Hannah's Song of Praise
Study note
Hannah's prayer is one of the great songs of praise in the Bible. In it, she celebrates God's power to reverse the situations of life, lifting up the humble and bringing down the proud. Her words about God raising the poor from the dust and giving strength to his king are prophetic, pointing ahead to the kings God would establish over Israel. Mary's song in the New Testament, known as the Magnificat, echoes many of the same themes as Hannah's prayer.
1 Hannah lifted her voice in prayer and said, "My heart overflows with joy because of the Lord! The Lord has given me strength! I can look my enemies in the face and smile because you have rescued me." 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 "Nobody is holy the way the Lord is holy. There is no one else like him. No rock stands as firm and unmovable as our God." There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
3 "Enough with your bragging and arrogant talk. The Lord is a God who knows everything, and he measures every action people take." 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 that strong warriors count on get shattered to pieces. But people who once stumbled are now filled with fresh strength." The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
5 "People who used to have more food than they needed are now working just to get bread. But people who used to go hungry do not go hungry anymore. The woman who could not have children has given birth to seven, while the mother with many children has grown feeble." 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 has power over life and death. He sends people down to the grave, and he also brings them back to life." The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
7 "The Lord is the one who makes some people poor and other people wealthy. He brings people low, and he lifts people high." The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.
8 "He picks up the poor right out of the dirt and raises the needy off the garbage pile. He gives them seats alongside royalty and places of real honor. The Lord owns the very foundations of the earth. He set the whole world on top of them." 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 watches over the footsteps of those who are loyal to him, but wicked people will be shut up in darkness and silence. No one succeeds by their own power alone." He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
10 "Anyone who fights against the Lord will be shattered. He will roar against them from the sky with thunder. The Lord will judge the entire earth. He will make his king strong and fill his chosen one with power." 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.
The Wickedness of Eli's Sons
Study note
While young Samuel served faithfully, Eli's sons Hophni and Phinehas were corrupt priests. They stole the best portions of the sacrifices that people brought to God, taking the meat by force before the fat was burned on the altar as God required. In Israelite law, the fat belonged to God and was always burned first. By taking it for themselves, they showed complete disrespect for God and for the people who came to worship. Their behavior caused people to despise coming to the Lord's house.
11 After all this, Elkanah returned home to Ramah. But young Samuel stayed behind and served the Lord under the watchful eye of Eli the priest. And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.
12 Eli's sons, however, were awful men. They showed no respect for the Lord at all. Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
13 Here is what these priests would do. Whenever anyone came to offer a sacrifice, the meat was still boiling in the pot. The priest's helper would come over with a big three-pronged fork. 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 He would jam the fork right into the pot, kettle, or cooking pan. Whatever meat the fork pulled up, the priest would grab for himself. They treated every Israelite who came to worship at Shiloh this way. 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 Even before the fat was burned on the altar as God's portion, the priest's helper would march over and tell the worshipper, "Hand over some raw meat for the priest to roast. He is not going to take the boiled things from you." 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 If the person tried to say, "At least let the fat be burned first like it is supposed to be, and then take what you want," the helper would snap back, "Never. Hand it over right now, or I will come and take it by force." 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 These young men deeply wronged the Lord. They treated the Lord's offerings with total scorn. Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
Samuel Grows Up at the Tabernacle
Study note
In contrast to Eli's wicked sons, young Samuel served the Lord faithfully. He wore a linen ephod, which was a simple priestly garment. Each year his mother Hannah made him a new coat and brought it when the family came for their annual sacrifice. Eli blessed Elkanah and Hannah, and the Lord gave Hannah five more children, three sons and two daughters. Samuel continued to grow up in the presence of the Lord.
18 Meanwhile, young Samuel served the Lord faithfully. He wore a simple linen ephod, the kind a priest would wear. But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
19 Every year, his mother would make him a little robe and bring it to him. She did this when the family came for the yearly sacrifice. 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 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife by saying, "May the Lord give you more children through this woman to replace the son she dedicated to the Lord." Then they would go back home. 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 The Lord was truly kind to Hannah. She went on to have three more sons and two daughters. All the while, young Samuel was growing up in the Lord's service. And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.
Eli Warns His Sons
Study note
Eli was very old when he learned about all the terrible things his sons were doing, including sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the tabernacle. Although Eli confronted them, his sons refused to listen. The text says God had already decided to put them to death for their sins. Meanwhile, Samuel continued to grow in favor with both God and the people around him, much like what would later be said about Jesus in the New Testament.
22 By this time, Eli had become very old. He kept hearing reports about the terrible things his sons were doing to the people of Israel. They were also sleeping with the women who served at the entrance of the tabernacle. 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 Eli confronted his sons, "Why are you doing these things? Everywhere I turn, people are telling me about your evil behavior." And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.
24 "Stop this, my sons. What I am hearing from the Lord's people is not good at all. You are leading them into sin." Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD's people to transgress.
25 "When someone wrongs another person, God can step in and sort things out. But when someone sins directly against the Lord himself, who is going to speak up for them?" Even so, his sons paid no attention, because the Lord had already made up his mind to bring about their death. If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.
26 Young Samuel kept on growing in size and in character. He was well-liked by the Lord and by the people around him. And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.
A Prophet Warns Eli's Family
Study note
An unnamed prophet, called a 'man of God,' came to Eli with a harsh message from the Lord. God reminded Eli that he had chosen his family line from among the tribes of Israel to serve as priests. But Eli had honored his sons more than God by allowing them to take the best of the offerings. Because of this, God declared that Eli's family line would be cut short, his descendants would die young, and both of his sons would die on the same day as a sign. God also promised to raise up a faithful priest who would do what was right.
27 One day a man of God came to Eli with a message. He said, "Here is what the Lord says: I made myself known to your ancestor's family when they were slaves in Egypt under Pharaoh." 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 "I handpicked your ancestor from all the tribes of Israel to serve as my priest. His job was to approach my altar, burn incense, and wear the priestly garment in my presence. I also gave your family the right to all the food offerings brought by the people of Israel." 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 "So why do you show contempt for my sacrifices and offerings? Why do you put your sons ahead of me, letting them fatten themselves up on the choicest parts of every offering my people bring?" 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 "Because of this, the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: I did promise that your family line would serve me as priests forever. But now the Lord says: That is finished! I will honor those who honor me, but anyone who disrespects me will be treated as worthless." 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 "The day is coming when I will cut short the strength of your family. No man in your household will live to grow old." 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 "You will watch trouble fall on the place where I dwell, even while God blesses Israel in other ways. But no one from your family will ever reach old age." 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 "If I allow any of your descendants to keep serving at my altar, they will weep until their eyes give out and their hearts break with grief. Every one of your descendants will die before their time." 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 here is the proof for you: your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will both die on the very same day." 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 "After that, I will raise up a faithful priest who will do exactly what is on my heart and mind. I will establish his family, and he will serve alongside my chosen king forever." 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 "Then anyone left from your family will come crawling to that priest. They will beg for a tiny bit of money and a scrap of bread. They will say, 'Please, give me any job as a priest so I can have something to eat.'" 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.