Chapter 2

And Hannah prayed,¹⁰¹ and said,⁴ My heart rejoiceth¹ in the LORD, mine horn is exalted¹ in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged¹ over mine enemies;⁶ because I rejoice¹ in thy salvation.

[There is] none holy as the LORD: for [there is] none beside thee: neither [is there] any rock like our God.

Talk¹⁷ no more⁵⁵ so exceeding proudly; let [not] arrogancy come out⁴ of your mouth: for the LORD [is] a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.⁸

The bows of the mighty men [are] broken, and they that stumbled¹² are girded¹ with strength.

[They that were] full have hired out⁸ themselves for bread; and [they that were] hungry ceased:¹ so that the barren hath born¹ seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.⁴⁹

The LORD killeth,⁵⁶ and maketh alive:¹⁸ he bringeth down⁵⁶ to the grave, and bringeth up.⁵⁵

The LORD maketh poor,⁵⁶ and maketh rich:⁵⁶ he bringeth low,⁵⁶ and lifteth up.³⁵

He raiseth up⁵⁶ the poor out of the dust, [and] lifteth up⁵⁵ the beggar from the dunghill, to set⁵³ [them] among princes, and to make them inherit⁵⁵ the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth [are] the LORD'S, and he hath set⁴ the world upon them.

He will keep⁴ the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent¹¹ in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.⁴

The adversaries⁵⁶ of the LORD shall be broken to pieces;¹¹ out of heaven shall he thunder⁵⁵ upon them: the LORD shall judge⁴ the ends of the earth; and he shall give⁴ strength unto his king, and exalt⁵⁵ the horn of his anointed.

And Elkanah went⁴ to Ramah to his house. And the child did¹ minister¹⁸ unto the LORD before Eli the priest.

Now the sons of Eli [were] sons of Belial; they knew¹ not the LORD.

And the priests' custom with the people [was, that], when any man offered⁶ sacrifice, the priest's servant came,¹ while the flesh was in seething,¹⁵ with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;

And he struck⁵² [it] into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up⁵⁵ the priest took⁴ for himself. So they did⁴ in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came⁶ thither.

Also before they burnt⁵⁵ the fat, the priest's servant came,¹ and said¹ to the man that sacrificed,⁶ Give³ flesh to roast² for the priest; for he will not have⁴ sodden³⁰ flesh of thee, but raw.

And [if] any man said⁴ unto him, Let them not fail¹⁵ to burn⁵⁵ the fat presently, and [then] take³ [as much] as thy soul desireth;¹⁷ then he would answer¹ him, [Nay]; but thou shalt give⁴ [it me] now: and if not, I will take¹ [it] by force.

Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred¹⁴ the offering of the LORD.

But Samuel ministered¹⁸ before the LORD, [being] a child, girded⁷ with a linen ephod.

Moreover his mother made⁴ him a little coat, and brought⁵² [it] to him from year to year, when she came up² with her husband to offer² the yearly sacrifice.

And Eli blessed¹⁴ Elkanah and his wife, and said,¹ The LORD give⁴ thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent¹ to the LORD. And they went¹ unto their own home.

And the LORD visited¹ Hannah, so that she conceived,⁴ and bare⁴ three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew⁴ before the LORD.

Now Eli was very old,¹ and heard¹ all that his sons did⁴ unto all Israel; and how they lay⁴ with the women that assembled⁶ [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

And he said⁴ unto them, Why do⁴ ye such things? for I hear⁶ of your evil dealings by all this people.

Nay, my sons; for [it is] no good report that I hear:⁶ ye make the LORD'S people to transgress.⁵⁶

If one man sin⁴ against another, the judge shall judge¹⁴ him: but if a man sin⁴ against the LORD, who shall intreat¹⁰¹ for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened⁴ not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would¹ slay⁵³ them.

And the child Samuel grew on,⁶ and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.

And there came⁴ a man of God unto Eli, and said⁴ unto him, Thus saith¹ the LORD, Did I plainly⁹ appear⁸ unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?

And did I choose² him out of all the tribes of Israel [to be] my priest, to offer² upon mine altar, to burn⁵³ incense, to wear² an ephod before me? and did I give⁴ unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?

Wherefore kick⁴ ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded¹⁴ [in my] habitation; and honourest¹⁷ thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat⁵³ with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?

Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith,⁷ I said¹ indeed² [that] thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk¹⁰¹ before me for ever: but now the LORD saith,⁷ Be it far from me; for them that honour¹⁸ me I will honour,¹⁷ and they that despise⁶ me shall be lightly esteemed.⁴

Behold, the days come,⁶ that I will cut off¹ thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.

And thou shalt see⁵² an enemy [in my] habitation, in all [the wealth] which [God] shall give⁵⁵ Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever. ³¹¹⁷

And the man of thine, [whom] I shall not cut off⁵⁵ from mine altar, [shall be] to consume¹⁵ thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die⁴ in the flower of their age.

And this [shall be] a sign unto thee, that shall come⁴ upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die⁴ both of them.

And I will raise me up⁵² a faithful¹² priest, [that] shall do⁴ according to [that] which [is] in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build¹ him a sure¹² house; and he shall walk⁹⁸ before mine anointed for ever. ³¹¹⁷

And it shall come to pass, [that] every one that is left¹² in thine house shall come⁴ [and] crouch⁹⁹ to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say,¹ Put³ me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat² a piece of bread.