1 Samuel 2:4-14

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

5 They that were full have hired themselves out for bread; and the hungry are [so] no more: Even the barren beareth seven, and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.

6 Jehovah killeth, and maketh alive; he bringeth down to Sheol, ^[a] and bringeth up.

7 Jehovah maketh poor, and maketh rich, he bringeth low, also he lifteth up:

8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust; from the dung-hill he lifteth up the needy, To set [him] among nobles; and he maketh them inherit a throne of glory; For the pillars of the earth are Jehovah's, and he hath set the world upon them.

9 He keepeth the feet of his saints, but the wicked are silenced in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

10 They that strive with Jehovah shall be broken to pieces; in the heavens will he thunder upon them. Jehovah will judge the ends of the earth; and he will give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the boy ministered to Jehovah in the presence of Eli the priest.

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

13 And the priests' custom with the people was, when any man sacrificed a sacrifice, the priest's servant came, when the flesh was cooked, with a flesh-hook of three prongs in his hand;

14 and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot; the priest took of it all that the flesh-hook brought up. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites that came there.

1 Samuel 2:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 2

In this chapter the song of Hannah is recorded, 1Sa 2:1-10, and an account is given of the return of Elkanah and Hannah to their own home, and of the care she took yearly to provide a coat for Samuel, and of her being blessed with many other children, and of the growth and ministry of Samuel before the Lord, 1Sa 2:11,18-21,26, and of the wickedness of the sons of Eli, 1Sa 2:12-17, and of Eli's too gentle treatment of them when he reproved them for it, 1Sa 2:22-25 and of a sharp message sent him from the Lord on that account, threatening destruction to his house, of which the death of his two sons would be a sign, 1Sa 2:27-36.

Footnotes

• [a]. See Gen. 37.35.
• [b]. Erets, 'land' or 'country.'
• [c]. Tebel, 'habitable earth:' see Prov. 8.31.
• [d]. Chasid, 'pious,' 'holy:' see Note c, Deut. 33.8; 2Chron. 6.42; Ps. 4.3.
• [e]. Or 'be powerful.'
• [f]. Lit. 'young man.'