MOUNT CARMEL AND THE MOUTH OF THE KISHON SHALMANESER'S ARMY BESIEGING A CITY (IN THE MIDDLE ARE PRISONERS IMPALED) The text of this edition is taken from the Revised Version. The extracts from the Revised Version contained in this book are printed by permission of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, but all editorial responsibility rests with the editor of the present volume. N.B.-The footnotes to the text give revised readings which are pretty generally accepted by scholars. Those marked (R) are taken from the margin of the Revised Version. Those marked (S) are derived from the Greek translation (Septuagint), which has often preserved the true text. Those which are not marked are due to the investigations of modern scholars, such as Driver, Kittel, Duhm, Skinner, and Burney. Samuel was born in answer to Hannah's prayer, and was dedicated to the service of the temple at Shiloh. Warned by a vision he predicted the ruin of Eli's race, which followed the battle of Ebenezer, where the ark was captured by the Philistines. 1 SAMUEL I.—IV. 1 1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim,1 of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite: and he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah and Peninnah 5 had children, but Hannah had no children. And this man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests unto the LORD, were there. And when the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah 10 his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: but unto Hannah he gave a double portion: for he loved Hannah. And her rival provoked her sore, for to make her fret. And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not 15 eat. And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons? So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk.2 Now Eli the priest sat upon his seat by the door post of the 20 temple of the LORD. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, 1 For Ramathaim-zophim read Ramah, a Zuphite. 2 For in S. . . . drunk read and presented herself before the LORD. VOL. II.-A 30 and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine 25 handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul 35 before the LORD. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial for out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation have I spoken hitherto. Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace and the God of Israel grant thy petition that thou hast asked of him. And she said, Let thy servant 40 find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah. And it came to pass, when the time was come about, that 45 Hannah conceived, and bare a son; and she called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD. And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child 50 be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever. And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman tarried and gave her son suck, until she weaned him. And when 55 she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks,1 and one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young. And they slew the bullock, and brought the child to Eli. And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my 60 lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD. For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him therefore I also have granted 1 For three bullocks read a bullock three years old (S). |