1 T hen 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.

And Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.

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

“No one is holy like the Lord, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.

3 S peak 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.

“Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the Lord is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.

4 T he bows of the powerful are broken. But the weak are dressed in strength.

“The bows of the mighty men are broken, And those who stumbled are girded with strength.

5 T hose 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.

Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, And the hungry have ceased to hunger. Even the barren has borne seven, And she who has many children has become feeble.

6 T he Lord kills and brings to life. He brings down to the grave, and He raises up.

“The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up.

7 T he Lord makes poor and makes rich. He brings low and He lifts up.

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

8 H e 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.

He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory. “For the pillars of the earth are the Lord ’s, And He has set the world upon them.

9 H e 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.

He will guard the feet of His saints, But the wicked shall be silent in darkness. “For by strength no man shall prevail.

10 T hose 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.”

The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces; From heaven He will thunder against them. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. “He will give strength to His king, And exalt the horn of His anointed.”

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

Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah. But the child ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest. The Wicked Sons of Eli

12 T he sons of Eli were men of no worth. They did not know the Lord.

Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the Lord.

13 T his 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.

And the priests’ custom with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fleshhook in his hand while the meat was boiling.

14 T hen 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.

Then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; and the priest would take for himself all that the fleshhook brought up. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.

15 A nd 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.”

Also, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who sacrificed, “Give meat for roasting to the priest, for he will not take boiled meat from you, but raw.”

16 B ut 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.”

And if the man said to him, “They should really burn the fat first; then you may take as much as your heart desires,” he would then answer him, “ No, but you must give it now; and if not, I will take it by force.”

17 S o 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

Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for men abhorred the offering of the Lord. Samuel’s Childhood Ministry

18 N ow Samuel was serving the Lord, even as a boy, wearing a linen vest.

But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod.

19 E ach 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.

Moreover his mother used to make him a little robe, and bring it to him year by year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

20 T hen 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.

And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “The Lord give you descendants from this woman for the loan that was given to the Lord.” Then they would go to their own home.

21 A nd 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

And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the Lord. Prophecy Against Eli’s Household

22 N ow 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.

Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

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

So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people.

24 N o, my sons, the news is not good which I hear from the Lord’s people.

No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the Lord ’s people transgress.

25 I f 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.

If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?” Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because the Lord desired to kill them.

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

And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord and men.

27 T hen 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?

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

28 D id 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?

Did I not choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before Me? And did I not give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?

29 W hy 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.’

Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?’

30 S o 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.

Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would 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 shall be lightly esteemed.

31 S ee, 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.

Behold, the days are coming that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house.

32 Y ou 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.

And you will see an enemy in My dwelling place, despite all the good which God does for Israel. And there shall not be an old man in your house forever.

33 B ut 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.

But any of your men whom I do not cut off from My altar shall consume your eyes and grieve your heart. And all the descendants of your house shall die in the flower of their age.

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

Now this shall be a sign to you that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die, both of them.

35 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.

Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever.

36 E veryone 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.”’”

And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and say, “Please, put me in one of the priestly positions, that I may eat a piece of bread.”’”