1 Samuel 2:1–21
1 Then Hannah aprayed and said,
“My heart exults in the Lord;
bMy 1horn is exalted in the Lord,
My mouth 2speaks boldly against my enemies,
Because cI rejoice in Your salvation.
2 “aThere is no one holy like the Lord,
Indeed, bthere is no one besides You,
cNor is there any rock like our God.
3 “1Boast no more so very proudly,
aDo not let arrogance come out of your mouth;
bFor the Lord is a God of knowledge,
cAnd with Him actions are weighed.
4 “aThe bows of the mighty are shattered,
bBut the feeble gird on strength.
5 “Those who were full hire themselves out for bread,
But those who were hungry cease to hunger.
aEven the barren gives birth to seven,
But bshe who has many children languishes.
6 “aThe Lord kills and makes alive;
bHe brings down to 1Sheol and raises up.
7 “aThe Lord makes poor and rich;
bHe brings low, He also exalts.
8 “aHe raises the poor from the dust,
bHe lifts the needy from the ash heap
cTo make them sit with nobles,
And inherit a seat of honor;
dFor the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
And He set the world on them.
9 “aHe keeps the feet of His godly ones,
bBut the wicked ones are silenced in darkness;
cFor not by might shall a man prevail.
10 “aThose who contend with the Lord will be shattered;
bAgainst them He will thunder in the heavens,
cThe Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
dAnd He will give strength to His king,
eAnd will exalt the 1horn of His anointed.”
11 Then Elkanah went to his home at aRamah. bBut the boy ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest.
12 Now the sons of Eli were 1aworthless men; they did not know the Lord
13 aand the custom of the priests with the people. When any man was offering a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand.
14 Then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. Thus they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.
15 Also, before athey burned the fat, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest meat for roasting, as he will not take boiled meat from you, only raw.”
16 If the man said to him, “They must surely 1burn the fat 2first, and then take as much as 3you desire,” then he would say, “No, but you shall give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force.”
17 Thus the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for the men adespised the offering of the Lord.
Samuel before the Lord as a Boy
18 Now aSamuel was ministering before the Lord, as a boy 1bwearing a linen ephod.
19 And his mother would make him a little arobe and bring it to him from year to year when she would come up with her husband to offer bthe yearly sacrifice.
20 Then Eli would abless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the Lord give you 1children from this woman in place of 2the one she bdedicated to the Lord.” And they went to their own 3home.
21 aThe Lord visited Hannah; and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And bthe boy Samuel grew before the Lord.