1 Samuel 2:1-14 ▼

1 Hannah prayed and said, “My heart rejoices and triumphs in the LORD; My horn (strength) is lifted up in the LORD, My mouth has opened wide [to speak boldly] against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.

2 “There is no one holy like the LORD, There is no one besides You, There is no Rock like our God.

3 “Do not go on boasting so very proudly, Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; For the LORD is a God of knowledge, And by Him actions are weighed (examined).

4 “The bows of the mighty are broken, But those who have stumbled equip themselves with strength.

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

6 “The LORD puts to death and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol (the grave) and raises up [from the grave].

7 “The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and He lifts up.

8 “He raises up the poor from the dust, He lifts up the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honor and glory; For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, And He set the land on them.

9 “He guards the feet of His godly (faithful) ones, But the wicked ones are silenced and perish in darkness; For a man shall not prevail by might.

10 “The adversaries of the LORD will be broken to pieces; He will thunder against them 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 (strength) of His anointed.”

11 Elkanah [and his wife Hannah] returned to Ramah to his house. But the child [Samuel] served the LORD under the guidance of Eli the priest.

12 The sons of Eli [Hophni and Phinehas] were worthless (dishonorable, unprincipled) men; they did not know [nor respect] the LORD

13 and the custom of the priests with [the sacrifices of] the people. When any man was offering a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged [meat] fork in his hand;

14 then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; everything that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did in Shiloh to all [the sacrifices of] the Israelites who came there.