65

him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he is granted to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.

2 1 And Hannah prayed, and said:
My heart exulteth in the LORD,

mine horn is exalted in the LORD:
My mouth is enlarged over mine enemies;
because I rejoice in thy salvation.
There is none holy as the LORD;

for there is none beside thee:

neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so exceeding proudly;

let not arrogancy come out of your mouth :

For the LORD is a God of knowledge,

75

and by him actions are weighed.

The bows of the mighty men are broken,

and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

They that were full have hired out themselves for bread;
and they that were hungry have ceased: 1

80

Yea, the barren hath borne seven ;

and she that hath many children languisheth.

The LORD killeth, and maketh alive :

he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

85

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

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust,

he lifteth 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 the LORD's,
and he hath set the world upon them.

90

He will keep the feet of his holy ones,

but the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness;

for by strength shall no man prevail.

95

They that strive with the LORD shall be broken to pieces;

against them shall he thunder in heaven:

The LORD shall judge the ends of the earth;

and he shall give strength unto his king,
and exalt the horn of his anointed.

18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year, when she

1 For have ceased read have rest (R).

100

came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. And 105 Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which was lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home. And the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.

2 12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD. And the custom of the priests with the people was, that, when any man1 offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand; and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or 115 pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took therewith. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither. Yea, 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. And if the 120 man said unto him, They will surely burn the fat presently,2 and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would say, Nay, but thou shalt give it me now and if not, I will take it by force. And the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD for men abhorred3 the offering of the LORD. Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did; and he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people. Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear ye make the LORD's people to transgress.4 If one man sin against another, God shall judge him: but if a 130 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. And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.

125

31 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before 135 Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious 5 in those days; there was no open 6 vision. And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, (now his eyes had begun to

1 For they knew when any man read they knew not the LORD, nor the due of the priests from the people. When any

man...

(R).

2 For presently read first (R).

3 For men abhorred read the men (i.e. the sons of Eli) despised (R). 4 For that I hear . . . transgress read which I hear the LORD'S people do spread abroad (R).

5 For precious read rare (R).
For open read frequent (R).

:

wax dim, that he could not see,) and the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was; that the LORD called 140 Samuel and he said, Here am I. And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he answered, 145 I called not, my son; lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him. And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And Eli perceived that the LORD 150 had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel 155 said, Speak for thy servant heareth. And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even unto the end. For I have told 160 him that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons did bring a curse upon themselves, and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever. And Samuel lay until the 165 morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision. Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he said, Here am I. And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath spoken unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more 170 also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he spake unto thee. And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good. And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all 175 Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD. And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD. And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.

180