2:18 Now Samuel was ministering before the Lord. The boy was dressed in a linen ephod. 2:19 His mother used to make him a small robe and bring it up to him at regular intervals when she would go up with her husband to make the annual sacrifice. 2:20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife saying, “May the Lord raise up for you descendants 1 from this woman to replace the one that she 2 dedicated to the Lord.” Then they would go to their 3 home. 2:21 So the Lord graciously attended to Hannah, and she was able to conceive and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. The boy Samuel grew up at the Lord’s sanctuary. 4
2:22 Now Eli was very old when he heard about everything that his sons used to do to all the people of Israel 5 and how they used to have sex with 6 the women who were stationed at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 2:23 He said to them, “Why do you behave in this way? For I hear about these evil things from all these 7 people. 2:24 This ought not to be, 8 my sons! For the report that I hear circulating among the Lord’s people is not good. 2:25 If a man sins against a man, one may appeal to God on his behalf. But if a man sins against the Lord, who then will intercede for him?” But Eli’s sons 9 would not listen to their father, for the Lord had decided 10 to kill them.
2:26 Now the boy Samuel was growing up and finding favor both with the Lord and with people.
1 tn Heb “seed.”
2 tn The MT has a masculine verb here, but in light of the context the reference must be to Hannah. It is possible that the text of the MT is incorrect here (cf. the ancient versions), in which case the text should be changed to read either a passive participle or better, the third feminine singular of the verb. If the MT is correct here, perhaps the masculine is to be understood in a nonspecific and impersonal way, allowing for a feminine antecedent. In any case, the syntax of the MT is unusual here.
3 tn Heb “his.”
1 tn Heb “with the
1 tn Heb “to all Israel.”
2 tn Heb “lie with.”
1 tc For “these” the LXX has “of the Lord” (κυρίου, kuriou), perhaps through the influence of the final phrase of v. 24 (“the people of the
1 tn Heb “no.”
1 tn Heb “they”; the referent (Eli’s sons) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 tn Heb “desired.”