Hannah Rejoices in Our Father
Hannah sings that our Father empties the full and fills the hungry, kills and makes alive. Meanwhile Eli's sons are stealing meat from the offerings and sleeping with the women at the tent, and Eli only scolds. A prophet announces the end of his house.
2 1Hannah prayed: "My heart exults in my Father; my horn is high in my Father. My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, for I rejoice in your rescue.
2"There is none holy like our Father; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our Father.
3"Talk no more so very proudly; let no arrogance come from your mouth, for our Father is our Father of knowledge, and by him deeds are weighed.
4The bows of the mighty are shattered, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
5Those who were full hire themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry hunger no more. The barren woman has borne seven, but she who had many children is forlorn.
6Our Father puts to death and brings to life; he brings down to the grave and raises up.
7Our Father makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he lifts up.
8He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to seat them with princes and give them a throne of honor. For the pillars of the earth belong to our Father, and on them he has set the world.
9"He guards the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked are silenced in darkness; for not by strength does anyone prevail.
10Those who oppose our Father will be shattered; he will thunder against them from heaven. Our Father will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and lift high the horn of his anointed."
11Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy served our Father before Eli the priest.
The Worthless Sons of Eli
12Now the sons of Eli were worthless men; they did not know our Father. a a v12 These priests carried out the rituals yet never knew our Father as their own — the tragedy of religious office without relationship. 13This was the priests' custom with the people: when anyone sacrificed, the priest's servant came while the meat boiled, a three-pronged fork in hand. 14He'd jab it into the pot, kettle, cauldron, or pan; whatever the fork pulled up, the priest kept for himself. So they treated all Israelites coming to Shiloh. 15Even before burning the fat, the priest's servant would come and tell the sacrificer, "Give meat to roast for the priest—he won't take boiled meat, only raw."
16If the man said, "Burn the fat first, then take what you want," he'd answer, "No, give it now, or I'll take it by force." 17The young men's sin was very great before our Father, for they despised our Father's offering. 18But Samuel served before our Father, a boy dressed in a linen ephod. b b v18 An ephod was the distinctive linen vest worn by Israel's priests while serving at the sanctuary. 19Each year his mother made him a small robe and brought it when she went up with her husband for the yearly sacrifice. 20Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife: "May our Father give you offspring by this woman instead of what she asked of him and gave to our Father." Then they went home. 21Our Father cared for Hannah; she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. The boy Samuel grew up before our Father.
22Eli was very old. He kept hearing all his sons did to all Israel, and how they slept with the women serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 23He asked them, "Why act this way? I hear your evil deeds from all these people. 24No, my sons; the report I hear is not good—it's spreading among the people of our Father. 25If one sins against another, our Father may mediate for him. But if one sins against our Father, who can intercede for the sinner? Yet they ignored their father's voice, for our Father meant to kill them."
26The boy Samuel kept growing in stature and in favor with our Father and with people.
Our Father Judges Eli's House
27A man of our Father came to Eli: "This is what our Father says: 'Did I not clearly reveal myself to your father's house while in Egypt, under Pharaoh's house?
28"I chose him from all the tribes of Israel as my priest—to go up to my altar, burn incense, wear an ephod before me. I gave your father's house all Israel's fire offerings. 29Why do you kick at my sacrifice and offering I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons over me, growing fat on the best of every offering of my people Israel?'
30"So our Father of Israel declares: 'I said your house and your father's house would walk before me forever.' But now our Father declares: 'Never! I honor those who honor me; those who despise me I'll treat lightly.' 31Days are coming when I cut off your strength and your father's house's strength, so none in your house reaches old age. 32You will see distress in my dwelling despite all the good done for Israel; never again an old man in your house. 33Yet I will not cut off every one of yours from my altar; one will be spared to weep out your eyes and grieve your heart, but all your descendants will die in the prime of life. 34Your sign: your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will both die on the same day. 35I will raise up for myself a faithful priest who does what's in my heart and mind. I will build him a lasting house; he will walk before my anointed forever. c c v35 The faithful priest our Father promised points beyond Samuel and Zadok to Jesus, the perfect high priest who always does what is in the Father's heart. 36Everyone left in your house will come, bow to him for silver and a loaf of bread, saying, 'Attach me to some priestly office, so I can eat a piece of bread.'"
