The Word Am I

The First Book of Samuel

Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 2 -

(Luke 1:46–56)
1
Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in Yahweh. My horn is exalted in Yahweh. My mouth boasts over my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.
2
There is no one holy like Yahweh, for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.
3
Boast no more so very proudly; let no arrogance come out of your mouth. For Yahweh is a God of knowledge; by him actions are weighed.
4
The bows of the mighty men are broken, but those who stumble put on strength like a belt.
5
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread; those who were hungry have stopped being hungry. Even the barren one gives birth to seven, but the woman who has many children languishes.
6
Yahweh kills and brings to life. He brings down to Sheol and raises up.
7
Yahweh makes some people poor and some rich. He humbles, but he also lifts up.
8
He raises up the poor out of the dust. He lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit the seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are Yahweh’s and he has set the world upon them.
9
He will guard the feet of his faithful people, but the wicked will be put to silence in darkness, for no one will prevail by strength.
10
Those who oppose Yahweh will be broken to pieces; he will thunder against them from heaven. Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
11
Then Elkanah went to Ramah, to his house. The child served Yahweh in the presence of Eli the priest.

Eli’s Wicked Sons

12
Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know Yahweh.
13
The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand, while the meat was boiling.
14
He would stick it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. They did this in Shiloh with all the Israelites that came there.
15
Worse, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man who was sacrificing, “Give meat to roast for the priest; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”
16
If the man said to him, “They must burn the fat first, and then take as much as you want.” Then he would say, “No, you will give it to me now; if not, I will take it by force.”
17
The sin of these young men was very great before Yahweh, for they despised Yahweh’s offering.
18
But Samuel served Yahweh as a child clothed with a linen ephod.
19
His mother would make him a little robe and bring it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
20
Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May Yahweh give you more children by this woman because of the request she made of Yahweh.” Then they would return to their own home.
21
Yahweh again helped Hannah, and again she became pregnant. She bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the child Samuel grew before Yahweh.
22
Now Eli was very old; he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
23
He said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil actions from all these people.”
24
No, my sons; for it is not a good report that I hear. You make Yahweh’s people disobey.
25
“If one man sins against another, God will judge him; but if a man sins against Yahweh, who will speak for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, because Yahweh intended to kill them.
26
The child Samuel grew up, and increased in favor with Yahweh and also with men.

A Prophecy against the House of Eli

27
Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Yahweh says, ’Did I not reveal myself to the house of your ancestor, when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house?
28
I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, and to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me. I gave to the house of your ancestor all the offerings of the people of Israel made with fire.
29
Why, then, do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings that I required in the place where I live? Why do you honor your sons above me by making yourselves fat with the best of every offering of my people Israel?’
30
For Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘I promised that your house, and the house of your ancestor, should walk before me forever.’ But now Yahweh says, ’Far be it from me to do this, for I will honor those who honor me, but those who despise me will be lightly esteemed.
31
See, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that there will no longer be any old man in your house.
32
You will see distress in the place where I live. Although good will be given to Israel, there will no longer be any old man in your house.
33
Any one of you that I do not cut off from my altar, I will cause your eyes to fail, and I will cause grief for your life. All the men born in your family will die.
34
This will be the sign for you that will come on your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: They will both die on the same day.
35
I will raise up for myself a faithful priest who will do what is in my heart and in my soul. I will build him a sure house; and he will walk before my anointed king forever.
36
Everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him, asking for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and will say, “Please assign me to one of the priests’ positions so I can eat a piece of bread.”’”
(Luke 1:46–56)
1
Hannah prayed, and said,My heart exults 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 no one as holy as the LORD, for there is no one besides you, nor is there any rock like our God.
3
“Don’t keep talking so exceedingly proudly. Don’t let arrogance come out of your mouth, for the LORD is a God of knowledge. By him actions are weighed.
4
“The bows of the mighty men are broken. Those who stumbled are armed with strength.
5
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread. Those who were hungry are satisfied. Yes, the barren has borne seven. She who has many children languishes.
6
The LORD kills and makes alive. He brings down to Sheol (a) and brings up.
7
The LORD makes poor and makes rich. He brings low, he also lifts up.
8
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 the LORD’s. He has set the world on them.
9
He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the wicked will be put to silence in darkness; for no man will prevail by strength.
10
Those who strive with the LORD shall be broken to pieces. He will thunder against them in the sky.The LORD will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
11
Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. The child served the LORD before Eli the priest.

Eli’s Wicked Sons

12
Now the sons of Eli were wicked men. They didn’t know the LORD.
13
The custom of the priests with the people was that when anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant came while the meat was boiling, with a fork of three teeth in his hand;
14
and he stabbed it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot. The priest took all that the fork brought up for himself. They did this to all the Israelites who came there to Shiloh.
15
Yes, before they burned 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
If the man said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take as much as 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
The sin of the young men was very great before the LORD; for the men despised the LORD’s offering.
18
But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, clothed with a linen ephod.
19
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
Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, “May The LORD give you offspring (b) from this woman for the petition which was asked of the LORD.” Then they went to their own home.
21
The LORD visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. The child Samuel grew before the LORD.
22
Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they slept with the women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
23
He said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people.
24
No, my sons; for it is not a good report that I hear! You make the LORD’s people disobey.
25
If one man sins against another, God will judge him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?” Notwithstanding, they didn’t listen to the voice of their father, because the LORD intended to kill them.
26
The child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with the LORD and also with men.

A Prophecy against the House of Eli

27
A man of God came to Eli and said to him, “The LORD says, ‘Did I reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house?
28
Didn’t I choose 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? Didn’t I give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?
29
Why do you kick at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded in my habitation, and honor your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel my people?’
30
Therefore the LORD, the 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 who despise me will be cursed.
31
Behold,(c) the days come that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, that there will not be an old man in your house.
32
You will see the affliction of my habitation, in all the wealth which I will give Israel. There shall not be an old man in your house forever.
33
The man of yours whom I don’t cut off from my altar will consume your eyes (d) and grieve your heart. All the increase of your house will die in the flower of their age.
34
This will be the sign to you that will come on your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they will both die.
35
I will raise up a faithful priest for myself who will do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind. I will build him a sure house. He will walk before my anointed forever.
36
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 will say, “Please put me into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.”’”

Footnotes

(a)2:6 Sheol is the place of the dead.
(b)2:20 or, seed
(c)2:31 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
(d)2:33 or, blind your eyes with tears