1 Samuel, 2

1. and as she worshiped the LORD, she said: "My heart exults in the LORD, my horn is exalted in my God. I have swallowed up my enemies; I rejoice in my victory.

1. Hannah then prayed as follows: My heart exults in Yahweh, in my God is my strength lifted up, my mouth derides my foes, for I rejoice in your deliverance.

2. There is no Holy One like the LORD; there in no Rock like our God.

2. There is no Holy One like Yahweh, (indeed, there is none but you) no Rock like our God.

3. "Speak boastfully no longer, nor let arrogance issue from your mouths. For an all-knowing God is the LORD, a God who judges deeds.

3. Do not keep talking so proudly, let no arrogance come from your mouth, for Yahweh is a wise God, his to weigh up deeds.

4. The bows of the mighty are broken, while the tottering gird on strength.

4. The bow of the mighty has been broken but those who were tottering are now braced with strength.

5. he well-fed hire themselves out for bread, while the hungry batten on spoil. The barren wife bears seven sons, while the mother of many languishes.

5. The full fed are hiring themselves out for bread but the hungry need labour no more; the barren woman bears sevenfold but the mother of many is left desolate.

6. "The LORD puts to death and gives life; he casts down to the nether world; he raises up again.

6. Yahweh gives death and life, brings down to Sheol and draws up;

7. The LORD makes poor and makes rich, he humbles, he also exalts.

7. Yahweh makes poor and rich, he humbles and also exalts.

8. He raises the needy from the dust; from the ash heap he lifts up the poor, To seat them with nobles and make a glorious throne their heritage. He gives to the vower his vow, and blesses the sleep of the just. "For the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he has set the world upon them.

8. He raises the poor from the dust, he lifts the needy from the dunghill to give them a place with princes, to assign them a seat of honour; for to Yahweh belong the pillars of the earth, on these he has poised the world.

9. He will guard the footsteps of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall perish in the darkness. For not by strength does man prevail;

9. He safeguards the steps of his faithful but the wicked vanish in darkness (for human strength can win no victories).

10. the LORD'S foes shall be shattered. The Most High in heaven thunders; The LORD judges the ends of the earth, Now may he give strength to his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed!"

10. Yahweh, his enemies are shattered, the Most High thunders in the heavens. Yahweh judges the ends of the earth, he endows his king with power, he raises up the strength of his Anointed.

11. When Elkanah returned home to Ramah, the child remained in the service of the LORD under the priest Eli.

11. Elkanah then went home to Ramah, but the child stayed in Yahweh's service, in the presence of Eli the priest.

12. Now the sons of Eli were wicked; they had respect neither for the LORD

12. Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels; they cared nothing for Yahweh

13. nor for the priests' duties toward the people. When someone offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come with a three-pronged fork, while the meat was still boiling,

13. nor for what was due to the priests from the people. Whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat was being cooked;

14. and would thrust it into the basin, kettle, caldron, or pot. Whatever the fork brought up, the priest would keep. That is how all the Israelites were treated who came to the sanctuary at Shiloh.

14. he would thrust this into cauldron or pan, or dish or pot, and the priest claimed for his own whatever the fork brought up. That was how they behaved with all the Israelites who came there to Shiloh.

15. In fact, even before the fat was burned, the priest's servant would come and say to the man offering the sacrifice, "Give me some meat to roast for the priest. He will not accept boiled meat from you, only raw meat."

15. The priest's servant would even come up before the fat had been burnt and say to the person who was making the sacrifice, 'Give the priest some meat for him to roast. He will not accept boiled meat from you, only raw.'

16. And if the man protested to him, "Let the fat be burned first as is the custom, then take whatever you wish," he would reply, "No, give it to me now, or else I will take it by force."

16. Then, if the person replied, 'Let the fat be burnt first, and then take for yourself whatever you choose,' he would retort, 'No! You must give it to me now or I shall take it by force.'

17. Thus the young men sinned grievously in the presence of the LORD; they treated the offerings to the LORD with disdain.

17. The young men's sin was very great in Yahweh's eyes, because they treated with contempt the offering made to Yahweh.

18. Meanwhile the boy Samuel, girt with a linen apron, was serving in the presence of the LORD.

18. Samuel was in Yahweh's service, a child wearing a linen loincloth.

19. His mother used to make a little garment for him, which she would bring him each time she went up with her husband to offer the customary sacrifice.

19. His mother used to make him a little coat which she brought him each year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

20. And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, as they were leaving for home. He would say, "May the LORD repay you with children from this woman for the gift she has made to the LORD!"

20. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, 'May Yahweh grant you an heir by this woman in exchange for the one which she has made over to Yahweh,' and they would go home.

21. The LORD favored Hannah so that she conceived and gave birth to three more sons and two daughters, while young Samuel grew up in the service of the LORD.

21. Yahweh visited Hannah; she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the child Samuel grew up in Yahweh's presence.

22. When Eli was very old, he heard repeatedly how his sons were treating all Israel (and that they were having relations with the women serving at the entry of the meeting tent).

22. Although very old, Eli heard about everything that his sons were doing to all Israel,

23. So he said to them: "Why are you doing such things?

23. and said, 'Why are you behaving as all the people say you are?

24. No, my sons, you must not do these things! It is not a good report that I hear the people of the LORD spreading about you.

24. No, my sons, what I hear reported by the people of Yahweh is not good.

25. If a man sins against another man, one can intercede for him with the LORD; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?" But they disregarded their father's warning, since the LORD had decided on their death.

25. If one person sins against another, God will be the arbiter, but if he sins against Yahweh, who will intercede for him?' But they did not listen to their father's words, for Yahweh was bent on killing them.

26. Meanwhile, young Samuel was growing in stature and in worth in the estimation of the LORD and of men.

26. Meanwhile, the child Samuel went on growing in stature and in favour both with Yahweh and with people.

27. A man of God came to Eli and said to him: "This is what the LORD says: 'I went so far as to reveal myself to your father's family when they were in Egypt as slaves to the house of Pharaoh.

27. A man of God came to Eli and said to him, 'This is what Yahweh says, "Did I not reveal myself to your father's family when they were in Egypt as slaves in Pharaoh's household?

28. I chose them out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priests, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the ephod before me; and I assigned all the oblations of the Israelites to your father's family.

28. Did I not single him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn the offering, to carry the ephod in my presence; and did I not grant all the burnt offerings made by the Israelites to your father's family?

29. Why do you keep a greedy eye on my sacrifices and on the offerings which I have prescribed? And why do you honor your sons in preference to me, fattening yourselves with the choicest part of every offering of my people Israel?'

29. Why do you trample on the offering and on the sacrifice which I have ordered for my Dwelling, and honour your sons more than me, by growing fat on the best of the offerings of Israel, my people?

30. This, therefore, is the oracle of the LORD, the God of Israel: 'I said in the past that your family and your father's family should minister in my presence forever. But now,' the LORD declares, 'away with this! for I will honor those who honor me, but those who spurn me shall be accursed.

30. Whereas -- this is what Yahweh, God of Israel, declares -- I had promised that your family and your father's family would walk in my presence for ever, now, however -- this is what Yahweh declares -- nothing of the sort! Those who honour me I honour in my turn, and those who despise me will be an object of contempt.

31. Yes, the time is coming when I will break your strength and the strength of your father's family, so that no man in your family shall reach old age.

31. Be sure, the days are coming when I shall cut off your strength and the strength of your father's family, so that no one in your family will live to old age.

32. You shall witness as a disappointed rival all the benefits enjoyed by Israel, but there shall never be an old man in your family.

32. Beside the Dwelling, you will see all the benefits that I shall confer on Israel, but no one in your family will ever live to old age.

33. I will permit some of your family to remain at my altar, to wear out their eyes in consuming greed; but the rest of the men of your family shall die by the sword.

33. I shall keep one of you at my altar for his eyes to go blind and his soul to wither, but the bulk of your family will die by the sword.

34. You shall have a sign in what will happen to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: both shall die on the same day.

34. ' "What happens to your two sons Hophni and Phinehas will be a sign for you: on the same day both will die.

35. I will choose a faithful priest who shall do what I have in heart and mind. I will establish a lasting house for him which shall function in the presence of my anointed forever.

35. I shall raise myself a faithful priest, who will do as I intend and as I desire. I shall build him an enduring House and he will walk in the presence of my Anointed for ever.

36. Then whoever is left of your family will come to grovel before him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread, and will say: Appoint me, I beg you, to a priestly function, that I may have a morsel of bread to eat.'"

36. The members of your House who survive will come and beg him on their knees for a silver coin and a loaf of bread and say: Please give me some priestly work, so that I can have a scrap of bread to eat." '