1 Samuel 2: Hannah's song, and the wicked sons of Eli
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Hannah prays a song of praise: Yahweh brings low and lifts up, kills and makes alive, and will give strength to his king. Samuel stays at Shiloh and serves Yahweh before Eli, and every year his mother brings him a little robe; Yahweh gives Hannah three more sons and two daughters. Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, do not know Yahweh: the priest's servant takes meat from the people's sacrifices, even before the fat is burned, and threatens to take it by force, and Eli's sons sleep with the women who serve at the door of the Tent of Meeting. Eli warns them, but they do not listen. A man of God comes to Eli with a message from Yahweh: there will be no old man in Eli's house, his two sons will die on the same day, and Yahweh will raise up a faithful priest.
Who is speaking?
No verse is in gold: the words of Yahweh in this chapter come through a man of God, not from Yahweh himself. Hannah prays her song in verses 1 to 10: it is her own prayer to and about Yahweh. The priest's servant speaks in verses 15 and 16, and the man who brings the sacrifice answers him in verse 16. Eli blesses Elkanah and Hannah in verse 20, and warns his sons in verses 23 to 25. In verses 27 to 36 a man of God, who is not named, brings Eli a message in Yahweh's name: the words are given as Yahweh's ("I", "me"), but the man of God speaks them, so they are not in gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Hannah prayed, and said, “My heart exults in Yahweh! My horn is exalted in Yahweh. My mouth is enlarged over my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.
In plain English: Hannah prayed and said, "My heart rejoices (this Bible: exults) in Yahweh! My horn is lifted high (this Bible: exalted) in Yahweh. My mouth is opened wide (this Bible: enlarged) over my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation (or: your rescue).
Good to know: Verses 1 to 10 are Hannah's prayer: her own words, spoken to Yahweh and about him. They are not in gold, because they are not words of Yahweh.
The Hebrew word: "Horn" is qeren, which the dictionary gives as "a horn (as projecting) ... figuratively, power". "My horn is exalted" pictures her strength lifted high. The same word comes back at the end of her song, in verse 10: "the horn of his anointed".
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2There is no one as holy as Yahweh, for there is no one besides you, nor is there any rock like our God.
In plain English: No one is holy like Yahweh, for there is no one besides you, and there is no rock like our God.
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3“Don’t keep talking so exceedingly proudly. Don’t let arrogance come out of your mouth, for Yahweh is a God of knowledge. By him actions are weighed.
In plain English: "Do not keep talking so very proudly (literally: proudly, proudly). Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth, for Yahweh is a God who knows (literally: a God of knowledge), and by him deeds are weighed.
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4“The bows of the mighty men are broken. Those who stumbled are armed with strength.
In plain English: "The bows of the mighty men are broken, and those who stumbled are armed (literally: belted) with strength.
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5Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread. Those who were hungry are satisfied. Yes, the barren has borne seven. She who has many children languishes.
In plain English: Those who were full hire themselves out for bread, and those who were hungry are hungry no more (or: are idle; literally: cease). Even the barren woman has borne seven, and she who has many children wastes away (this Bible: languishes).
The Hebrew word: "Are satisfied" is literally "cease": chadal, which the dictionary gives as "properly, to be flabby, i.e. (by implication) desist; (figuratively) be lacking or idle".
What changes: Read the way this Bible has it, the hungry stop being hungry. Read as "cease" or "are idle", the hungry no longer have to work for their bread. The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "the hungry have forsaken the land". Either way, the verse sets the full against the hungry, and the barren woman against the mother of many.
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6“Yahweh kills and makes alive. He brings down to Sheol and brings up.
In plain English: "Yahweh kills and makes alive. He brings down to Sheol (the world of the dead) and brings up.
The Hebrew word: "Sheol" is she'ol, which the dictionary gives as "Hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat)".
Good to know: Moses' song has the same words in Yahweh's own mouth: "I kill and I make alive" (). Here Hannah says it of Yahweh. Readers take "brings down to Sheol and brings up" in two ways: that Yahweh brings people to the edge of death and back, or that he raises the dead. The verse itself does not say more.
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7Yahweh makes poor and makes rich. He brings low, he also lifts up.
In plain English: Yahweh makes poor and makes rich. He brings low, and he also lifts up.
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8He raises up the poor out of the dust. He lifts up the needy from the dunghill to make them sit with princes and inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are Yahweh’s. He has set the world on them.
In plain English: He raises the poor from the dust. He lifts the needy from the ash heap (this Bible: dunghill), to seat them with princes and give them a throne of honor (this Bible: glory) to inherit. For the pillars of the earth are Yahweh's, and he has set the world on them.
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9He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the wicked will be put to silence in darkness; for no man will prevail by strength.
In plain English: He will guard the feet of his faithful ones (this Bible: holy ones), but the wicked will be silenced in darkness, for no one wins (this Bible: prevails) by strength.
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10Those who strive with Yahweh shall be broken to pieces. He will thunder against them in the sky. “Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
In plain English: Those who fight against (this Bible: strive with) Yahweh will be shattered. He will thunder against them (literally: against him) in the sky. "Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to his king and lift high the horn of his anointed."
The Hebrew word: "His anointed" is mashiach, which the dictionary gives as "anointed; usually a consecrated person (as a king, priest, or saint); specifically, the Messiah". This Bible says "anointed" in all 38 verses that use it.
Church tradition: Israel has no king yet at this point in the story (: "In those days there was no king in Israel"). The text does not say which king Hannah means. Readers have taken it of the kings of Israel to come, and Christian readers also of the Messiah. The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "the horn of his Christ".
Good to know: The Hebrew of the first line is hard to follow. Word for word it says, "Yahweh: they will be shattered, those who contend with him; against him in the heavens he will thunder". Here the old Greek translation (Brenton) has a longer verse, with lines about not boasting in wisdom, strength or wealth, but in knowing the Lord.
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11Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. The child served Yahweh before Eli the priest.
In plain English: Elkanah went home to Ramah. The boy served Yahweh before Eli the priest.
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12Now the sons of Eli were wicked men. They didn’t know Yahweh.
In plain English: Eli's sons were worthless men (literally: sons of Belial; this Bible: wicked men). They did not know Yahweh.
Good to know: "Wicked men" is literally "sons of beliya'al", the word Hannah used in (see the note there), when she asked Eli not to take her for "a wicked woman".
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13The custom of the priests with the people was that when anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant came while the meat was boiling, with a fork of three teeth in his hand;
In plain English: This was the priests' custom with the people: whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant came while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand.
Good to know: The law gave the priests the breast and the right thigh of a peace offering ( to ), and said that "all the fat is Yahweh's" (): "The priest shall burn the fat on the altar" (). In verses 13 to 16 the priest's servant takes whatever the fork brings up, and asks for raw meat before the fat has been burned.
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14and he stabbed it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot. The priest took all that the fork brought up for himself. They did this to all the Israelites who came there to Shiloh.
In plain English: He would jab it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot, and the priest took for himself whatever the fork brought up. They did this to all the Israelites who came there to Shiloh.
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15Yes, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed, “Give meat to roast for the priest; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but raw.”
In plain English: Even before they burned the fat, the priest's servant came and said to the man who was sacrificing, "Give the priest meat to roast. He will not take boiled meat from you, only raw."
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16If the man said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take as much as your soul desires;” then he would say, “No, but you shall give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force.”
In plain English: If the man said to him, "Let the fat be burned first, and then take as much as you want (literally: as your soul desires)," he would say, "No, you will give it to me now. If not, I will take it by force."
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17The sin of the young men was very great before Yahweh; for the men despised Yahweh’s offering.
In plain English: So the sin of the young men was very great before Yahweh, because the men treated Yahweh's offering with contempt (this Bible: despised).
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18But Samuel ministered before Yahweh, being a child, clothed with a linen ephod.
In plain English: But Samuel served (this Bible: ministered) before Yahweh, a boy, wearing (literally: belted with) a linen ephod.
The Hebrew word: "Ephod" is ephod, which the dictionary gives as "a girdle; specifically the ephod or highpriest's shoulder-piece; also generally, an image". This Bible says "ephod" in all 39 verses that use it.
Good to know: The high priest's ephod was made of "gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen" (). Samuel's is a linen one, and David is "clothed in a linen ephod" in . In Judges, Gideon made an ephod, and "all Israel played the prostitute with it there" (). The text here does not describe Samuel's ephod.
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19Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
In plain English: His mother also made him a little robe and brought it to him every year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
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20Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, “May Yahweh give you offspring from this woman for the petition which was asked of Yahweh.” Then they went to their own home.
In plain English: Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife and said, "May Yahweh give you children (this Bible: offspring) by this woman in return for the one who was asked of Yahweh (or: lent to Yahweh; this Bible: for the petition which was asked of Yahweh)." Then they went home (literally: to his place).
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21Yahweh visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. The child Samuel grew before Yahweh.
In plain English: Yahweh visited (or: cared for) Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of (literally: with) Yahweh.
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22Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they slept with the women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
In plain English: Eli was very old. He heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and that they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.
The Hebrew word: "Served" is tsaba, which the dictionary gives as "to mass (an army or servants)". It is close to the word behind "Armies" in "Yahweh of Armies" (). The same phrase is in : "the ministering women who ministered at the door of the Tent of Meeting". The text does not say what their service was.
Good to know: The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has only the first part of this verse: "And Heli was very old, and he heard what his sons did to the children of Israel." It does not have the words about the women.
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23He said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people.
In plain English: He said to them, "Why do you do such things? I hear of your evil deeds from all these people.
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24No, my sons; for it is not a good report that I hear! You make Yahweh’s people disobey.
In plain English: No, my sons! It is not a good report that I hear. You are making Yahweh's people disobey (or: it is spread by Yahweh's people; the Hebrew here is hard to follow).
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25If one man sins against another, God will judge him; but if a man sins against Yahweh, who will intercede for him?” Notwithstanding, they didn’t listen to the voice of their father, because Yahweh intended to kill them.
In plain English: If one man sins against another, God (or: the judges) will judge (or: will plead for) him. But if a man sins against Yahweh, who will speak up (this Bible: intercede) for him?" But they would not listen to their father's voice, because Yahweh intended (literally: desired) to put them to death.
The Hebrew words: "God" is elohim, the usual word for God. "Will judge" is palal, which the dictionary gives as "to judge (officially or mentally); by extension, to intercede, pray". It is the word for "intercede" later in this verse, and for Hannah's praying in .
What changes: Read as "God will judge him", Eli says God can settle a wrong between two people. Read as "the judges will judge him", he means human judges: the dictionary says elohim is "occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates" (see the note on ). Read as "will plead for him", someone can speak up for the man who did the wrong: the old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "they shall pray for him to the Lord". Either way, Eli asks who can speak up for a man who sins against Yahweh.
Good to know: The text says plainly that the sons did not listen "because Yahweh intended to kill them". It does not explain this further. and tell of their death.
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26The child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with Yahweh and also with men.
In plain English: The boy Samuel kept growing, and grew in favor (literally: was good) both with Yahweh and with people.
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27A man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Yahweh says, ‘Did I reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house?
In plain English: A man of God came to Eli and said to him, "This is what Yahweh says: 'Did I truly reveal myself to your father's house when they were in Egypt, in bondage to (literally: belonging to) Pharaoh's house?
Good to know: The man of God is not named. He gives Yahweh's message in Yahweh's own words ("I", "me", "my altar"), but a man speaks them, so they are not in gold. The text does not name the "father" whose house Yahweh chose in Egypt. tells how Aaron and his sons were brought near to serve as priests.
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28Didn’t I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? Didn’t I give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?
In plain English: Did I not choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before me? Did I not give your father's house all the offerings of the Israelites made by fire?
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29Why do you kick at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded in my habitation, and honor your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel my people?’
In plain English: Why do you kick at (or: trample on) my sacrifice and my offering, which I commanded in my dwelling (this Bible: habitation)? Why do you honor your sons more than me, making yourselves fat on the best of all the offerings of Israel my people?'
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30“Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father should walk before me forever.’ But now Yahweh says, ‘Far be it from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me will be cursed.
In plain English: "So Yahweh, the God of Israel, declares (this Bible: says): 'I did say that your house and your father's house would walk before me forever.' But now Yahweh declares, 'Far be it from me! For those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me will be made light of (this Bible: cursed).
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31Behold, the days come that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, that there will not be an old man in your house.
In plain English: Look, the days are coming when I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father's house, so that there will not be an old man in your house.
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32You will see the affliction of my habitation, in all the wealth which I will give Israel. There shall not be an old man in your house forever.
In plain English: You will see the trouble (this Bible: affliction) of my dwelling (literally: of a dwelling), in all the good that will be done for Israel (this Bible: in all the wealth which I will give Israel; the Hebrew here is hard to follow). There will never be an old man in your house.
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33The man of yours whom I don’t cut off from my altar will consume your eyes and grieve your heart. All the increase of your house will die in the flower of their age.
In plain English: The man of yours whom I do not cut off from my altar will make your eyes fail (this Bible: consume your eyes) and grieve your heart (literally: your soul). All the increase of your house will die as grown men (literally: men; this Bible: in the flower of their age).
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34This will be the sign to you that will come on your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they will both die.
In plain English: This will be the sign to you, what comes on your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: both of them will die on the same day.
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35I will raise up a faithful priest for myself who will do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind. I will build him a sure house. He will walk before my anointed forever.
In plain English: I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do what is in my heart and in my mind (literally: soul). I will build him a lasting (this Bible: sure) house, and he will walk before my anointed forever (literally: all the days).
Good to know: The text here does not name the faithful priest. says that Solomon put Abiathar out of the priesthood "that he might fulfill Yahweh's word which he spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh", and says the king put Zadok the priest in his place. calls Abiathar the son of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, and names an Ahitub who was Ichabod's brother, of the family of Eli. Readers differ on whether the faithful priest is Samuel, Zadok, or someone else. "My anointed" is the word explained in the note on verse 10.
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36It will happen that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and will say, “Please put me into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.”’”
In plain English: Everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece (or: a small payment) of silver and a loaf of bread, and will say, "Please put me in one of the priests' offices (literally: attach me to one of the priesthoods), so that I may eat a bite of bread."'"
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