1 Samuel 2

1 My heart hath rejoiced in the Lord, and my horn is exalted in my God: my mouth is enlarged over my enemies: because I have joyed in thy salvation.

Then Hannah prayed, and said: "My heart rejoices in YHWH. My strength rises up in my God. My mouth boasts over my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.

2 There is none holy as the Lord is: for there is no other beside thee, and there is none strong like our God.

Truly, there is no one as holy as YHWH. Truly, there is no one besides you, nor is there any rock like our God.

3 Do not multiply to speak lofty things, boasting: let old matters depart from your mouth: for the Lord is a God of all knowledge, and to him are thoughts prepared.

"Do not keep speaking proudly. Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth, for YHWH is a God of knowledge. By him actions are weighed.

4 The bow of the mighty is overcome, and the weak are girt with strength.

"The bows of the mighty men are broken. Those who stumbled are armed with strength.

5 They that were full before have hired out themselves for bread: and the hungry are filled, so that the barren hath borne many: and she that had many children is weakened.

Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread. Those who were hungry are satisfied. Even the barren has borne seven, and she who has many children languishes.

6 The Lord killeth and maketh alive, he bringeth down to hell and bringeth back again. (Sheol h7585)

"YHWH kills, and makes alive. He brings down to Sheol, and brings up. (Sheol h7585)

7 The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich, he humbleth and he exalteth.

YHWH makes poor, and makes rich. He brings low, he also lifts up.

8 He raiseth up the needy from the dust, and lifteth up the poor from the dunghill: that he may sit with princes, and hold the throne of glory. For the poles of the earth are the Lord’s, and upon them he hath set the world.

He raises up the poor out of the dust. He lifts up the needy from the dunghill, To make them sit with princes, and inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are YHWH's. He has set the world on them.

9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness, because no man shall prevail by his own strength.

He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked will be put to silence in darkness. For no man will prevail by strength.

10 The adversaries of the Lord shall fear him: and upon them shall he thunder in the heavens. The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth, and he shall give empire to his king, and shall exalt the horn of his Christ.

Those who strive with YHWH will be broken to pieces. He will thunder against them in the sky. "YHWH will judge the farthest parts of the earth. He will give strength to his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed."

11 And Elcana went to Ramatha, to his house: but the child ministered in the sight of the Lord before the face of Heli the priest.

And she went to Ramah, while the child served YHWH before Eli the priest.

12 Now the sons of Heli were children of Belial, not knowing the Lord,

Now the sons of Eli were worthless men; they did not know YHWH.

13 Nor the office of the priests to the people: but whosoever had offered a sacrifice, the servant of the priest came, while the flesh was in boiling, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand,

The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was boiling, with a fork of three teeth in his hand;

14 And thrust it into the kettle, or into the caldron, or into the pot, or into the pan: and all that the fleshhook brought up, the priest took to himself. Thus did they to all Israel that came to Silo.

and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest took therewith. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.

15 Also before they burnt the fat, the servant of the priest came, and said to the man that sacrificed: Give me flesh to boil for the priest: for I will not take of thee sodden flesh, but raw.

Yes, before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed, "Give meat to roast for the priest; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but raw."

16 And he that sacrificed said to him: Let the fat first be burnt today according to the custom, and then take as much as thy soul desireth. But he answered and said to him: Not so: but thou shalt give it me now, or else I will take it by force.

If the man said to him, "Let the fat be burned first, and then take all of it which your soul desires"; then he would say, "No, but you shall give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force."

17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was exceeding great before the Lord: because they withdrew men from the sacrifice of the Lord.

The sin of the young men was very great before YHWH; for they despised the offering of YHWH.

18 But Samuel ministered before the face of the Lord: being a child girded with a linen ephod.

But Samuel ministered before YHWH, being a child, clothed with a linen ephod.

19 And his mother made him a little coat, which she brought to him on the appointed days, when she went up with her husband, to offer the solemn sacrifice.

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

20 And Heli blessed Elcana and his wife: and he said to him: The Lord give thee seed of this woman, for the loan thou hast lent to the Lord. And they went to their own home.

And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and said, "May YHWH repay you with offspring by this woman for the gift which she made to YHWH." And the man returned to his home.

21 And the Lord visited Anna, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters: and the child Samuel became great before the Lord.

YHWH visited Hannah, and she bore more children, three sons and two daughters. The child Samuel grew before YHWH.

22 Now Heli was very old, and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel: and how they lay with the women that waited at the door of the tabernacle:

Now Eli was very old; and he heard what his sons did to the children of Israel (and how that they lay with the women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting).

23 And he said to them: Why do ye these kinds of things, which I hear, very wicked things, from all the people?

And he said to them, "Why do you do such things as these that I hear being said of you from the mouth of the people of YHWH?

24 Do not so, my sons: for it is no good report that I hear, that you make the people of the Lord to transgress.

No, my sons, do not do this. For it is not a good report that I hear the people of YHWH spreading.

25 If one man shall sin against another, God may be appeased in his behalf: but if a man shall sin against the Lord, who shall pray for him? And they hearkened not to the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.

If a man sins gravely against another, he can appeal to YHWH; but if a man sins against YHWH, who can intercede for him?" But, they did not listen to the voice of their father, because YHWH intended to kill them.

26 But the child Samuel advanced, and grew on, and pleased both the Lord and men.

The child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with YHWH, and also with men.

27 And there came a man of God to Heli, and said to him: Thus saith the Lord: Did I not plainly appear to thy father’s house, when they were in Egypt in the house of Pharao?

A man of God came to Eli, and said, "Thus says YHWH, I plainly revealed myself to the house of your father, when they were slaves in Egypt to the house of Pharaoh.

28 And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my sitar, and burn incense to me, and to wear the ephod before me: and I gave to thy father’s house of all the sacrifices of the children of Israel.

And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod. And I gave to the house of your father all the offerings by fire of the children of Israel as food.

29 Why have you kicked away my victims, and my gifts which I commanded to be offered in the temple: and thou hast rather honoured thy sons than me, to eat the firstfruits of every sacrifice of my people Israel?

Then why do you look at my sacrifice and my offering with a selfish eye, and honor your sons more than me in letting them eat from the first part of every offering of Israel before me?'

30 Wherefore thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father should minister in my sight, for ever. But now saith the Lord: Far be this from me: but whosoever shall glorify me, him will I glorify: but they that despise me, shall be despised.

"Therefore YHWH, the God of Israel, says, 'I said indeed that your house, and the house of your father, should walk before me forever.' But now YHWH says, 'Be it far from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

31 Behold the days come: and I will cut off thy arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thy house.

Look, the days come, that I will cut off your descendants, and the descendants of your father's house, that there shall not be an old man in your house.

32 And thou shalt see thy rival in the temple, in all the prosperity of Israel, and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever.

And you will see distress in the dwelling place, in all that he does good with Israel. And there will not be an old man in your house all the days.

33 However I will not altogether take away a man of thee from my altar: but that thy eyes may faint and thy soul be spent: and a great part of thy house shall die when they come to man’s estate.

And the man of yours I do not cut off from my altar will be to cause his eyes to fail and to grieve his soul, and all the increase of your house will die by the sword of men.

34 And this shall be a sign to thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, Ophni and Phinees: In one day they shall both of them die.

"'This shall be the sign to you, that shall come on your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall both die.

35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, who shall do according to my heart, and my soul, and I will build him a faithful house, and he shall walk all days before my anointed.

I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind. I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before my anointed forever.

36 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall remain in thy house, shall come that he may be prayed for, and shall offer a piece of silver, and a roll of bread, and shall say: Put me, I beseech thee, to somewhat of the priestly office, that I may eat a morsel of bread.

It shall happen, that everyone who is left in your house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and shall say, "Please put me into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread."'"