Hannah praises God in a song that celebrates how he lifts the poor and brings down the proud. Eli's sons abuse their priestly role, and a man of God tells Eli that his family will lose the priesthood. Samuel grows in favour.
1 And Hannah prayed , and said , My heart rejoiceth in the LORD , mine 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 Talk no more so exceeding proudly ; 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 ceased : so that the barren hath born seven ; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble .
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 , and lifteth up .
8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust , and lifteth up 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.
9 He will keep the feet of his saints , and the wicked shall be silent in darkness ; for by strength shall no man prevail .
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 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 sons of Belial ; they knew not the LORD .
13 And the priests ' custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice , the priest's servant came , while the flesh was in seething , with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand ;
14 And he struck it into the pan , or kettle , or caldron , or pot ; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.
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 sodden flesh of thee, but raw .
16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently , and then take as much as thy soul desireth ; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force .
17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD : for men abhorred the offering of the LORD .
18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD , being a child , girded with a linen ephod .
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 .
20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife , and said , The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD . And they went unto their own home .
21 And the LORD visited Hannah , so that she conceived , and bare three sons and two daughters . And the child Samuel grew before the LORD .
22 Now Eli was very old , and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel ; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation .
23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things ? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people .
24 Nay, my sons ; for it is no good report that I hear : ye make the LORD'S people to transgress .
25 If one man sin against another , the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD , who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father , because the LORD would slay them.
26 And the child Samuel grew on , and was in favour both with the LORD , and also with men .
27 And there came a man of God unto Eli , and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD , Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father , when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house ?
28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest , to offer upon mine altar , to burn incense , to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel ?
29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering , which I have commanded in my habitation ; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people ?
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 honour me I will honour , and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed .
31 Behold, the days come , that I will cut off thine arm , and the arm of thy father's house , that there shall not be an old man in thine house .
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 thine house for ever .
33 And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar , shall be to consume thine eyes , and to grieve thine heart : and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age .
34 And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons , on Hophni and Phinehas ; in one day they shall die both of them.
35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest , that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind : and I will build him a sure house ; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever .
36 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine 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 priests' offices , that I may eat a piece of bread .