Hannah's Prayer

1And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoices in the LORD, my horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth boasts over my enemies; because I rejoice in your salvation.

2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside you: neither is there any rock like our God.

3Talk no more so very proudly; let not arrogance come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

4The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are clothed with strength.

5They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased to hunger: so that the barren has borne seven; and she that has many children has grown feeble.

6The LORD kills, and makes alive: he brings down to the grave, and brings up.

7The LORD makes poor, and makes rich: he brings low, and lifts up.

8He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts up the beggar from the rubbish, to set them among princes, and to 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.

9He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

10The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

11And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.

The Sins of Eli's Sons

12Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.

13And the priests' custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was boiling, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;

14And he thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh, unto all the Israelites that came there.

15Also before they burned the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give meat to roast for the priest; for he will not have boiled meat from you, but raw.

16And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat first, and then take as much as your soul desires; then he would answer him, Nay; but you shall give it to me now: and if not, I will take it by force.

17Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.

18But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

19Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

20And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give you offspring of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home.

21And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.

22Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

23And he said unto them, Why do you such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all these people.

24Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: you make the LORD'S people to transgress.

25If one man sins against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sins against the LORD, who shall intercede for him? Nevertheless they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD desired to slay them.

26And the child Samuel grew, and was in favor both with the LORD, and also with men.

27And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus says the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of your father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?

28And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of your father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?

29Why trample you on my sacrifice and on my offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honor your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chief of all the offerings of Israel my people?

30Therefore the LORD 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, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

31Behold, the days come, that I will cut off your arm, and the arm of your father's house, that there shall not be an old man in your house.

32And you shall see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in your house forever.

33And any man of yours, whom I shall not cut off from my altar, shall consume your eyes, and grieve your heart: and all the increase of your house shall die in the flower of their age.

34And this shall be a sign unto you, that shall come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall both of them die.

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

36And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in your house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray you, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.