1 H annah prayed, and said: “My heart exults in Yahweh! My horn is exalted in Yahweh. My mouth is enlarged over 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 T here is no one as holy as Yahweh, For 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 “ Don’t keep talking so exceedingly proudly. Don’t let arrogance come out of your mouth, For Yahweh is a God of knowledge. By 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 men are broken. Those who stumbled are armed with strength.

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

5 T hose 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.

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 “ Yahweh kills, and makes alive. He brings down to Sheol, and brings up.

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

7 Y ahweh makes poor, and makes rich. He brings low, he also lifts up.

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

8 H e 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 Yahweh’s. He has 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 H e will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness; for no man shall prevail by strength.

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 T hose who strive with Yahweh shall be broken to pieces. He will thunder against them in the sky. “Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to his king, and 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 E lkanah went to Ramah to his house. The child served Yahweh before Eli the priest.

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 wicked men. They didn’t know Yahweh.

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

13 T he custom of the priests with the people was that when anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant came while the flesh was boiling, with a fork of three teeth 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 a nd he stabbed it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot. The priest took all that the fork brought up for himself. So 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 Y es, 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.”

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, “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.”

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 he sin of the young men was very great before Yahweh; for the men despised the offering of Yahweh.

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 B ut Samuel ministered before Yahweh, being a child, clothed with a linen ephod.

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

19 M oreover 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.

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 E li blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, “May Yahweh give you offspring from this woman for the petition which was asked of Yahweh.” Then 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 Y ahweh visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. The child Samuel grew before Yahweh.

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 did to all Israel, and how that they slept with the women who served at the door 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? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this 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 it is no good report that I hear! You make Yahweh’s people disobey.

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 judge him; but if a man sins against Yahweh, who will intercede for him?” Notwithstanding, they didn’t listen to the voice of their father, because Yahweh intended to kill them.

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 T he child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with Yahweh, and also with men.

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

27 A man of God came to Eli, and said to him, “Yahweh says, ‘Did I 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 idn’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?

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 habitation, and honor your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel my people?’

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 “ Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘I said indeed that your house, and the house of your father, should walk before me forever.’ But now Yahweh says, ‘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 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.

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 affliction of my habitation, in all the wealth which I will give Israel; and there shall not be an old man 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 T he man of yours, whom I don’t cut off from my altar, will consume your eyes and grieve your heart; and all the increase of your house will die in the flower of their age.

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 “ ‘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.

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

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

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 I t 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.”’”

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.”’”