1 There was a man named Elkanah from Ramatayim-Zofim who lived in the Efraimite hill country. (He was an Efraimite—the son of Yeroham, son of Elihu,[ref] son of Tohu, son of Zuf.) 2 He had two wives: Hannah (who had no children) and Peninnah (who had several children).

3 Every year he would take his family to Shiloh to offer sacrifices to commander Yahweh. Eli was Yahweh’s priest there, and his two sons Hofni and Pinehas also served there.

4 on the day that Elkanah made his sacrifice, he would give portions of the cooked meat to Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters, 5 but he’d give a double portion to Hannah because he loved her, even though Yahweh had not enabled her to have children. 6 Then her rival would provoke her and try to make her angry, because Yahweh hadn’t given her children. 7 And so it happened every year. Every time they went to Yahweh’s tent, Peninnah ridiculed him, and Hannah would weep and wouldn’t eat. 8 Then Elkanah would ask her, “Hannah, why are you crying? And why aren’t you eating? And why are you so upset? Isn’t it better having me than having ten sons?”

9 One time Hannah got up after eating and drinking at Shiloh. (Eli the priest was sitting on the seat near the entrance of Yahweh’s tent.) 10 Hannah was very upset, and she prayed to Yahweh and wept uncontrollably. 11 Then she made a vow, saying, “Commander Yahweh, if you would only notice the misery of your female servant and remember me. Don’t ignore me. Help your female servant to give birth to a son, then I’ll give him to you for his entire life, and he’ll never have his hair cut.”[ref]

12 As she continued praying to Yahweh, Eli was watching her mouth. 13 Now Hannah was praying from her heart, and her lips were moving but she wasn’t speaking aloud. Eli thought she must be drunk, 14 and scolded her, “You shouldn’t be getting drunk. Get rid of your wine.”

15 “No, my master,” Hannah replied, “I’m a woman who’s suffering deep down. I haven’t drunk any wine or intoxicating drink, but rather I’ve been sharing my inner issues with Yahweh. 16 Don’t think that your female servant is just a worthless woman, because just now I was praying as a result of my terrible anguish and frustration.”

17 “Then go in peace,” Eli replied. “And may Israel’s God grant your request that you presented to him.”

18 “Please assume the best of your female servant,” said Hannah, then she went on her way and had something to eat, and something had changed in her demeanor.

19 They all gut up early the next morning and worshipped Yahweh again, then they returned to their home at Ramah. Then Elkanah slept with his wife Hannah, and Yahweh answered her prayer. 20 Hannah got pregnant, and in due course, she gave birth to a son. She named him ‘Shemu’el’ (meaning ‘heard by God’, usually changed to ‘Samuel’ in English) because she had requested him from Yahweh.

21 At the usual time, Elkanah and all his household went to Shiloh to offer their sacrifices and fulfill their vows to Yahweh. 22 But Hannah didn’t accompany them because she’d told her husband, “I’ll come and bring him when he’s weaned. Then he can be taken in to Yahweh and permanently remain there.” 23 “Do what you think’s best,” her husband replied. “Stay until you’ve weaned him. May Yahweh do whatever he said to you.” So she stayed behind and breastfed her son until she eventually weaned him.

24 The next year, after she’d weaned him, she took the young boy with them, along with three bulls, a sack of flour, and a container of wine. Then she brought him to Yahweh’s tent in Shiloh, 25 and after slaughtering the bull, they took the boy in to Eli. 26 “Please, my master,” Hannah said. “As your spirit lives, my master, I’m the woman who was standing with you here to pray to Yahweh. 27 I prayed that Yahweh would give me a son, and he did, and this is him. 28 Also, I dedicated him to Yahweh all his life, so he’s now given to Yahweh.”

Then they worshipped Yahweh there.

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’re 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 be 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 was 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 the 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 isn’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 Israel?’

30 “Therefore, this is what Yahweh the God of Israel 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 Israel, 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.’ ”

3 Meanwhile young Shemuel was serving Yahweh under Eli. In those days, Yahweh rarely spoke to the people or sent visions.

2 By that time, Eli’s sight was very poor—he could barely see. One night when he was sleeping in his place,[fn] 3 and Shemuel was lying down in Yahweh’s tent (where the box was that contained the stone slabs), but God’s lamp was still burning. 4 Yahweh called out to Shemuel, and he called back, “I’m here. Coming.” 5 Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, because you called me.”

“I didn’t call,” he said. “Go back and lie down.” So he went back and laid down.

6 Yahweh called again, “Shemuel.”

Shemuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, because you called me.”

“I didn’t call, my son,” he said, “Go back and lie down.”

7 (At this point, Shemuel didn’t really know Yahweh, because Yahweh hadn’t revealed himself to him before.) 8 Then Yahweh called Shemuel a third time. He got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, because you called me.”

Then Eli realised that it was Yahweh who was calling the boy 9 and he told Shemuel, “Go and lie down. Then if he calls to you again, just answer, ‘Speak, Yahweh, because your servant is listening.’ ” So Shemuel went and laid down again in his place.

10 Then Yahweh came and stood nearby and called like he’d done the other times, “Shemuel, Shemuel.”

“Speak,” Shemuel said, “because your servant is listening.”

11 “Listen,” Yahweh told him, “I’m about to do something in Israel that will make everyone’s ears tingle when they hear it. 12 When it happens, I’ll do everything that I’ve said about Eli and his family, from the beginning to the end. 13 I’ve told him already that I’m about to eternally judge his household because he knew about the evil that was being done, because his sons were bringing curses on themselves and he didn’t scold them. 14 That’s why I’ve promised Eli’s family that their disobedience can never be forgiven by means of sacrifices or offerings.

15 Then Shemuel lay down again until the morning when he opened the doors of Yahweh’s house as usual, but he was scared to tell Eli about the vision. 16 But Eli called him, “Shemuel, my son.”

“Here I am,” he answered.

17 “What did he tell you?” Eli asked. “Don’t hide it from me. May God punish you severely if you hide a single word from everything he told you.” 18 So Shemuel told him everything without hiding anything. Then Eli answered, “It’s Yahweh. May he do whatever he thinks best.”

19 As Shemuel grew up, Yahweh was with him and nothing he said failed to happen, 20 so all Israel from Dan in the north and as far as Beersheba in the south knew that Shemuel was a faithful prophet of Yahweh. 21 Over time, Yahweh continued to appear in Shiloh and to reveal his plans through Shemuel

4 and Shemuel’s messages went to all Israel.

At that time, Israel went to war against the Philistines. They camped at Eben-Ezer and the Philistines camped at Afek. 2 Then the Philistines lined up to meet Israel and the battle spread. Israel was defeated by the Philistines and they killed about 4,000 warriors in the battle line in the countryside. 3 As the people[fn] came into the camp, the Israeli elders asked themselves, “Why did Yahweh allow the Philistines to slaughter us today? Let’s get the box from Shiloh that contains the stone slabs with Yahweh’s agreement on them. Once it’s amongst us, surely it’ll save us from defeat by our enemies.” 4 So the people sent men to Shiloh and from there they lifted the box containing Yahweh’s agreement and the sacred platform with the winged creatures.[fn] Eli’s two sons, Hofni and Finehas, were there with the box containing God’s agreement.[ref]

5 As the box with Yahweh’s agreement was carried into the camp, all the Israelis shouted so loud that the ground shook. 6 When the Philistines heard the noise, they said, “What’s that loud shout in the Hebrews’ camp?” Then they realised that the box with Yahweh’s covenant had come into their camp 7 and they were afraid saying, “A god has come into the Israeli camp.” Then they said, “This means trouble, because it wasn’t like this yesterday or the previous days. 8 Oh dear! Who will rescue us from these mighty gods? Those are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every plague in the wilderness. 9 Now we Philistines really need to fight with passion, because if we don’t, we’ll ending up serving the Hebrews just like they’ve had to serve us. Now, gather your courage and fight for your lives.”

10 So the Philistines fought hard, and Israel was defeated. Many warriors fled back to their tents and it was a terrible slaughter—30,000 foot soldiers from Israel were killed. 11 As well as that, the box with God’s agreement was taken, and Eli’s two sons Hofni and Finehas were killed.

12 A Benyamite man ran from the battle line back to Shiloh that day. His clothes were torn and he was covered in dirt. 13 When he arrived there, Eli was sitting on a roadside seat watching, because he was very concerned about the sacred chest. As the man entered the city with the news, all the people started wailing loudly. 14 As Eli heard the wailing, he asked, “What’s that big commotion?” So the man ran over to Eli to tell him the news. 15 At that time, Eli was ninety-eight years old, and he stared straight ahead because he couldn’t see. 16 The man told him, “I’m the one who’s just come from the battle line. I had to fled from the battle line today.”

“What was the issue, my son?” Eli asked.

17 “Israel fled defeated from the Philistines,” said the messenger. “And also, there has been a terrible slaughter of our people. What’s more, your two sons, Hofni and Finehas, were killed, and the sacred chest has been captured.”

18 The moment he mentioned the capturing of God’s box, Eli fell backwards off the seat beside the city gate. Because he was old and very heavy, his neck broke and he died. Eli had led Israel for forty years.

19 Now Finehas’ wife (Eli’s daughter-in-law) was pregnant—about to give birth—when she heard the news about the sacred chest being taken, and that both her father-in-law and her husband had died. At that moment, she knelt down and gave birth because the birth pains suddenly started. 20 But she was dying, and the women who stood over her said, “Don’t be afraid, because you’ve given birth to a son.” But she didn’t answer or pay any attention. 21 She named the boy ‘Ikabod’ (which means ‘no glory’), saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” about the sacred chest being taken, and about the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 Then she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, because the sacred chest has been taken.”

5 Now the Philistines had taken the sacred chest, and they took it from Eben-Ezer to Ashdod 2 where they carried it into the temple of their god Dagon and placed it beside a statue of Dagon. 3 Early the next day when the Ashdodites got up, to their horror Dagon had fallen to the ground on its face in front of Yahweh’s box. So they stood it up and returned it to its place. 4 But then the next morning, more shock: Dagon had fallen to the ground on its face in front of Yahweh’s box but now its hands and head were cut off, and were lying on the threshhold. Only its body remained intact. 5 (Because of that, until this day Dagon’s priests and everyone who enters Dagon’s temple in Ashdod won’t tread on the threshhold.)

6 Yahweh caused a lot of trouble for the people of Ashdod and he terrified them. He caused them and the people in the region to get lumpy growths on their skin. 7 When the leaders in Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The God of Israel’s box mustn’t stay with us because he’s punishing both us and our god Dagon.” 8 So they sent for all the Philistine rulers, and when they’d assembled they asked, “What should we do with the God of Israel’s box?”

“Let the God of Israel’s box be taken around to Gat,” they decided. So they moved it there. 9 After it arrived, Yahweh started punishing Gat and both young and old men in the city started getting growths on their skin, and it caused a huge panic. 10 So they sent God’s box to Ekron, but as soon as it entered the city, the Ekronites cried out, “Hey! They’ve brought the God of Israel’s box here to kill us and our people.” 11 So they sent for the Philistine rulers, and when they’d assembled they said, “Send the God of Israel’s box away. Send it back to its place so it won’t cause us and our people to die.” Because there was a deadly panic all over the city as God’s punishment there was severe 12 and the men who didn’t die suffered with the growths. So the people’s cry went up to the heavens.