1 Samuel

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.

1Hannah prayed and said, "My heart is full of joy because of the LORD. He has made me strong. Now I can speak up to the people who hurt me. I am glad, because you saved me."

NoteThe KJV says Hannah's "horn is exalted." A horn was a picture of strength, like the horn of a strong animal. To have your horn lifted up means to be made strong. The same picture comes back in verse 10.

2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

2"No one is holy like the LORD. There is no one at all besides you. No one keeps us safe like our God, who is like a strong rock."

3Talk 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.

3"Stop talking in such a proud way. Do not let bragging come out of your mouth. The LORD is a God who knows all things. He weighs what people do."

4The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

4"The bows of strong soldiers are broken. People who used to stumble are now made strong."

5They 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.

5"People who had plenty of food now work hard just to get bread. People who were hungry are hungry no more. A woman who had no children now has seven. A woman with many children grows weak."

6The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

6"The LORD takes life away, and he gives life. He brings people down to the grave, and he brings them up again."

7The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

7"The LORD makes some people poor and some people rich. He brings people down low, and he lifts people up."

8He 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.

8"He lifts poor people up out of the dust. He lifts people in need up from the ash pile. He seats them with princes and gives them a seat of honor. The posts that hold up the earth belong to the LORD. He set the world on them."

9He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

9"He watches over every step his faithful people take. But wicked people will be silent in the dark. No one wins by his own strength."

10The 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.

10"Everyone who fights the LORD will be broken to pieces. He will thunder at them from heaven. The LORD will judge people everywhere on earth. He will make his king strong and lift him up high."

11And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.

11Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. But the boy Samuel stayed and served the LORD. He helped Eli, a priest who served God at God's tent.

12Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.

12Eli's sons were worthless men. They did not care about the LORD at all.

NoteThe KJV calls Eli's sons "sons of Belial." That old phrase does not name a person. It means worthless or wicked men.

13And 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;

13Here is what these priests did to the people. When a man brought an animal to offer to God, the priest's helper came. He came while the meat was still boiling in the pot. He carried a big fork with three points.

14And 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.

14He poked the fork down into the pan or kettle or pot. Whatever meat came up, the priest kept for himself. They did this to every Israelite who came to Shiloh, where God's tent stood.

15Also 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.

15The fat was supposed to be burned for God first. But even before that, the priest's helper came. He told the man who was offering, "Give the priest meat to roast. He will not take boiled meat from you. He wants it raw."

16And 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.

16The man might say, "Let the fat be burned first. Then take all you want." But the helper would answer, "No. Give it to me now. If you will not, I will take it by force."

17Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.

17So the sin of these young men was very great to the LORD. Because of them, people hated bringing offerings to the LORD.

18But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

18But Samuel served the LORD. He was only a boy. He wore a linen ephod, a plain vest worn by those who served God.

NoteAn ephod was a piece of clothing, something like a vest or apron, worn by people serving at God's tent.

19Moreover 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.

19Every year his mother made him a little coat. She brought it to him when she and her husband came to give the yearly offering.

20And 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.

20Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife. He said, "May the LORD give you more children through this woman. She gave her son to the LORD." Then they went home.

21And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.

21The LORD was kind to Hannah. She had three more sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew up serving the LORD.

22Now 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.

22Eli was very old now. He heard about all the things his sons were doing to Israel. He also heard that they slept with the women who served at the door of God's tent.

23And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.

23He said to them, "Why do you do these things? All these people tell me about the bad things you do."

24Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD’s people to transgress.

24"No, my sons. What I hear about you is not good. You are leading the LORD's people to do wrong."

25If 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.

25"If a man sins against another man, a judge can settle it. But if a man sins against the LORD, who can speak up for him?" But his sons would not listen to their father. The LORD had decided to put them to death.

26And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.

26The boy Samuel kept growing. The LORD was pleased with him, and people liked him too.

27And 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?

27A man of God came to Eli. He was a prophet, someone who tells people what God says. He said, "The LORD says this: Long ago your family lived in Egypt, in Pharaoh's house. I showed myself to them plainly there."

28And 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?

28"Out of all the families of Israel, I chose your family to be my priests. They bring gifts to my altar. They burn sweet smoke and wear the ephod when they stand before me. I gave your family a share of every offering Israel burns for me."

29Wherefore 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?

29"So why do you push away the gifts and offerings I asked for at my house? You care more about your sons than about me. You grow fat on the best parts of my people's gifts."

30Wherefore 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.

30"So the LORD, the God of Israel, says this: I did say that your family would serve me always. But now the LORD says: That will not happen. I will honor those who honor me. Those who treat me as nothing will count for nothing."

31Behold, 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.

31"Listen. The days are coming when I will take away your strength. I will take the strength of your father's family too. No man in your family will live to be old."

32And 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.

32"You will see trouble at my house. Good things will come to Israel, but no man in your family will ever grow old."

NoteThe KJV says "all the wealth which God shall give Israel." In 1611, "wealth" meant good things or wellbeing in general, not just money.

33And 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.

33"One man from your family will still serve at my altar. But he will bring tears to your eyes and pain to your heart. Everyone born in your family will die while still young."

34And 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.

34"Here is the sign that this is true. It will happen to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. Both of them will die on the same day."

35And 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.

35"Then I will choose a faithful priest for myself. He will do what is in my heart and mind. I will give him a family that lasts. He will always serve the king I choose."

36And 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.

36"Everyone left in your family will come and bow low to him. They will beg for a small piece of silver and a bit of bread. They will say, 'Please give me some job with the priests, so I can eat.'"