1 Samuel 2:1-17 ▼

1 And Hannah prayed, and said: My heart exulteth in the LORD, My horn is exalted in the LORD; My mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; Because I rejoice in Thy salvation.

2 There is none holy as the LORD, For there is none beside Thee; Neither is there any rock like our God.

3 Multiply not exceeding proud talk; Let not arrogancy come out of your mouth; For the LORD is a God of knowledge, And by Him actions are weighed.

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

5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; And they that were hungry have ceased; While the barren hath borne seven, She that had many children hath languished.

6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive; He bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich; He bringeth low, He also lifteth up.

8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, He lifteth up the needy from the dung-hill, To make them sit with princes, And inherit the throne of glory; For the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, And He hath set the world upon them.

9 He will keep the feet of His holy ones, But the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness; For not by strength shall man prevail.

10 They that strive with the LORD shall be broken to pieces; Against them will He thunder in heaven; The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; And He will give strength unto His king, And exalt the horn of His anointed.

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

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

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

14 and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the flesh-hook brought up the priest took therewith. So they did unto all the Israelites that came thither in Shiloh.

15 Yea, before the fat was made to smoke, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed: 'Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.'

16 And if the man said unto him: 'Let the fat be made to smoke first of all, and then take as much as thy soul desireth'; then he would say: 'Nay, but thou shalt give it me now; and if not, I will take it by force.'

17 And the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD; for the men dealt contemptuously with the offering of the LORD.