¶ And Hannah prayed and said: mine heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is high in the LORD and my mouth is wide open over mine enemies, for I rejoice in thy saving.
There is none so holy as the LORD: no there is none save thou. Neither is there any strength like unto our God.
Talk not too much proudly: let old things depart out of your mouths, for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and judgeth the thoughts.
The bows of the strong are broken: and the weak are endued with strength.
They that were full, have hired out themselves for bread, and they that were hungry cease so to be: insomuch that the barren hath borne seven, and she that had many children is waxed feeble.
The LORD killeth and maketh alive, bringeth down to hell and fetcheth up again.
The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich, bringeth low, and heaveth up on high.
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill: to set them among princes, and to inherit them with the seat of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he hath set the round world upon them.
He will keep the feet of his saints but the wicked shall keep silence in darkness. For in his own might shall no man be strong.
The LORD's adversaries shall be made to fear him: and out of heaven he shall thunder upon them. The LORD shall judge the ends of the world, and shall give might unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.
¶ And Elkanah went to Ramath to his house, and the lad did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.
But the sons of Eli were unthrifty children and knew not the LORD. For the manner of the priests with the people was,
whensoever any man offered any offerings the priest's lad came, while the flesh was in seething, and a flesh hook with three teeth in his hand,
and thrust it into the pan, kettle, cauldron or pot. And all that the flesh hook brought up the priest took away. And so they did unto all Israel that came thither to Siloh.
Yea: and thereto before they had offered the fat, the priest's lad came and said to the man that offered: give flesh to roast for the priest, for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
And if any man said unto him, let the fat be offered according to the day, and then take as much as thine heart desireth. The lad would answer him, thou shalt give it me now, or else I will take it with violence.
And the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD. For they despised the people and also the offering of the LORD.
But the lad Samuel ministered before the LORD girded about with a linen Ephod.
Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from feast to feast when she came up with her husband to offer the offering of the said feast.
And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said: the LORD give thee seed of this woman, for that she hath lent the LORD. And they went unto their own home.
And the LORD visited Hannah for that she conceived and bare three sons and two daughters. But the boy Samuel grew dwelling still with the LORD.
Eli was very old and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how they slept with the women that waited in the door of the tabernacle of witness,
and said unto them: why do ye such things? For I hear your wicked deeds of all these people.
Oh, nay my sons: For it is no good report that I hear how that ye make the LORD's people to trespass.
If one man sin against another, daysmen may make his peace: but if a man sin against the LORD, who can be his daysman? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.
The child Samuel profited and grew, and was in favour both with the LORD and also with men.
¶ And there came a man of God unto Eli and said unto him: thus sayeth the LORD. I appeared unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharao's house.
And I chose thy father out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest for to offer upon mine altar and to burn incense, and to wear an Ephod before me. And I gave unto the house of thy father all the offerings of the children of Israel.
Wherefore kick ye against my sacrifice and against mine offering which I command in the tabernacle, and honourest thy children above me, and make yourselves fat of the first fruits of all the offerings of Israel my people?
Wherefore the LORD God of Israel sayeth: I said that thine house and the house of thy father should have walked before me for ever. But now the LORD sayeth that be far from me: for them that worship me I will worship, and they that despise me, shall be despised,
Behold the days will come that I will cut off thine arm and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an elder in thine house.
And thou shalt see thine enemy in the tabernacle, in all that shall please Israel, and there shall not be an elder in thine house while the world stondeth.
Nevertheless I will not destroy all thy males from my altar, to daze thy sight with all and to make thine heart melt. And all the multitude of thine house shall die young.
And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, Hophni and Phinehes: even in one day they shall die both of them.
And I will stir me up a faithful priest that shall do as it 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.
And they that are left in thine house, shall come and crouch to him for a little piece of silver and a cake of bread, and shall say: put me I pray thee in one office or other among the priests, that I may eat a morsel of bread.
Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.