1 T hen Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.

Then Hannah prayed and said, “My heart is happy in the Lord. My strength is honored in the Lord. My mouth speaks with strength against those who hate me, because I have joy in Your saving power.

2 “ There is no one holy like the Lord, Indeed, there is no one besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.

There is no one holy like the Lord. For sure, there is no one other than You. There is no rock like our God.

3 “ Boast no more so very proudly, Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; For the Lord is a God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed.

Speak no more in your pride. Do not let proud talk come out of your mouth. For the Lord is a God Who knows. Actions are weighed by Him.

4 “ The bows of the mighty are shattered, But the feeble gird on strength.

The bows of the powerful are broken. But the weak are dressed in strength.

5 “ Those who were full hire themselves out for bread, But those who were hungry cease to hunger. Even the barren gives birth to seven, But she who has many children languishes.

Those who were full go out to work for bread. But those who were hungry are filled. She who could not give birth has given birth to seven. But she who has many children has become weak.

6 “ The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.

The Lord kills and brings to life. He brings down to the grave, and He raises up.

7 “ The Lord makes poor and rich; He brings low, He also exalts.

The Lord makes poor and makes rich. He brings low and He lifts up.

8 “ He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honor; For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He set the world on them.

He lifts the poor from the dust. He lifts those in need from the ashes. He makes them sit with rulers and receive a seat of honor. For what holds the earth belongs to the Lord. He has set the world in its place.

9 “ He keeps the feet of His godly ones, But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness; For not by might shall a man prevail.

He watches over the steps of His good people. But the sinful ones will be made quiet in darkness. For a man will not win by strength.

10 “ Those who contend with the Lord will be shattered; Against them He will thunder in the heavens, The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; And He will give strength to His king, And will exalt the horn of His anointed.”

Those who fight with the Lord will be broken to pieces. He will thunder in heaven against them. The Lord will decide about all people to the ends of the earth. He will give strength to His king. He will give power to His chosen one.”

11 T hen Elkanah went to his home at Ramah. But the boy ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest. The Sin of Eli’s Sons

Elkanah went home to Ramah. But the boy served the Lord with Eli the religious leader. Eli’s Sons

12 N ow the sons of Eli were worthless men; they did not know the Lord

The sons of Eli were men of no worth. They did not know the Lord.

13 a nd 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.

This is the way the religious leaders acted toward the people. When any man brought an animal to give to the Lord, the religious leader’s servant would come with a meat-hook in his hand, while the meat was hot.

14 T hen 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.

Then he would put it in the pot. The religious leader would take for himself all that the meat-hook brought up. They did this to all the Israelites who came there to Shiloh.

15 A lso, before they 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.”

And before they burned the fat, the religious leader’s servant would come and say to the man who brought the gift in worship, “Give meat for the religious leader to make ready. For he will not take boiled meat from you, but only meat that has just been killed.”

16 I f the man said to him, “They must surely burn the fat first, and then take as much as you desire,” then he would say, “No, but you shall give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force.”

But if the man says to him, “Let them burn the fat first, then take as much as you want,” then the religious leader’s servant would say, “No, give it to me now; and if not, I will take it from you against your will.”

17 T hus the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for the men despised the offering of the Lord. Samuel before the Lord as a Boy

So the sin of the young men was very bad before the Lord. For the men hated the gift of the Lord. Samuel Serves the Lord at Shiloh

18 N ow Samuel was ministering before the Lord, as a boy wearing a linen ephod.

Now Samuel was serving the Lord, even as a boy, wearing a linen vest.

19 A nd his mother would make him a little robe and bring it to him from year to year when she would come up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

Each year his mother would make him a little coat. She would bring it to him when she came with her husband to bring the gift in worship each year.

20 T hen Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the Lord give you children from this woman in place of the one she dedicated to the Lord.” And they went to their own home.

Then Eli would pray that good would come to Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the Lord give you children from this woman in place of the one she gave to the Lord.” Then they would return to their home.

21 T he Lord visited Hannah; and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew before the Lord. Eli Rebukes His Sons

And the Lord visited Hannah. She gave birth to three sons and two daughters. The boy Samuel grew up to serve the Lord. The Future of Eli’s Sons

22 N ow Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting.

Now Eli was very old. He heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the door of the meeting tent.

23 H e said to them, “Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people?

And he said to them, “Why do you do such things, the sinful things I hear from all these people?

24 N o, my sons; for the report is not good which I hear the Lord’s people circulating.

No, my sons, the news is not good which I hear from the Lord’s people.

25 I f one man sins against another, God will mediate for him; but if a man sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for the Lord desired to put them to death.

If one man sins against another, God will help make peace for him. But if a man sins against the Lord, who can make peace for him?” Yet they would not listen to what their father said, for it was the Lord’s will to kill them.

26 N ow the boy Samuel was growing in stature and in favor both with the Lord and with men.

Now the boy Samuel grew and was in favor both with the Lord and with men.

27 T hen a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘ Did I not indeed reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house?

Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says. ‘Did I not let Myself be known to those of your father’s family when they were in Egypt being made to work for Pharaoh’s house?

28 D id I not choose them from all the tribes of Israel to be My priests, to go up to My altar, to burn incense, to carry an ephod before Me; and did I not give to the house of your father all the fire offerings of the sons of Israel?

Did I not choose them from all the families of Israel to be My religious leaders, to go up to My altar, to burn special perfume, and to wear a linen vest before Me? Did I not give all the gifts made by fire of the people of Israel to the family of your father?

29 W hy do you kick at My sacrifice and at My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling, and honor your sons above Me, by making yourselves fat with the choicest of every offering of My people Israel?’

Why do you show no respect to My gifts which I have asked for, and honor your sons more than Me? You make yourselves fat with the best part of every gift given in worship by My people Israel.’

30 T herefore the Lord God of Israel declares, ‘ I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever’; but now the Lord declares, ‘Far be it from Me—for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed.

So the Lord God of Israel says, ‘I did promise that those of your family and the family of your father should walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says, ‘May this be far from Me. For I will honor those who honor Me. And those who hate Me will not be honored.

31 B ehold, the days are coming when I will break your strength and the strength of your father’s house so that there will not be an old man in your house.

See, the days are coming when I will break your strength and the strength of your father’s family. So there will not be an old man in your family.

32 Y ou will see the distress of My dwelling, in spite of all the good that I do for Israel; and an old man will not be in your house forever.

You will see the trouble of My family, even in all the good I do for Israel. And an old man will not be in your family forever.

33 Y et I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar so that your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul grieve, and all the increase of your house will die in the prime of life.

But I will not destroy every man of yours from My altar. Some will be left to cry and be filled with sorrow. But all the children of your family will die in their best years.

34 T his will be the sign to you which will come concerning your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: on the same day both of them will die.

This will be the special thing that you will see. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will both die on the same day.

35 B ut I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed always.

I will raise up for Myself a faithful religious leader who will act by what is in My heart and mind. I will build him a family to last. And he will walk before My chosen one forever.

36 E veryone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and say, “Please assign me to one of the priest’s offices so that I may eat a piece of bread.”’”

Everyone who is left in your family will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread, and say, “I beg you, put me in one of the religious leader’s places so that I may eat a piece of bread.”’”