1 Samuel 2

1 Ἐστερέωθη ἡ καρδία μου ἐν Κυρίῳ, ὑψώθη κέρας μου ἐν Θεῷ μου, ἐπλατύνθη ἐπʼ ἐχθρούς μου τὸ στόμα μου, εὐφράνθην ἐν σωτηρίᾳ σου.

2 Ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἅγιος ὡς Κύριος, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι δίκαιος ὡς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἔστιν ἅγιος πλήν σου.

3 Μὴ καυχᾶσθε, καὶ μὴ λαλεῖτε ὑψηλά· μὴ ἐξελθέτω μεγαλοῤῥημοσύνη ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ὑμῶν, ὅτι Θεὸς γνώσεων Κύριος, καὶ Θεὸς ἑτοιμάζων ἐπιτηδεύματα αὐτοῦ.

4 Τόξον δυνατῶν ἠσθένησε, καὶ ἀσθενοῦντες περιεζώσαντο δυνάμιν.

5 Πλήρεις ἄρτων ἠλαττώθησαν, καὶ οἱ πεινῶντες παρῆκαν γῆν· ὅτι στεῖρα ἔτεκεν ἑπτὰ, καὶ ἡ πολλὴ ἐν τέκνοις ἠσθένησε.

6 Κύριος θανατοῖ καὶ ζωογονεῖ, κατάγει εἰς ᾅδου καὶ ἀνάγει.

7 Κύριος πτωχίζει καὶ πλουτίζει, ταπεινοῖ καὶ ἀνυψοῖ.

8 Ἀνιστᾷ ἀπὸ γῆς πένητα, καὶ ἀπὸ κοπρίας ἐγείρει πτωχὸν, καθίσαι μετὰ δυναστῶν λαοῦ, καὶ θρόνον δόξης κατακληρονομῶν αὐτοῖς,

9 διδοὺς εὐχὴν τῷ εὐχομένῳ· καὶ εὐλόγησεν ἔτη δικαίου, ὅτι οὐκ ἐν ἰσχύϊ δυνατὸς ἀνήρ.

10 Κύριος ἀσθενῆ ποιήσει ἀντίδικον αὐτοῦ, Κύριος ἅγιος· μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ φρόνιμος ἐν τῇ φρονήσει αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ δυνατὸς ἐν τῇ δυνάμει αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ πλούσιος ἐν τῷ πλούτῳ αὐτοῦ· ἀλλʼ ἐν τούτῳ καυχάσθω ὁ καυχώμενος, συνιεῖν καὶ γινώσκειν τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ποιεῖν κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην ἐν μέσῳ τῆς γῆς. Κύριος ἀνέβη εἰς οὐρανοὺς, καὶ ἐβρόντησεν· αὐτὸς κρινεῖ ἄκρα γῆς, καὶ δίδωσιν ἰσχὺν τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν ἡμῶν, καὶ ὑψώσει κέρας χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ.

11 Καὶ κατέλιπεν αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς Ἀρμαθαίμ· καὶ τὸ παιδάριον ἦν λειτουργῶν τῷ προσώπῳ Κυρίου ἐνώπιον Ἡλὶ τοῦ ἱερέως.

12 Καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἡλὶ τοῦ ἱερέως υἱοὶ λοιμοί, οὐκ εἰδότες τὸν Κύριον.

13 Καὶ τὸ δικαίωμα τοῦ ἱερέως παρὰ τοῦ λαοῦ παντὸς τοῦ θύοντος· καὶ ἤρχετο τὸ παιδάριον τοῦ ἱερέως ὡς ἂν ἡψήθη τὸ κρέας, καὶ κρεάγρα τριόδους ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ,

14 καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτὴν εἰς τὸν λέβητα τὸν μέγαν ἢ εἰς τὸ χαλκεῖον ἢ εἰς τὴν χύτραν, καὶ πᾶν ὃ ἐὰν ἀνέβη ἐν τῇ κρεάγρᾳ, ἐλάμβανεν ἑαυτῷ ὁ ἱερεύς· κατὰ τάδε ἐποίουν παντὶ Ἰσραὴλ τοῖς ἐρχομένοις θῦσαι Κυρίῳ ἐν Σηλώμ.

15 Καὶ πρὶν θυμιαθῆναι τὸ στέαρ, ἤρχετο τὸ παιδάριον τοῦ ἱερέως, καὶ ἔλεγε τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῷ θύοντι, δὸς κρέας ὀπτῆσαι τῷ ἱερεῖ, καὶ οὐ μὴ λάβω παρὰ σοῦ κρέας ἑφθὸν ἐκ τοῦ λέβητος.

16 Καὶ ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀνὴρ ὁ θύων, θυμιαθήτω πρῶτον ὡς καθήκει τὸ στέαρ, καὶ λάβε σεαυτῷ ἐκ πάντων ὧν ἐπιθυμεῖ ἡ ψυχή σου· καὶ εἶπεν, οὐχί· ὅτι νῦν δώσεις· καὶ ἐὰν μὴ, λήψομαι κραταιῶς.

17 Καὶ ἦν ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐνώπιον Κυρίου τῶν παιδαρίων μεγάλη σφόδρα, ὅτι ἠθέτουν τὴν θυσίαν Κυρίου.

18 Καὶ Σαμουὴλ ἦν λειτουργῶν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, παιδάριον περιεζωσμένον ἐφοὺδ βάδ·

19 Καὶ διπλοΐδα μικρὰν ἐποίησεν αὐτῷ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνέφερεν αὐτῷ ἐξ ἡμερῶν εἰς ἡμέρας ἐν τῷ ἀναβαίνειν αὐτὴν μετὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς θῦσαι τὴν θυσίαν τῶν ἡμερῶν.

20 Καὶ εὐλόγησεν Ἡλὶ τὸν Ἑλκανὰ καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, λέγων, ἀποτίσαι σοι Κύριος σπέρμα ἐκ τῆς γυναικὸς ταύτης, ἀντὶ τοῦ χρέους οὗ ἔχρησας τῷ Κυρίῳ· καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος εἰς τὸν τὸπον αὐτοῦ.

21 Καὶ ἐπεσκέψατο Κύριος τὴν Ἄνναν, καὶ ἔτεκεν ἔτι τρεῖς υἱοὺς, καὶ δύο θυγατέρας· καὶ ἐμεγαλύνθη τὸ παιδάριον Σαμουὴλ ἐνώπιον Κυρίου.

22 Καὶ Ἡλὶ πρεσβύτης σφόδρα· καὶ ἤκουσεν ἃ ἐποίουν οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραήλ·

23 Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, ἱνατί ποιεῖτε κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο, ὃ ἐγὼ ἀκούω ἐκ στόματος παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ Κυρίου;

24 Μὴ τέκνα, ὅτι οὐκ ἀγαθὴ ἡ ἀκοὴ ἣν ἐγὼ ἀκούω· μὴ ποιεῖτε οὕτως, ὅτι οὐκ ἀγαθαὶ αἱ ἀκοαὶ ἃς ἐγὼ ἀκούω τοῦ μὴ δουλεύειν λαὸν Θεῷ.

25 Ἐὰν ἁμαρτάνων ἁμάρτῃ ἀνὴρ εἰς ἄνδρα, καὶ προσεύξονται ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ πρὸς Κύριον· καὶ ἐὰν τῷ Κυρίῳ ἁμάρτῃ, τίς προσεύξεται ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ; Καὶ οὐκ ἤκουον τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν, ὅτι βουλόμενος ἐβούλετο Κύριος διαφθεῖραι αὐτούς.

26 Καὶ τὸ παιδάριον Σαμουὴλ ἐπορεύετο, καὶ ἦν ἀγαθὸν μετὰ Κυρίου καὶ μετὰ ανθρώπων.

27 Καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος Θεοῦ πρὸς Ἡλὶ, καὶ εἶπε, τάδε λέγει Κύριος, ἀποκαλυφθεὶς ἀπεκαλύφθην πρὸς οἶκον τοῦ πατρός σου, ὄντων αὐτῶν ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ δούλων τῷ οἴκῳ Φαραὼ.

28 Καὶ ἐξελεξάμην τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρός σου ἐκ πάντων τῶν σκήπτρων Ἰσραὴλ ἐμοὶ ἱερατεύειν, τοῦ ἀναβαίνειν ἐπὶ θυσιαστήριόν μου, καὶ θυμιᾷν θυμίαμα, καὶ αἴρειν ἐφούδ· καὶ ἔδωκα τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ πατρός σου τὰ πάντα τοῦ πυρὸς υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ εἰς βρῶσιν.

29 Καὶ ἱνατί ἐπέβλεψας ἐπὶ τὸ θυμίαμά μου καὶ εἰς τὴν θυσίαν μου ἀναιδεῖ ὀφθαλμῷ; καὶ ἐδόξασας τοὺς υἱούς σου ὑπὲρ ἐμὲ ἐνευλογεῖσθαι ἀπαρχῆς πάσης θυσίας τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἔμπροσθέν μου;

30 Διὰ τοῦτο τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ, εἶπα, ὁ οἶκός σου καὶ ὁ οἶκος τοῦ πατρός σου διελεύσεται ἐνώπιόν μου ἕως αἰῶνος· καὶ νῦν φησι Κὺριος, μηδαμῶς ἐμοὶ, ὅτι ἀλλʼ ἢ τοὺς δοξάζοντάς με δοξάσω, καὶ ὁ ἐξουθενῶν με ἀτιμωθήσεται.

31 Ἰδοὺ ἔρχονται ἡμέραι, καὶ ἐξολοθρεύσω τὸ σπέρμα σου καὶ τὸ σπέρμα οἴκου πατρός σου·

32 Καὶ οὐκ ἔσται σοι πρεσβύτης ἐν οἴκῳ μου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας.

33 Καὶ ἄνδρα οὐκ ἐξολοθρεύσω σοι ἀπὸ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου μου, ἐκλείπειν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ καταῤῥεῖν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ· καὶ πᾶς περισσεύων οἴκου σου πεσοῦνται ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ ἀνδρῶν.

34 Καὶ τοῦτό σοι τὸ σημεῖον ὃ ἥξει ἐπὶ τοὺς δύο υἱούς σου, Ὀφνὶ καὶ Φινεὲς, ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ ἀποθανοῦνται ἀμφότεροι.

35 Καὶ ἀναστήσω ἐμαυτῷ ἱερέα πιστὸν, ὃς πάντα τὰ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου καὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ μου ποιήσει καὶ οἰκοδομήσω αὐτῷ οἶκον πιστὸν, καὶ διελεύσεται ἐνώπιον χριστοῦ μου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας.

36 Καὶ ἔσται ὁ περισσεύων ἐν οἴκῳ σον, ἥξει προσκυνεῖν αὐτῷ ὀβολοῦ ἀργυρίου, λέγων, παράῤῥιψόν με ἐπὶ μίαν τῶν ἱερατειῶν σου φαγεῖν ἄρτον.

1 My heart is established in the Lord, my horn is exalted in my God; my mouth is enlarged over my enemies, I have rejoiced in thy salvation.

2 For there is none holy as the Lord, and there is none righteous as our God: there is none holy beside thee.

3 Boast not, and utter not high things; let not high-sounding words come out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and God prepares his own designs.

4 The bow of the mighty has waxed feeble, and the weak have girded themselves with strength.

5 They that were full of bread are brought low; and the hungry have forsaken the land; for the barren has born seven, and she that abounded in children has waxed feeble.

6 The Lord kills and makes alive; he brings down to the grave, and brings up.

7 The Lord makes poor, and makes rich; he brings low, and lifts up.

8 He lifts up the poor from the earth, and raises the needy from the dunghill; to seat him with the princes of the people, and causing them to inherit the throne of glory:

9 granting his petition to him that prays; and he blesses the years of the righteous, for by strength cannot man prevail.

10 The Lord will weaken his adversary; the Lord is holy. Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor let the mighty man boast in his strength, and let not the rich man boast in his wealth; but let him that boasts boast in this, to understand and know the Lord, and to execute judgment and justice in the midst of the earth. The Lord has gone up to the heavens, and has thundered: he will judge the extremities of the earth, and he gives strength to our kings, and will exalt the horn of his Christ. And she left him there before the Lord,

'and the Lord executes,' etc. Comp. Jer. 9. 24.

11 and departed to Armathaim: and the child ministered in the presence of the Lord before Heli the priest.

12 And the sons of Heli the priest were evil sons, not knowing the Lord.

13 And the priest's claim from every one of the people that sacrificed was this : the servant of the priest came when the flesh was in seething, and a flesh-hook of three teeth was in his hand.

14 And he struck it into the great caldron, or into the brazen vessel, or into the pot, and whatever came up with the flesh-hook, the priest took for himself: so they did to all Israel that came to sacrifice to the Lord in Selom.

15 And before the fat was burnt for a sweet savour, the servant of the priest would come, and say to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest, and I will by no means take of thee sodden flesh out of the caldron.

16 And if the man that sacrificed said, First let the fat be burned, as it is fit, and take for thyself of all things which thy soul desires: then he would say, Nay, for thou shalt give it me now; and if not, I will take it by force.

17 So the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for they set at nought the offering of the Lord.

18 And Samuel ministered before the Lord, a child girt with a linen ephod.

19 And his mother made him a little doublet, and brought it to him from year to year, in her going up in company with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

days to days.

20 And Heli blessed Helcana and his wife, saying, The Lord recompense to thee seed of this woman, in return for the loan which thou hast lent to the Lord: and the man returned to his place.

21 And the Lord visited Anna, and she bore yet three sons, and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord.

22 And Heli was very old, and he heard what his sons did to the children of Israel.

23 And he said to them, Why do ye according to this thing, which I hear from the mouth of all the people of the Lord?

24 Nay my sons, for the report which I hear is not good; do not so, for the reports which I hear are not good, so that the people do not serve God.

the reports which I hear of the people not serving, etc. Comp. 1 Chr. 13. 4.

25 If a man should at all sin against another, then shall they pray for him to the Lord; but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? But they hearkened not to the voice of their father, because the Lord would by all means destroy them.

26 And the child Samuel advanced, and was in favour with God and with men.

was good.

27 And a man of God came to Heli, and said, Thus says the Lord, I plainly revealed myself to the house of thy father, when they were servants in Egypt to the house of Pharao.

28 And I chose the house of thy father out of all the tribes of Israel to minister to me in the priest's office, to go up to my altar, and to burn incense, and to wear an ephod. And I gave to the house of thy father all the offerings by fire of the children of Israel for food.

29 And wherefore hast thou looked upon my incense-offering and my meat-offering with a shameless eye, and hast honoured thy sons above me, so that they should bless themselves with the first-fruits of every sacrifice of Israel before me?

30 Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel, I said, Thy house and the house of thy father shall pass before me for ever: but now the Lord says, That be far from me; for I will only honour them that honour me, and he that sets me at nought shall be despised.

31 Behold, the days come when I will destroy thy seed and the seed of thy father's house.

32 And thou shalt not have an old man in my house for ever.

33 And if I do not destroy a man of thine from my altar, it shall be that his eyes may fail and his soul may perish; and every one that remains in thy house shall fall by the sword of men.

34 And this which shall come upon thy two sons Ophni and Phinees shall be a sign to thee; in one day they shall both die.

35 And I will raise up to myself a faithful priest, who shall do all that is in my heart and in my soul; and I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before my Christ for ever.

36 And it shall come to pass that he that survives in thy house, shall come to do obeisance before him for a little piece of silver, saying, Put me into one of thy priests' offices to eat bread.

+ 'and for a piece of bread.'

cast.