Open English Translation 1 SAM Chapter 2

2 Then Hannah prayed, saying,[ref]

“I’m so happy with Yahweh.

My strength comes from Yahweh.

I can loudly refute my enemies.

Because I’m so pleased that you rescued me.

2 No one else is holy like Yahweh.

≈ There’s certainly no one else who’s like you.

No one else is like a rock to me like our god is.

3 You all shouldn’t speak so proudly.

≈ Don’t let arrogance come out of your mouths.

Because Yahweh is a god of knowledge,

and all actions are weighed by him.

4 Warriors have their bows shattered,

but those who stumbled are given extra strength.

5 Those who had been satisfied now hire themselves out for food,

but the hungry people no longer lack.

The woman who’d been childless, gives birth to seven,

but the woman with many sons is depressed.

6 Yahweh puts to death and he makes alive.

≈ He sends down to the grave and brings up.

7 Yahweh makes poor and makes rich.

≈ He humbles, and he also honours.

8 He lifts the poor up from the dust,

≈ and lifts up the needy from the ash heap

so they can sit with influential people

≈ and be given the seat of honour.

The earth’s foundations belong to Yahweh—

he was the one who placed the world on top of them.

9 He watches over those who are loyal to him,

but wicked people will die in the darkness,

because we don’t succeed through our own strength.

10 It’s Yahweh who shatters our enemies.

He thunders against them from the heavens.

Yahweh will judge the entire earth,

and will give strength to the king,

and will give victory to his chosen one.”

11 Then Elkanah and his family returned to their home in Ramah, but young Shemuel stayed to help Eli the priest serve Yahweh.

12 Now Eli’s sons were worthless scoundrels who didn’t obey Yahweh. 13 It was the custom of those priests that when anyone was offering a sacrifice and as soon as the meat was boiling, the priest’s servant would come along holding a three-pronged fork 14 and stick it into the pot or pan. The priest would then claim whatever the fork brought up. That’s what they did to all the Israelis who came to Shiloh to offer sacrifices. 15 Also, before the fat was removed to burn, the priest’s servant would say to the person sacrificing, “Give some meat to the priest—he doesn’t want just boiled meat all the time—he’ll take some raw meat as well to roast.”

16 But if the person tried to say, “Once the fat has all been burnt, then take whatever you want for yourself,” then he’d assert, “No, you’d better give it right now or I’ll take it by force.” 17 And so the actions of those young men were very wicked in Yahweh’s mind because they just treated sacrifices to Yahweh with contempt.

18 By now Shemuel was serving Yahweh, dressed in a priestly uniform made from linen. 19 Each year his mother would make a small robe for him and bring it when she came with her husband to offer their sacrifices. 20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May Yahweh give more children for you through this woman in place of the boy dedicated to Yahweh.” Then they’d return home.

21 So Yahweh visited Hannah and she went on to give birth to three other sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, young Shemuel grew up serving Yahweh.

22 Now Eli was very old and he had heard all about what his sons were doing to the Israeli people, and also that they were sleeping around with the women who worked at the sacred tent entrance. 23 “Why are you two doing all these things that I keep hearing about—these evil things affecting all those people?” he asked them. 24 “No, my sons. The reports that I keep hearing Yahweh’s people passing on aren’t good! 25 If someone sins against a person, then God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against Yahweh, who will speak up for that person?” But they wouldn’t listen to their father’s advice because Yahweh wanted to put them to death.

26 Meanwhile the boy Shemuel was growing up, and his good behaviour pleased both Yahweh and the people.[ref]

27 One day one of God’s prophets came to Eli and told him, “This is what Yahweh says, ‘Didn’t I clearly reveal myself to your ancestors when they were Far’oh’s slaves in Egypt? 28 And out of all the Israeli tribes, I chose your ancestor to be a priest to me, to go up on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the sacred apron in front of me. Plus I gave your ancestors the rights to all the burnt offerings made by the Israelis.[ref] 29 Why do you disrespect sacrifices and offerings that I commanded the people to bring to me at my residence. And why do you honour your sons more than me by fattening yourselves from the best of every offering of my people Yisrael?’

30 “Therefore, this is what Yahweh the god of Yisrael declares: ‘I indeed said your ancestors and then your descendants would serve me forever.’ But now I declare this instead: ‘This cannot continue because I will honour those who honour me, but those who despise me will be side-lined. 31 Listen, the time is coming when I’ll bring you and your relatives to an end—none of your men will die of old age 32 and you’ll see distress in my residence. I’ll do good for the rest of Yisrael, but there’ll never be another old man in your home. 33 I won’t finish them off near my altar. Your eyes will fail and you’ll grieve inside, but your adult sons will die. 34 This will be the sign: it’ll turn out that your two sons Hofni and Finehas will both die on the same day.[ref] 35 Then I’ll select another man to be a faithful priest to me—he’ll follow my desires and do what’s in my mind. I’ll make him and his faithful descendants to continue and to always serve me. 36 Any of your descendants who remain alive will have to go to him to request food and money and beg for some priestly work to earn something to eat.’ ”