1 Samuel

Tells about Samuel, the last judge, and the beginning of Israel's monarchy with King Saul and young David.

Chapter 2

1 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.

*Hannah prayed, saying, "I am happy in God! He has made me strong. I can talk better than those who are against me because I trust in His rescue."

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

*There is no one as holy as the LORD because there is no other god like Him. There is no rock, or strong foundation, quite like ours.

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.

*Don't brag too much or be overly proud; don't let arrogance come from your mouth. The LORD is a God who knows everything, and he judges our actions based on what we do.

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

*The strong warriors' bows are broken now, while those who used to stumble have newfound 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.

*Those who had enough food paid to get more; those who were hungry stopped. So, the woman with no kids now has seven, and the woman with lots of kids is weak.

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

*The Lord causes life and death; he sends people to the grave and also brings them back.

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

*God makes people poor or rich; he lowers and raises them 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.

*He lifts up the poor from the ground and raises the beggar from the garbage pile. He places them with the rulers and lets them share in the throne of glory. The earth stands on the Lord's pillars.

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

*He will protect his good people's feet, and bad people will be quiet in the dark; because nobody can win with just strength.

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.

*The Lord's enemies will be defeated; He will send thunder from heaven against them. The Lord will judge the whole world and make His chosen ruler strong, raising up their power.

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

*Elkanah visited his home in Ramah. The child served God under the supervision of Eli, the priest.

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

*Now, Eli's children were bad kids; they didn't know God.

13 And 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;

*The priests' practice involved taking a share from what people sacrificed. When a person offered a sacrifice, the priest's helper would come when the meat was cooking, using a tool called a fleshhook with three teeth to take some of it.

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.

*He put it in a cooking container - pan, kettle, caldron, or pot. The priest took what the fleshhook caught. They did this at Shiloh for all the Israelites who visited.

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.

*Before cooking the fat, the priest's helper arrived and told the person offering the sacrifice, "Give meat to cook for the priest. He won't accept boiled meat from you, only 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.

*If someone tells you to burn the fat right away and then take as much as you want, the response is no. Instead, give it to me now, or I'll 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.

*Because the young people's sins were very bad in the Lord's eyes, as people didn't like offering to the Lord.

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

*But Samuel served God as a young child, wearing a simple cloth vestment.

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.

*Additionally, his mom made him a small jacket and gave it to him every year during their annual trip to give their yearly offering.

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.

*And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, saying, May the Lord give you children because you have given your resources to the Lord. Then they returned to their 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.

*God blessed Hannah, causing her to become pregnant with five children. One of them was Samuel, who grew up under God's care.

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.

*Now Eli was very old and knew everything his sons did to the people of Israel, including sleeping with women near the entrance of the meeting place.

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

*He asked them, "Why are you doing these things?" because he had heard about their bad actions from everyone around.

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

*No, my children; because the message I hear is not good: you are causing God's followers to break the rules.

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.

*If someone does something wrong to another person, a judge will decide the punishment. But if someone sins against God, who can plead for them? Even though they heard their father's advice, they didn't listen because they believed God would kill them.

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

*As the child Samuel got older, he was favored by both God and people.

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?

*A man from God talked to Eli and asked, "God says, did I clearly appear to your father's family when they were in Egypt, in Pharaoh's home?"

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?

*Did I select him from among all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to present offerings on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in front of me? And did I give all the fire offerings made by the children of Israel to your father's house?

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?

*Why do you reject my sacrifice and offering, which I told you to do in my home? You honor your sons more than me, using the best offerings from my people Israel to get richer.

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.

*Because the Lord God of Israel says, I truly said your family and your father's family should always lead for me. But now, the Lord says, I don't want that; those who respect me will receive my respect, while those who disrespect me won't matter much.

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.

*Look, a time is coming when I will take away your strength and the strength of your father's family, so no elderly person will remain in your household.

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.

*You will see an enemy in my home, in all the riches that God gives to Israel. Also, there will not always be an elderly person living in your household forever.

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.

*And the person you have, who I won't remove from my altar, will cause your eyes to be destroyed and your heart to hurt deeply. All the growing members of your family will die when they are at the peak of their lives.

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.

*This means: A sign will show itself through your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. On the same day, they will both pass away.

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.

*I will choose a loyal priest who follows what's in my thoughts and feelings. I will give him a strong, lasting home, and he will always serve my chosen one forever.

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.

*And eventually, everyone remaining in your home will gather around you asking for a small amount of silver and a bit of bread. They'll plead to be assigned to a priest's job just to get some food.

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