2:1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD,
my horn is exalted in the LORD; my mouth is enlarged over my
enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
2:2 [There is] none holy as the LORD: for [there is] none
besides thee: neither [is there] any rock like our God.
2:3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let [not] arrogance come
out of your mouth: for the LORD [is] a God of knowledge, and by
him actions are weighed.
2:4 The bows of the mighty men [are] broken, and they that
stumbled are girded with strength.
2:5 [They that were] full have hired out themselves for bread;
and [they that were] hungry ceased: so that the barren hath
borne seven; and she that hath many children is become feeble.
2:6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the
grave, and bringeth up.
2:7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and
lifteth up.
2:8 He raiseth the poor out of the dust, [and] lifteth the
beggar from the dunghill, 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 hath set the world upon them.
2:9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be
silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
2:10 The 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 to his king, and
exalt the horn of his anointed.
2:11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child
ministered to the LORD before Eli the priest.
2:12 Now the sons of Eli [were] sons of Belial; they knew not
the LORD.
2:13 And the priest's custom 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
hand;
2:14 And he struck [it] into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or
pot; all that the flesh-hook brought up the priest took for
himself. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites that came
thither.
2:15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came,
and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for
the priest; for he will not have boiled flesh of thee, but raw.
2:16 And [if] any man said to him, Let them not fail to burn the
fat presently, and [then] take [as much] as thy soul desireth;
then he would answer him, [No]; but thou shalt give [it to me]
now: and if not, I will take [it] by force.
2:17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before
the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
2:18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD, [being] a child,
girded with a linen ephod.
2:19 Moreover 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.
2:20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD
give thee issue of this woman for the loan which is lent to the
LORD. And they went to their own home.
2:21 And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and
bore three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew
before the LORD.
2:22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did to
all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at
the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
2:23 And he said to them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of
your evil dealings by all this people.
2:24 No, my sons; for [it is] no good report that I hear: ye
make the LORD'S people to transgress.
2:25 If one man shall sin against another, the judge shall judge
him: but if a man shall sin against the LORD, who shall entreat
for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not to the voice of
their father, because the LORD would slay them.
2:26 And the child Samuel continued to grow, and was in favor
both with the LORD, and also with men.
2:27 And there came a man of God to Eli, and said to him, Thus
saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear to the house of thy
father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?
2:28 And 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 to the house of thy father
all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?
2:29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at my offering, which
I have commanded [in my] habitation; and honorest thy sons
above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the
offerings of Israel my people?
2:30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed
[that] thy house, and the house of thy father should walk
before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me;
for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me
shall be lightly esteemed.
2:31 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thy arm, and the
arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man
in thy house.
2:32 And thou shalt see an enemy [in my] habitation, in all [the
wealth] which [God] shall give Israel: and there shall not be
an old man in thy house for ever.
2:33 And the man of thine, [whom] I shall not cut off from my
altar, [shall be] to consume thy eyes, and to grieve thy heart:
and all the increase of thy house shall die in the flower of
their age.
2:34 And this [shall be] a sign to thee, that shall come upon
thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die
both of them.
2:35 And 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 for ever.
2:36 And it shall come to pass, [that] every one that is left in
thy house, shall come [and] crouch to him for a piece of silver
and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into
one of the priest's offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.
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