1 Samuel 2

1 exultavit cor meum in Domino exaltatum est cornu meum in Domino dilatatum est os meum super inimicos meos quia laetata sum in salutari tuo

2 non est sanctus ut est Dominus neque enim est alius extra te et non est fortis sicut Deus noster

3 nolite multiplicare loqui sublimia gloriantes recedant vetera de ore vestro quoniam Deus scientiarum Dominus est et ipsi praeparantur cogitationes

4 arcus fortium superatus est et infirmi accincti sunt robore

5 saturati prius pro pane se locaverunt et famelici saturati sunt donec sterilis peperit plurimos et quae multos habebat filios infirmata est

6 Dominus mortificat et vivificat deducit ad infernum et reducit

7 Dominus pauperem facit et ditat humiliat et sublevat

8 suscitat de pulvere egenum et de stercore elevat pauperem ut sedeat cum principibus et solium gloriae teneat Domini enim sunt cardines terrae et posuit super eos orbem

9 pedes sanctorum suorum servabit et impii in tenebris conticescent quia non in fortitudine roborabitur vir

10 Dominum formidabunt adversarii eius super ipsos in caelis tonabit Dominus iudicabit fines terrae et dabit imperium regi suo et sublimabit cornu christi sui

11 et abiit Helcana Ramatha in domum suam puer autem erat minister in conspectu Domini ante faciem Heli sacerdotis

12 porro filii Heli filii Belial nescientes Dominum

13 neque officium sacerdotum ad populum sed quicumque immolasset victimam veniebat puer sacerdotis dum coquerentur carnes et habebat fuscinulam tridentem in manu sua

14 et mittebat eam in lebetem vel in caldariam aut in ollam sive in caccabum et omne quod levabat fuscinula tollebat sacerdos sibi sic faciebant universo Israheli venientium in Silo

15 etiam antequam adolerent adipem veniebat puer sacerdotis et dicebat immolanti da mihi carnem ut coquam sacerdoti non enim accipiam a te carnem coctam sed crudam

16 dicebatque illi immolans incendatur primum iuxta morem hodie adeps et tolle tibi quantumcumque desiderat anima tua qui respondens aiebat ei nequaquam nunc enim dabis alioquin tollam vi

17 erat ergo peccatum puerorum grande nimis coram Domino quia detrahebant homines sacrificio Domini

18 Samuhel autem ministrabat ante faciem Domini puer accinctus ephod lineo

19 et tunicam parvam faciebat ei mater sua quam adferebat statutis diebus ascendens cum viro suo ut immolaret hostiam sollemnem

20 et benedixit Heli Helcanae et uxori eius dixitque reddat Dominus tibi semen de muliere hac pro fenore quod commodasti Domino et abierunt in locum suum

21 visitavit ergo Dominus Annam et concepit et peperit tres filios et duas filias et magnificatus est puer Samuhel apud Dominum

22 Heli autem erat senex valde et audivit omnia quae faciebant filii sui universo Israheli et quomodo dormiebant cum mulieribus quae observabant ad ostium tabernaculi

23 et dixit eis quare facitis res huiuscemodi quas ego audio res pessimas ab omni populo

24 nolite filii mi non enim est bona fama quam ego audio ut transgredi faciatis populum Domini

25 si peccaverit vir in virum placari ei potest Deus si autem in Domino peccaverit vir quis orabit pro eo et non audierunt vocem patris sui quia voluit Dominus occidere eos

26 puer autem Samuhel proficiebat atque crescebat et placebat tam Deo quam hominibus

27 venit autem vir Dei ad Heli et ait ad eum haec dicit Dominus numquid non aperte revelatus sum domui patris tui cum essent in Aegypto in domo Pharaonis

28 et elegi eum ex omnibus tribubus Israhel mihi in sacerdotem ut ascenderet altare meum et adoleret mihi incensum et portaret ephod coram me et dedi domui patris tui omnia de sacrificiis filiorum Israhel

29 quare calce abicitis victimam meam et munera mea quae praecepi ut offerrentur in templo et magis honorasti filios tuos quam me ut comederetis primitias omnis sacrificii Israhel populi mei

30 propterea ait Dominus Deus Israhel loquens locutus sum ut domus tua et domus patris tui ministraret in conspectu meo usque in sempiternum nunc autem dicit Dominus absit hoc a me sed quicumque glorificaverit me glorificabo eum qui autem contemnunt me erunt ignobiles

31 ecce dies veniunt et praecidam brachium tuum et brachium domus patris tui ut non sit senex in domo tua

32 et videbis aemulum tuum in templo in universis prosperis Israhel et non erit senex in domo tua omnibus diebus

33 verumtamen non auferam penitus virum ex te ab altari meo sed ut deficiant oculi tui et tabescat anima tua et pars magna domus tuae morietur cum ad virilem aetatem venerit

34 hoc autem erit tibi signum quod venturum est duobus filiis tuis Ofni et Finees in die uno morientur ambo

35 et suscitabo mihi sacerdotem fidelem qui iuxta cor meum et animam meam faciat et aedificabo ei domum fidelem et ambulabit coram christo meo cunctis diebus

36 futurum est autem ut quicumque remanserit in domo tua veniat ut oretur pro eo et offerat nummum argenteum et tortam panis dicatque dimitte me obsecro ad unam partem sacerdotalem ut comedam buccellam panis

1 Samuel 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

Hannah's song of thanksgiving. (1-10) The wickedness of Eli's sons, Samuel's ministry. (11-26) The prophecy against Eli's family. (27-36)

Verses 1-10 Hannah's heart rejoiced, not in Samuel, but in the Lord. She looks beyond the gift, and praises the Giver. She rejoiced in the salvation of the Lord, and in expectation of His coming, who is the whole salvation of his people. The strong are soon weakened, and the weak are soon strengthened, when God pleases. Are we poor? God made us poor, which is a good reason why we should be content, and make up our minds to our condition. Are we rich? God made us rich, which is a good reason why we should be thankful, and serve him cheerfully, and do good with the abundance he gives us. He respects not man's wisdom or fancied excellences, but chooses those whom the world accounts foolish, teaching them to feel their guilt, and to value his free and precious salvation. This prophecy looks to the kingdom of Christ, that kingdom of grace, of which Hannah speaks, after having spoken largely of the kingdom of providence. And here is the first time that we meet with the name MESSIAH, or his Anointed. The subjects of Christ's kingdom will be safe, and the enemies of it will be ruined; for the Anointed, the Lord Christ, is able to save, and to destroy.

Verses 11-26 Samuel, being devoted to the Lord in a special manner, was from a child employed about the sanctuary in the services he was capable of. As he did this with a pious disposition of mind, it was called ministering unto the Lord. He received a blessing from the Lord. Those young people who serve God as well as they can, he will enable to improve, that they may serve him better. Eli shunned trouble and exertion. This led him to indulge his children, without using parental authority to restrain and correct them when young. He winked at the abuses in the service of the sanctuary till they became customs, and led to abominations; and his sons, who should have taught those that engaged in the service of the sanctuary what was good, solicited them to wickedness. Their offence was committed even in offering the sacrifices for sins, which typified the atonement of the Saviour! Sins against the remedy, the atonement itself, are most dangerous, they tread under foot the blood of the covenant. Eli's reproof was far too mild and gentle. In general, none are more abandoned than the degenerate children of godly persons, when they break through restraints.

Verses 27-36 Those who allow their children in any evil way, and do not use their authority to restrain and punish them, in effect honour them more than God. Let Eli's example excite parents earnestly to strive against the beginnings of wickedness, and to train up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. In the midst of the sentence against the house of Eli, mercy is promised to Israel. God's work shall never fall to the ground for want of hands to carry it on. Christ is that merciful and faithful High Priest, whom God raised up when the Levitical priesthood was thrown off, who in all things did his Father's mind, and for whom God will build a sure house, build it on a rock, so that hell cannot prevail against it.

Chapter Summary

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.