eli [Hophni and Phinehas] were #Lit sons of Belial.worthless (dishonorable, unprincipled) men; they did not know [nor respect] the Lord 13and the custom of the priests with [the sacrifices of] the people. When any man was offering a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged [meat] fork in his hand; 14then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; everything that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did in Shiloh to all [the sacrifices of] the #In general, sons of Israel or Israel or Israelites refers to all the people (males and females) of the various tribes descended from the twelve sons (Gen 35:23-26) of Jacob (later renamed Israel by God). In verses concerning things such as warfare or circumcision sons of Israel or Israel or Israelites usually refers only to the males. Tribes of ancient people were identified by the name of their founding ancestor. Therefore, this same general rule applies when referring to individual tribal groups, e.g. sons of Reuben, Reuben, Reubenites and so throughout.Israelites who came there. 15Also, before they burned (offered) the fat, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest meat to roast, since he will not accept boiled meat from you, only raw.” 16If the man said to him, “#The Law of Moses required all the fat to be burned on the altar as an offering to God (Lev 3:16), so the worshiper would be reluctant to agree to the priest’s demand.Certainly they are to burn (offer) the fat first, and then you may take as much as #Lit your soul wants.you want,” then the priest’s servant would say, “No! You shall give it to me now or I will take it by force.” 17So the sin of the [two] young men [Hophni and Phinehas] was very great before the Lord, for the men treated the offering of the Lord disrespectfully.

Samuel before the Lord as a Boy

18Now Samuel was ministering before the Lord, as a child dressed in a linen ephod [a sacred item of priestly clothing]. 19Moreover, his mother would make him a little robe and would bring it up to him each year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the Lord give you children by this woman in place of the one she asked for which was dedicated to the Lord.” Then they would return to their own home.

21And [the time came when] the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew before the Lord.

Eli Rebukes His Sons

22Now Eli was very old; and he heard about everything that his sons were doing to all [the people of] Israel, and how they were lying with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle). 23Eli said to them, “Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people? 24No, my sons; for the report that I keep hearing from the passers-by among the Lord’s people is not good. 25If one man does wrong and sins against another, God will intercede (arbitrate) for him; but if a man does wrong to the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to their father, #Sometimes, when a person has deliberately and repeatedly violated God’s law, God may allow him to be even more determined to continue his sinful ways.for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.

26But the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor both with the Lord and with men.

27Then a man of God (prophet) came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Did I not plainly reveal Myself to the house of your father (ancestor) when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house? 28Moreover, #From the tribe of Levi God designated Aaron and his descendants to serve as priests.I selected 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. And [from then on] I gave to the house of your father all the fire offerings of the sons of Israel. 29Why then do you kick at (despise) My sacrifice and My offering which I commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, by fattening yourselves with the choicest part of every offering of My people Israel?’ 30Therefore the Lord God of Israel declares, ‘I did indeed say that your house and that of [Aaron] your father would walk [in priestly service] 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 will be insignificant and contemptible. 31Behold, the time is 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. 32You will look at the distress of My #Lit dwelling.house (the tabernacle), in spite of all the good which God will do for Israel, and there will never again be an old man in your house. 33Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar; your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul will grieve, and all those born in your house will die as men [in the prime of life]. 34This will be the sign to you which shall come concerning your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: on the same day both of them shall die. 35But I will raise up for Myself a #This person is not identified by name, but most scholars consider this prophecy fulfilled by Zadok, a priest during the reign of King David, who became high priest under Solomon. His descendants continued in service to God for many generations.faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and I will build him a permanent and enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed #Lit all the days.forever. 36And it will happen that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread and say, “Please assign me to one of the priest’s offices so I may eat a piece of bread.” ’ ”

Currently Selected:

1 Samuel 2: AMP

Highlight

Copy

Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in

Amplified® Bible

The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631

Learn More About Amplified Bible

1 Samuel 2

1 # Lk 1.46-55. Hannah prayed:

You make me strong

and happy, Lord.

You rescued me.

Now I can be glad

and laugh at my enemies.

2No other god#2.2 god: The Hebrew text has “holy one,” a term for supernatural beings or gods. is like you.

And with you we are safer

than on a high mountain.#2.2 mountain: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 2.

3I can tell those proud people,

“Stop your boasting!

Nothing is hidden from the Lord,

and he judges what we do.”

4Our Lord, you break

the bows of warriors,

but you give strength

to everyone who stumbles.

5People who once

had plenty to eat

must now hire themselves out

for only a piece of bread.

But you give the hungry more

than enough to eat.

A woman did not have a child,

and you gave her seven,

but a woman who had many

was left with none.

6 # Ws 16.13; Tb 13.2. You take away life,

and you give life.

You send people down

to the world of the dead

and bring them back again.

7Our Lord, you are the one

who makes us rich or poor.

You put some in high positions

and bring disgrace on others.

8You lift the poor and homeless

out of the garbage dump

and give them places of honor

in royal palaces.

You set the world on foundations,

and they belong to you.

9You protect your loyal people,

but everyone who is evil

will die in darkness.

We cannot win a victory

by our own strength.

10Our Lord, those who attack you

will be broken in pieces

when you fight back

with thunder from heaven.

You will judge the whole earth

and give power and strength

to your chosen king.

Samuel Stays with Eli

11Elkanah and Hannah went back home to Ramah, but the boy Samuel stayed to help Eli serve the Lord.

Eli's Sons

12-13Eli's sons were priests, but they were dishonest and refused to obey the Lord. So, while people were boiling the meat from their sacrifices, these priests would send over a servant with a large, three-pronged fork. 14The servant would stick the fork into the cooking pot, and whatever meat came out on the fork was taken back to Eli's two sons. That was how they treated every Israelite who came to offer sacrifices in Shiloh. 15Sometimes, when people were offering sacrifices, the servant would come over, even before the fat had been cut off and sacrificed to the Lord.#2.15 sacrificed to the Lord: The fat belonged to the Lord and was supposed to be burned as a sacrifice before the rest of the animal was cooked and eaten (see Leviticus 3.3,4,9,10,14,15).

Then the servant would tell them, “The priest doesn't want his meat boiled! Give him some raw meat that he can roast!”

16Usually the people answered, “Take what you want. But first, let us sacrifice the fat to the Lord.”

“No,” the servant would reply. “If you don't give it to me now, I'll take it by force.”

17Eli's sons did not show any respect for the sacrifices that the people offered. This was a terrible sin, and it made the Lord very angry.

Hannah Visits Samuel

18The boy Samuel served the Lord and wore a special linen garment#2.18 a special linen garment: Either a loin cloth or a jacket or a vest worn only by priests. 19and the clothes#2.19 clothes: The Hebrew word means a sleeveless coat or robe that was worn by priests. Samuel was a small child, but his mother made him clothes just like those worn by priests. his mother made for him. She brought new clothes every year, when she and her husband came to offer sacrifices at Shiloh.

20Eli always blessed Elkanah and his wife and said, “Samuel was born in answer to your prayers. Now you have given him to the Lord. I pray that the Lord will bless you with more children to take his place.” After Eli had blessed them, Elkanah and Hannah would return home.

21The Lord was kind to Hannah, and she had three more sons and two daughters. But Samuel grew up at the Lord's house in Shiloh.

Eli Warns His Sons

22Eli was now very old, and he heard what his sons were doing to the people of Israel.#2.22 Israel: The Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation; the Standard Hebrew Text adds “He heard that his sons were even sleeping with the women who worked at the entrance to the sacred tent.” 23-24“Why are you doing these awful things?” he asked them. “I've been hearing nothing but complaints about you from all of the Lord's people. 25If you harm another person, God can help make things right between the two of you. But if you commit a crime against the Lord, no one can help you!”

But the Lord had already decided to kill them. So he kept them from listening to their father.

A Prophet Speaks to Eli

26 # Si 46.13; Lk 2.52. Each day, as Samuel grew older, the Lord was pleased with him, and so were the people.

27One day a prophet came to Eli and gave him this message from the Lord:

When your ancestors were slaves of the king of Egypt, I came and showed them who I am. 28-29#Ex 28.1-4; Lv 7.35,36. Out of all the tribes of Israel, I chose your family to be my priests. I wanted them to offer sacrifices and burn incense to me and to find out from me what I want my people to do. I commanded everyone to bring their sacrifices here where I live, and I allowed you and your family to keep those that were not offered to me on the altar.

But you honor your sons instead of me! You don't respect#2.28,29 don't respect: The Standard Hebrew Text; the Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation “are greedy for.” the sacrifices and offerings that are brought to me, and you've all grown fat from eating the best parts.

30I am the Lord, the God of Israel. I promised to always let your family serve me as priests, but now I tell you that I cannot do this any longer! I honor anyone who honors me, but I put a curse on anyone who hates me. 31The time will come when I will kill you and everyone else in your family. Not one of you will live to an old age.

32Your family#2.32 Your family: Or “My house of worship.” will have a lot of trouble. I will be kind to Israel,#2.31,32 Not one … to Israel: The Standard Hebrew Text; the Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation do not have these words. but everyone in your family will die young. 33If I let anyone from your family be a priest, his#2.33 his: The Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation; the Standard Hebrew Text “your.” life will be full of sadness and sorrow. But most of the men in your family will die a violent death!#2.33 die a violent death: The Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation; the Standard Hebrew Text “die.” 34#1 S 4.11. To prove to you that I will do these things, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will die on the same day.

35I have chosen someone else to be my priest, someone who will be faithful and obey me. I will always let his family serve as priests and help my chosen king. 36But if anyone is left from your family, he will come to my priest and beg for money or a little bread. He may even say to my priest, “Please let me be a priest, so I will at least have something to eat.”

Currently Selected:

Highlight

Copy

Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in

Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)

Learn More About Contemporary English Version