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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 priest's 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.
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