Discovery Box1 Samuel 1:1--8:22
Context1:1 There was a man from Ramathaim Zophim, 1 from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 1:2 He had two wives; the name of the first was Hannah and the name of the second was Peninnah. Now Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.
1:3 Year after year 2 this man would go up from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh. It was there that the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, served as the Lord’s priests. 1:4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he used to give meat portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 1:5 But he would give a double 3 portion to Hannah, because he especially loved her. 4 Now the Lord had not enabled her to have children. 5 1:6 Her rival wife used to upset her and make her worry, 6 for the Lord had not enabled her to have children. 1:7 Peninnah 7 would behave this way year after year. Whenever Hannah 8 went up to the Lord’s house, Peninnah 9 would upset her so that she would weep and refuse to eat. 1:8 Finally her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep and not eat? Why are you so sad? 10 Am I not better to you than ten 11 sons?”
1:9 On one occasion in Shiloh, after they had finished eating and drinking, Hannah got up. 12 (Now at the time Eli the priest was sitting in his chair 13 by the doorpost of the Lord’s temple.) 1:10 She was very upset 14 as she prayed to the Lord, and she was weeping uncontrollably. 15 1:11 She made a vow saying, “O Lord of hosts, if you will look with compassion 16 on the suffering of your female servant, 17 remembering me and not forgetting your servant, and give a male child 18 to your servant, then I will dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life. His hair will never be cut.” 19
1:12 As she continued praying to 20 the Lord, Eli was watching her mouth. 1:13 Now Hannah was speaking from her heart. Although her lips were moving, her voice was inaudible. Eli therefore thought she was drunk. 1:14 So he 21 said to her, “How often do you intend to get drunk? Put away your wine!”
1:15 But Hannah replied, “That’s not the way it is, 22 my lord! I am under a great deal of stress. 23 I have drunk neither wine nor beer. Rather, I have poured out my soul to 24 the Lord. 1:16 Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman, 25 for until now I have spoken from my deep pain and anguish.”
1:17 Eli replied, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked of him.” 1:18 She said, “May I, your servant, find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and got something to eat. 26 Her face no longer looked sad.
1:19 They got up early the next morning and after worshiping the Lord, they returned to their home at Ramah. Elkanah had marital relations with 27 his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered 28 her. 1:20 After some time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, thinking, “I asked the Lord for him. 29
1:21 This man Elkanah went up with all his family to make the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and to keep his vow, 1:22 but Hannah did not go up with them. 30 Instead she told her husband, “Once the boy is weaned, I will bring him and appear before the Lord, and he will remain there from then on.”
1:23 So her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do what you think best. 31 Stay until you have weaned him. May the Lord fulfill his promise.” 32
So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him. 1:24 Once she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with three bulls, an ephah 33 of flour, and a container 34 of wine. She brought him to the Lord’s house at Shiloh, even though he was young. 35 1:25 Once the bull had been slaughtered, they brought the boy to Eli. 1:26 She said, “Just as surely as you are alive, my lord, I am the woman who previously stood here with you in order to pray to the Lord. 1:27 I prayed for this boy, and the Lord has given me the request that I asked of him. 1:28 Now I dedicate him to the Lord. From this time on he is dedicated to the Lord.” Then they 36 worshiped the Lord there.
“My heart rejoices in the Lord;
my horn 38 is exalted high because of the Lord.
I loudly denounce 39 my enemies,
for I am happy that you delivered me. 40
2:2 No one is holy 41 like the Lord!
There is no one other than you!
There is no rock 42 like our God!
2:3 Don’t keep speaking so arrogantly, 43
letting proud talk come out of your mouth!
For the Lord is a God who knows;
he 44 evaluates what people do.
2:4 The bows of warriors are shattered,
but those who stumble find their strength reinforced.
2:5 Those who are well-fed hire themselves out to earn food,
but the hungry no longer lack.
Even 45 the barren woman gives birth to seven, 46
but the one with many children withers away. 47
2:6 The Lord both kills and gives life;
he brings down to the grave 48 and raises up.
2:7 The Lord impoverishes and makes wealthy;
he humbles and he exalts.
2:8 He lifts the weak 49 from the dust;
he raises 50 the poor from the ash heap
to seat them with princes
and to bestow on them an honored position. 51
The foundations of the earth belong to the Lord,
and he has placed the world on them.
2:9 He watches over 52 his holy ones, 53
but the wicked are made speechless in the darkness,
for it is not by one’s own strength that one prevails.
2:10 The Lord shatters 54 his adversaries; 55
he thunders against them from 56 the heavens.
The Lord executes judgment to the ends of the earth.
He will strengthen 57 his king
and exalt the power 58 of his anointed one.” 59
2:11 Then Elkanah went back home to Ramah. But the boy was serving the Lord under the supervision of 60 Eli the priest.
2:12 The sons of Eli were wicked men. 61 They did not recognize the Lord’s authority. 62 2:13 Now the priests would always treat the people in the following way: 63 Whenever anyone was making a sacrifice, while the meat was boiling, the priest’s attendant would come with a three-pronged fork 64 in his hand. 2:14 He would jab it into the basin, kettle, caldron, or pot, and everything that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they used to do to all the Israelites 65 when they came there to Shiloh.
2:15 Even before they burned the fat, the priest’s attendant would come and say to the person who was making the sacrifice, “Hand over some meat for the priest to roast! He won’t take boiled meat from you, but only raw.” 66 2:16 If the individual said to him, “First let the fat be burned away, and then take for yourself whatever you wish,” he would say, “No! 67 Hand it over right now! If you don’t, I will take it forcibly!”
2:17 The sin of these young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they 68 treated the Lord’s offering with contempt.
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 69 from this woman to replace the one that she 70 dedicated to the Lord.” Then they would go to their 71 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. 72
2:22 Now Eli was very old when he heard about everything that his sons used to do to all the people of Israel 73 and how they used to have sex with 74 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 75 people. 2:24 This ought not to be, 76 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 77 would not listen to their father, for the Lord had decided 78 to kill them.
2:26 Now the boy Samuel was growing up and finding favor both with the Lord and with people.
2:27 A man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Did I not plainly 79 reveal myself to your ancestor’s 80 house when they were in Egypt in the house of Pharaoh? 2:28 I chose your ancestor 81 from all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer sacrifice on my altar, to burn incense, and to bear the ephod before me. I gave to your ancestor’s house all the fire offerings made by the Israelites. 2:29 Why are you 82 scorning my sacrifice and my offering that I commanded for my dwelling place? 83 You have honored your sons more than you have me by having made yourselves fat from the best parts of all the offerings of my people Israel.’
2:30 Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘I really did say 84 that your house and your ancestor’s house would serve 85 me forever.’ But now the Lord says, ‘May it never be! 86 For I will honor those who honor me, but those who despise me will be cursed! 2:31 In fact, days are coming when I will remove your strength 87 and the strength 88 of your father’s house. There will not be an old man in your house! 2:32 You will see trouble in my dwelling place! 89 Israel will experience blessings, 90 but there will not be an old man in your 91 house for all time. 92 2:33 Any one of you that I do not cut off from my altar, I will cause your 93 eyes to fail 94 and will cause you grief. 95 All of those born to your family 96 will die in the prime of life. 97 2:34 This will be a confirming sign for you that will be fulfilled through your two sons, 98 Hophni and Phinehas: in a single day they both will die! 2:35 Then I will raise up for myself a faithful priest. He will do what is in my heart and soul. I will build for him a secure dynasty 99 and he will serve my chosen one for all time. 100 2:36 Everyone who remains in your house will come to bow before him for a little money 101 and for a scrap of bread. Each will say, ‘Assign me to a priestly task so I can eat a scrap of bread.’”
3:1 Now the boy Samuel continued serving the Lord under Eli’s supervision. 102 Word from the Lord was rare in those days; revelatory visions were infrequent.
3:2 Eli’s eyes had begun to fail, so that he was unable to see well. At that time he was lying down in his place, 3:3 and the lamp of God had not yet been extinguished. Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord as well; the ark of God was also there. 3:4 The Lord called to Samuel, and he replied, “Here I am!” 3:5 Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli 103 said, “I didn’t call you. Go back and lie down.” So he went back and lay down. 3:6 The Lord again called, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli 104 said, “I didn’t call you, my son. Go back and lie down.”
3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord; the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 3:8 Then the Lord called Samuel a third time. So he got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me!” Eli then realized that it was the Lord who was calling the boy. 3:9 So Eli said to Samuel, “Go back and lie down. When he calls you, say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” So Samuel went back and lay down in his place.
3:10 Then the Lord came and stood nearby, calling as he had previously done, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel replied, “Speak, for your servant is listening!” 3:11 The Lord said to Samuel, “Look! I am about to do something in Israel; 105 when anyone hears about it, both of his ears will tingle. 3:12 On that day I will carry out 106 against Eli everything that I spoke about his house – from start to finish! 3:13 You 107 should tell him that I am about to judge his house forever because of 108 the sin that he knew about. For his sons were cursing God, 109 and he did not rebuke them. 3:14 Therefore I swore an oath to the house of Eli, ‘The sin of the house of Eli can never be forgiven by sacrifice or by grain offering.’”
3:15 So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the Lord’s house. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision. 3:16 However, Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!” He replied, “Here I am.” 3:17 Eli 110 said, “What message did he speak to you? Don’t conceal it from me. God will judge you severely 111 if you conceal from me anything that he said to you!”
3:18 So Samuel told him everything. He did not hold back anything from him. Eli 112 said, “The Lord will do what he pleases.” 113 3:19 Samuel continued to grow, and the Lord was with him. None of his prophecies fell to the ground unfulfilled. 114 3:20 All Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba realized that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord. 3:21 Then the Lord again appeared in Shiloh, for it was in Shiloh that the Lord had revealed himself to Samuel 115 through the word of the Lord. 116 4:1 Samuel revealed the word of the Lord 117 to all Israel.
Then the Israelites went out to fight the Philistines. 118 They camped at Ebenezer, 119 and the Philistines camped at Aphek. 4:2 The Philistines arranged their forces to fight 120 Israel. As the battle spread out, 121 Israel was defeated by 122 the Philistines, who 123 killed about four thousand men in the battle line in the field.
4:3 When the army 124 came back to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why did the Lord let us be defeated today by 125 the Philistines? Let’s take with us the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. When it is with us, it will save us 126 from the hand of our enemies.
4:4 So the army 127 sent to Shiloh, and they took from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts who sits between the cherubim. Now the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. 4:5 When the ark of the covenant of the Lord arrived at the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly 128 that the ground shook.
4:6 When the Philistines heard the sound of the shout, they said, “What is this loud shout in the camp of the Hebrews?” Then they realized that the ark of the Lord had arrived at the camp. 4:7 The Philistines were scared because they thought that gods had come to the camp. 129 They said, “Too bad for 130 us! We’ve never seen anything like this! 4:8 Too bad for us! Who can deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all sorts of plagues in the desert! 4:9 Be strong and act like men, you Philistines, or else you will wind up serving the Hebrews the way they have served you! Act like men and fight!”
4:10 So the Philistines fought. Israel was defeated; they all ran home. 131 The slaughter was very great; thirty thousand foot soldiers fell in battle. 4:11 The ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were killed.
4:12 On that day 132 a Benjaminite ran from the battle lines and came to Shiloh. His clothes were torn and dirt was on his head. 4:13 When he arrived in Shiloh, Eli was sitting in his chair watching by the side of 133 the road, for he was very worried 134 about the ark of God. As the man entered the city to give his report, 135 the whole city cried out.
4:14 When Eli heard the outcry, 136 he said, “What is this commotion?” 137 The man quickly came and told Eli. 4:15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes looked straight ahead; 138 he was unable to see.
4:16 The man said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battle lines! Just today I fled from the battle lines!” Eli 139 asked, “How did things go, my son?” 4:17 The messenger replied, “Israel has fled from 140 the Philistines! The army has suffered a great defeat! Your two sons, Hophni and Phineas, are dead! The ark of God has been captured!”
4:18 When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli 141 fell backward from his chair beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he 142 was old and heavy. He had judged Israel for forty years.
4:19 His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phineas, was pregnant and close to giving birth. When she heard that the ark of God was captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she doubled over and gave birth. But her labor pains were too much for her. 4:20 As she was dying, the women who were there with her said, “Don’t be afraid! You have given birth to a son!” But she did not reply or pay any attention. 143
4:21 She named the boy Ichabod, 144 saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” referring to the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. 4:22 She said, “The glory has departed from Israel, because the ark of God has been captured.”
5:1 Now the Philistines had captured the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 5:2 The Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the temple of Dagon, where they positioned it beside Dagon. 5:3 When the residents of Ashdod got up early the next day, 145 Dagon was lying on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set him back in his place. 5:4 But when they got up early the following day, Dagon was again lying on the ground before the ark of the Lord. The head of Dagon and his two hands were sheared off and were lying at the threshold. Only Dagon’s body was left intact. 146 5:5 (For this reason, to this very day, neither Dagon’s priests nor anyone else who enters Dagon’s temple step on Dagon’s threshold in Ashdod.)
5:6 The Lord attacked 147 the residents of Ashdod severely, bringing devastation on them. He struck the people of 148 both Ashdod and the surrounding area with sores. 149 5:7 When the people 150 of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel should not remain with us, for he has attacked 151 both us and our god Dagon!”
5:8 So they assembled 152 all the leaders of the Philistines and asked, “What should we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They replied, “The ark of the God of Israel should be moved to Gath.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.
5:9 But after it had been moved the Lord attacked 153 that city as well, causing a great deal of panic. He struck all the people of that city 154 with sores. 155 5:10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron.
But when the ark of God arrived at Ekron, the residents of Ekron cried out saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel here 156 to kill our 157 people!” 5:11 So they assembled 158 all the leaders of the Philistines and said, “Get the ark of the God of Israel out of here! Let it go back to its own place so that it won’t kill us 159 and our 160 people!” The terror 161 of death was throughout the entire city; God was attacking them very severely there. 162 5:12 The people 163 who did not die were struck with sores; the city’s cry for help went all the way up to heaven.
6:1 When the ark of the Lord had been in the land 164 of the Philistines for seven months, 165 6:2 the Philistines called the priests and the omen readers, saying, “What should we do with the ark of the Lord? Advise us as to how we should send it back to its place.”
6:3 They replied, “If you are going to send the ark of 166 the God of Israel back, don’t send it away empty. Be sure to return it with a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and you will understand why his hand is not removed from you.” 6:4 They inquired, “What is the guilt offering that we should send to him?”
They replied, “The Philistine leaders number five. So send five gold sores and five gold mice, for it is the same plague that has afflicted both you and your leaders. 6:5 You should make images of the sores and images of the mice 167 that are destroying the land. You should honor the God of Israel. Perhaps he will release his grip on you, your gods, and your land. 168 6:6 Why harden your hearts like the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? 169 When God 170 treated them harshly, didn’t the Egyptians send the Israelites on their way? 171 6:7 So now go and make a new cart. Get two cows that have calves and that have never had a yoke placed on them. Harness the cows to the cart and take their calves from them back to their stalls. 6:8 Then take the ark of the Lord and place it on the cart, and put in a chest beside it the gold objects you are sending to him as a guilt offering. You should then send it on its way. 6:9 But keep an eye on it. If it should go up by the way of its own border to Beth Shemesh, then he has brought this great calamity on us. But if that is not the case, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck us; rather, it just happened to us by accident.”
6:10 So the men did as instructed. 172 They took two cows that had calves and harnessed them to a cart; they also removed their calves to their stalls. 6:11 They put the ark of the Lord on the cart, along with the chest, the gold mice, and the images of the sores. 6:12 Then the cows went directly on the road to Beth Shemesh. They went along, mooing as they went; they turned neither to the right nor to the left. The leaders of the Philistines were walking along behind them all the way to the border of Beth Shemesh.
6:13 Now the residents of Beth Shemesh were harvesting wheat in the valley. When they looked up and saw the ark, they were pleased at the sight. 6:14 The cart was coming to the field of Joshua, who was from Beth Shemesh. It paused there near a big stone. Then they cut up the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord. 6:15 The Levites took down the ark of the Lord and the chest that was with it, which contained the gold objects. They placed them near the big stone. At that time the people of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the Lord. 6:16 The five leaders of the Philistines watched what was happening and then returned to Ekron on the same day.
6:17 These are the gold sores that the Philistines brought as a guilt offering to the Lord – one for each of the following cities: Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. 6:18 The gold mice corresponded in number to all the Philistine cities of the five leaders, from the fortified cities to hamlet villages, to greater Abel, 173 where they positioned the ark of the Lord until this very day in the field of Joshua who was from Beth Shemesh.
6:19 But the Lord 174 struck down some of the people of Beth Shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the Lord; he struck down 50,070 175 of the men. The people grieved because the Lord had struck the people with a hard blow. 6:20 The residents of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? To whom will the ark 176 go up from here?”
6:21 So they sent messengers to the residents of Kiriath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down here and take it back home with you.”
7:1 Then the people 177 of Kiriath Jearim came and took the ark of the Lord; they brought it to the house of Abinadab located on the hill. They consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord.
7:2 It was quite a long time – some twenty years in all – that the ark stayed at Kiriath Jearim. All the people 178 of Israel longed for 179 the Lord. 7:3 Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you are really turning to the Lord with all your hearts, remove from among you the foreign gods and the images of Ashtoreth. 180 Give your hearts to the Lord and serve only him. Then he will deliver you 181 from the hand of the Philistines.” 7:4 So the Israelites 182 removed the Baals and images of Ashtoreth. They served only the Lord.
7:5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf.” 7:6 After they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. They fasted on that day, and they confessed 183 there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” So Samuel led 184 the people of Israel at Mizpah.
7:7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, the leaders of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the Israelites heard about this, they were afraid of the Philistines. 7:8 The Israelites said to Samuel, “Keep 185 crying out to the Lord our 186 God so that he may save us 187 from the hand of the Philistines!” 7:9 So Samuel took a nursing lamb 188 and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Samuel cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.
7:10 As Samuel was offering burnt offerings, the Philistines approached to do battle with Israel. 189 But on that day the Lord thundered loudly against the Philistines. He caused them to panic, and they were defeated by 190 Israel. 7:11 Then the men of Israel left Mizpah and chased the Philistines, striking them down all the way to an area below Beth Car.
7:12 Samuel took a stone and placed it between Mizpah and Shen. 191 He named it Ebenezer, 192 saying, “Up to here the Lord has helped us.” 7:13 So the Philistines were defeated; they did not invade Israel again. The hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
7:14 The cities that the Philistines had captured from Israel were returned to Israel, from Ekron to Gath. Israel also delivered their territory from the control 193 of the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites. 7:15 So Samuel led 194 Israel all the days of his life. 7:16 Year after year he used to travel the circuit of Bethel, 195 Gilgal, and Mizpah; he used to judge Israel in all of these places. 7:17 Then he would return to Ramah, because his home was there. He also judged 196 Israel there and built an altar to the Lord there.
8:1 In his old age Samuel appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 8:2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beer Sheba. 8:3 But his sons did not follow 197 his ways. Instead, they made money dishonestly, accepted bribes, and perverted justice. 198
8:4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and approached Samuel at Ramah. 8:5 They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons don’t follow your ways. So now appoint over us a king to lead 199 us, just like all the other nations have.”
8:6 But this request displeased Samuel, for 200 they said, “Give us a king to lead us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. 8:7 The Lord said to Samuel, “Do everything the people request of you. 201 For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king. 8:8 Just as they have done 202 from the day that I brought them up from Egypt until this very day, they have rejected me and have served other gods. This is what they are also doing to you. 8:9 So now do as they say. 203 But seriously warn 204 them and make them aware of the policies of the king who will rule over them.” 205
8:10 So Samuel spoke all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 8:11 He said, “Here are the policies of the king who will rule over you: He will conscript your sons and put them in his chariot forces and in his cavalry; they will run in front of his chariot. 8:12 He will appoint for himself leaders of thousands and leaders of fifties, 206 as well as those who plow his ground, reap his harvest, and make his weapons of war and his chariot equipment. 8:13 He will take your daughters to be ointment makers, cooks, and bakers. 8:14 He will take your best fields and vineyards and give them to his own servants. 8:15 He will demand a tenth of your seed and of the produce of your vineyards and give it to his administrators 207 and his servants. 8:16 He will take your male and female servants, as well as your best cattle and your donkeys, and assign them for his own use. 8:17 He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will be his servants. 8:18 In that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord won’t answer you in that day.” 208
8:19 But the people refused to heed Samuel’s warning. 209 Instead they said, “No! There will be a king over us! 8:20 We will be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us and lead us 210 and fight our battles.”
8:21 So Samuel listened to everything the people said and then reported it to the Lord. 211 8:22 The Lord said to Samuel, “Do as they say 212 and install a king over them.” Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Each of you go back to his own city.”
[1:1] 1 tc The translation follows the MT. The LXX reads “a man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite”; this is followed by a number of recent English translations. It is possible the MT reading צוֹפִים (tsofim) arose from dittography of the mem (מ) at the beginning of the following word.
[1:3] 2 tn Heb “from days to days.”
[1:5] 3 tn The exact sense of the Hebrew word אַפָּיִם (’appayim, “two faces”) is not certain here. It is most likely used with the preceding expression (“one portion of two faces”) to mean a portion double than normally received. Although evidence for this use of the word derives primarily from Aramaic rather than from Hebrew usage, it provides an understanding that fits the context here better than other suggestions for the word do. The meaning “double” is therefore adopted in the present translation. Other possibilities for the meaning of the word include the following: “heavily” (cf. Vulg., tristis) and “worthy” or “choice” (cf. KJV and Targum). Some scholars have followed the LXX here, emending the word to אֶפֶס (’efes) and translating it as “but” or “however.” This seems unnecessary. The translators of the LXX may simply have been struggling to make sense of the word rather than following a Hebrew text that was different from the MT here.
[1:5] 4 tn Heb “for Hannah he loved.” Repetition of the proper name would seem redundant in contemporary English, so the pronoun (“her”) has been used here for clarity. The translation also adds the adverb “especially” to clarify the meaning of the text. Without this addition one might get the impression that only Hannah, not Peninnah, was loved by her husband. But the point of the text is that Hannah was his favorite.
[1:5] 5 tn Heb “and the
[1:6] 4 tn Heb “and her rival wife grieved her, even [with] grief so as to worry her.”
[1:7] 5 tn The MT has a masculine form of the verb here יַעֲשֶׂה (ya’aseh, “he used to do”); the subject in that case would presumably be Elkanah. But this leads to an abrupt change of subject in the following part of the verse, where the subject is the rival wife who caused Hannah anxiety. In light of v. 6 one expects the statement of v. 7 to refer to the ongoing actions of the rival wife: “she used to behave in this way year after year.” Some scholars have proposed retaining the masculine form but changing the vocalization of the verb so as to read a Niphal rather than a Qal (i.e., יֵעֲשֶׂה, ye’aseh, “so it used to be done”). But the problem here is lack of precedent for such a use of the Niphal of this verb. It seems best in light of the context to understand the reference to be to Hannah’s rival Peninnah and to read here, with the Syriac Peshitta, a feminine form of the verb (“she used to do”). In the translation the referent (Peninnah) has been specified for clarity.
[1:7] 6 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Hannah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:7] 7 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Peninnah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:8] 6 tn Heb “why is your heart displeased?”
[1:8] 7 sn Like the number seven, the number ten is sometimes used in the OT as an ideal number (see, for example, Dan 1:20, Zech 8:23).
[1:9] 7 tc The LXX adds “and stood before the Lord,” but this is probably a textual expansion due to the terseness of the statement in the Hebrew text.
[1:9] 8 tn Or perhaps, “on his throne.” See Joüon 2:506-7 §137.f.
[1:10] 8 tn Heb “she [was in] bitterness of soul.”
[1:10] 9 tn Heb “and weeping, she was weeping.” The infinitive absolute emphasizes the extent of her sorrow. The imperfect verbal form emphasizes the continuation of the action in past time.
[1:11] 9 tn Heb “if looking you look.” The expression can refer, as here, to looking favorably upon another, in this case with compassion.
[1:11] 10 tn Heb “handmaid.” The use of this term (translated two more times in this verse and once each in vv. 16, 17 simply as “servant” for stylistic reasons) is an expression of humility.
[1:11] 11 tn Heb “seed of men.”
[1:11] 12 tn Heb “a razor will not go up upon his head.”
[1:12] 10 tc Heb “before.” Many medieval Hebrew manuscripts read “to.”
[1:14] 11 tn Heb “Eli.” The pronoun (“he”) has been used in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.
[1:15] 13 tn Heb “I am a woman difficult of spirit.” The LXX has “for whom the day is difficult,” apparently mistaking the Hebrew word for “spirit” רוּחַ (ruakh) to be the word for “day” יוֹם (yom).
[1:16] 13 tn Heb “daughter of worthlessness.”
[1:18] 14 tc Several medieval Hebrew
[1:19] 15 tn Heb “Elkanah knew his wife.” The Hebrew expression is a euphemism for sexual relations.
[1:19] 16 sn The Lord “remembered” her in the sense of granting her earlier request for a child. The Hebrew verb is often used in the OT for considering the needs or desires of people with favor and kindness.
[1:20] 16 tn Heb “because from the
[1:22] 17 tn The disjunctive clause is contrastive here. The words “with them” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[1:23] 18 tn Heb “what is good in your eyes.”
[1:23] 19 tn Heb “establish his word.” This apparently refers to the promise inherent in Eli’s priestly blessing (see v. 17).
[1:24] 19 sn The ephah was a standard dry measure in OT times; it was the equivalent of one-tenth of the OT measure known as a homer. The ephah was equal to approximately one-half to two-thirds of a bushel.
[1:24] 20 tn The Hebrew term translated “container” may denote either a clay storage jar (cf. CEV “a clay jar full of wine”) or a leather container (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV “a skin of wine”; NCV “a leather bag filled with (full of TEV) wine.”
[1:24] 21 tc Heb “and the boy was a boy.” If the MT is correct the meaning apparently is that the boy was quite young at the time of these events. On the other hand, some scholars have suspected a textual problem, emending the text to read either “and the boy was with them” (so LXX) or “and the boy was with her” (a conjectural emendation). In spite of the difficulty it seems best to stay with the MT here.
[1:28] 20 tn Heb “he,” apparently referring to Samuel (but cf. CEV “Elkanah”). A few medieval manuscripts and some ancient versions take the verb as plural (cf. TEV, NLT).
[2:1] 21 tn Heb “prayed and said.” This is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation.
[2:1] 22 sn Horns of animals have always functioned as both offensive and defensive weapons for them. As a figure of speech the horn is therefore often used in the Bible as a symbol of human strength (see also in v. 10). The allusion in v. 1 to the horn being lifted high suggests a picture of an animal elevating its head in a display of strength or virility.
[2:1] 23 tn Heb “my mouth opens wide against.”
[2:1] 24 tn Heb “for I rejoice in your deliverance.”
[2:2] 22 sn In this context God’s holiness refers primarily to his sovereignty and incomparability. He is unique and distinct from all other so-called gods.
[2:2] 23 tn The LXX has “and there is none righteous like our God.” The Hebrew term translated “rock” refers to a rocky cliff where one can seek refuge from enemies. Here the metaphor depicts God as a protector of his people. Cf. TEV “no protector like our God”; CEV “We’re safer with you than on a high mountain.”
[2:3] 23 tn Heb “proudly, proudly.” If MT is original, the repetition of the word is for emphasis, stressing the arrogance of those addressed. However, a few medieval Hebrew manuscripts and some other textual witnesses do not reflect the repetition, suggesting that the Hebrew text may be dittographic.
[2:3] 24 tc The MT (Qere) reads “and by him actions are weighed.” The translation assumes that reading of the Qere וְלוֹ (vÿlo, “and by him”), which is supported by many medieval Hebrew
[2:5] 24 tc Against BHS but with the MT, the preposition (עַד, ’ad) should be taken with what follows rather than with what precedes. For this sense of the preposition see Job 25:5.
[2:5] 25 sn The number seven is used here in an ideal sense. Elsewhere in the OT having seven children is evidence of fertility as a result of God’s blessing on the family. See, for example, Jer 15:9, Ruth 4:15.
[2:6] 25 tn Heb “Sheol”; NAB “the nether world”; CEV “the world of the dead.”
[2:8] 26 tn Or “lowly”; Heb “insignificant.”
[2:8] 27 tn The imperfect verbal form, which is parallel to the participle in the preceding line, is best understood here as indicating what typically happens.
[2:8] 28 tn Heb “a seat of honor.”
[2:9] 27 tn Heb “guards the feet of.” The expression means that God watches over and protects the godly in all of their activities and movements. The imperfect verbal forms in v. 9 are understood as indicating what is typically true. Another option is to translate them with the future tense. See v. 10b.
[2:9] 28 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
[2:10] 28 tn The imperfect verbal forms in this line and in the next two lines are understood as indicating what is typically true. Another option is to translate them with the future tense. See v. 10b.
[2:10] 29 tc The present translation follows the Qere, many medieval Hebrew manuscripts, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Vulgate in reading the plural (“his adversaries,” similarly many other English versions) rather than the singular (“his adversary”) of the Kethib.
[2:10] 30 tn The Hebrew preposition here has the sense of “from within.”
[2:10] 31 tn The imperfect verbal forms in this and the next line are understood as indicating what is anticipated and translated with the future tense, because at the time of Hannah’s prayer Israel did not yet have a king.
[2:10] 32 tn Heb “the horn,” here a metaphor for power or strength. Cf. NCV “make his appointed king strong”; NLT “increases the might of his anointed one.”
[2:10] 33 tc The LXX greatly expands v. 10 with an addition that seems to be taken from Jer 9:23-24.
[2:11] 29 tn Heb “with [or “before”] the face of.”
[2:12] 30 tn Heb “sons of worthlessness.”
[2:12] 31 tn Heb “they did not know the
[2:13] 31 tn Heb “the habit of the priests with the people [was this].”
[2:13] 32 sn The Hebrew word occurs only twice in the OT, here and again in v. 14. Its exact meaning is not entirely clear, although from the context it appears to be a sacrificial tool used for retrieving things from boiling water.
[2:14] 32 tn Heb “to all Israel.”
[2:16] 34 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
[2:17] 35 tc Heb “the men,” which is absent from one medieval Hebrew
[2:20] 37 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.
[2:21] 37 tn Heb “with the
[2:22] 38 tn Heb “to all Israel.”
[2:23] 39 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
[2:25] 41 tn Heb “they”; the referent (Eli’s sons) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:27] 42 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
[2:27] 43 tn Heb “to your father’s” (also in vv. 28, 30).
[2:28] 43 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Eli’s ancestor, i.e., Aaron) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:29] 44 tc The MT has a plural “you” here, but the LXX and a Qumran
[2:29] 45 tn Heb “which I commanded, dwelling place.” The noun is functioning as an adverbial accusative in relation to the verb. Since God’s dwelling place/sanctuary is in view, the pronoun “my” is supplied in the translation.
[2:30] 45 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
[2:30] 46 tn Heb “walk about before.”
[2:30] 47 tn Heb “may it be far removed from me.”
[2:31] 46 tn Heb “chop off your arm.” The arm here symbolizes strength and activity.
[2:32] 47 tn Heb “you will see [the] trouble of [the] dwelling place.” Since God’s dwelling place/sanctuary is in view, the pronoun is supplied in the translation (see v. 29).
[2:32] 48 tn Heb “in all which he does good with Israel.”
[2:32] 49 tc The LXX and a Qumran manuscript have the first person pronoun “my” here.
[2:32] 50 tn Heb “all the days.”
[2:33] 48 tc The LXX, a Qumran
[2:33] 49 tn Heb “to cause your eyes to fail.” Elsewhere this verb, when used of eyes, refers to bloodshot eyes resulting from weeping, prolonged staring, or illness (see Lev 26:16; Pss 69:3; 119:82; Lam 2:11; 4:17).
[2:33] 50 tn Heb “and to cause your soul grief.”
[2:33] 51 tn Heb “and all the increase of your house.”
[2:33] 52 tc The text is difficult. The MT literally says “they will die [as] men.” Apparently the meaning is that they will be cut off in the prime of their life without reaching old age. The LXX and a Qumran
[2:34] 49 tn Heb “and this to you [is] the sign which will come to both of your sons.”
[2:35] 51 tn Heb “and he will walk about before my anointed one all the days.”
[2:36] 51 tn Heb “a piece of silver” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[3:5] 53 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Eli) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[3:6] 54 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Eli) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[3:11] 55 tn The Hebrew text adds “so that” here, formally connecting this clause with the next.
[3:13] 57 tc The MT has וְהִגַּדְתִּי לוֹ (vÿhiggadti lo). The verb is Hiphil perfect 1st person common singular, and apparently the conjunction should be understood as vav consecutive (“I will say to him”). But the future reference makes more sense if Samuel is the subject. This would require dropping the final י (yod) and reading the 2nd person masculine singular וְהִגַּדְתָּ (vÿhiggadta). Although there is no external evidence to support it, this reading has been adopted in the present translation. The alternative is to understand the MT to mean “I said to him,” but for this we would expect the preterite with vav consecutive.
[3:13] 58 tn The translation understands the preposition to have a causal sense. However, the preposition could also be understood as the beth pretii, indicating in a broad sense the price attached to this action. So GKC 380 §119.p.
[3:13] 59 tc The translation follows the LXX θεόν (qeon, “God”) rather than the MT לָהֶם (lahem, “to them”). The MT seems to mean “they were bringing a curse on themselves” (cf. ASV, NASB). But this meaning is problematic in part because the verb qll means “to curse,” not “to bring a curse on,” and in part because it takes an accusative object rather than the equivalent of a dative. This is one of the so-called tiqqune sopherim, or “emendations of the scribes.” Why would the ancient copyists alter the original statement about Eli’s sons cursing God to the less objectionable statement that they brought a curse on themselves? Some argue that the scribes were concerned that such a direct and blasphemous affront against God could occur without an immediate response of judgment from God. Therefore they changed the text by deleting two letters א and י (alef and yod) from the word for “God,” with the result that the text then read “to them.” If this ancient scribal claim is accepted as accurate, it implies that the MT here is secondary. The present translation follows the LXX (κακολογοῦντες θεόν, kakologounte" qeon) and a few
[3:17] 58 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Eli) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[3:17] 59 tn Heb “So God will do to you and thus he will add.” The verbal forms in this pronouncement are imperfects, not jussives, but the statement has the force of a curse or warning. One could translate, “May God do to you and thus may he add.”
[3:18] 59 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Eli) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[3:18] 60 tn Heb “what is good in his eyes.”
[3:19] 60 tn Heb “and he did not cause to fall from all his words to the ground.”
[3:21] 61 tc The LXX has a lengthy addition here: “And Samuel was acknowledged to be a prophet of the
[3:21] 62 tn The chapter division at this point is inappropriate. 1 Sam 4:1a is best understood as the conclusion to chap. 3 rather than the beginning of chap. 4.
[4:1] 62 tn Heb “and the word of Samuel was.” The present translation understands Samuel to be the speaker of the divine word (“Samuel” is a subjective genitive in this case), although the statement could mean that he was the recipient of the divine word (“Samuel” is an objective genitive in this case) who in turn reported it to Israel.
[4:1] 63 tn Heb “and Israel went out to meet the Philistines for battle.”
[4:1] 64 tn Heb “the stone, the help.” The second noun is in apposition to the first one and apparently is the name by which the stone was known. Contrast the expression used in 5:1 and 7:12, where the first word lacks the definite article, unlike 4:1.
[4:2] 64 tn The MT has וַתִּטֹּשׁ (vattittosh), from the root נטשׁ (ntsh). This verb normally means “to leave,” “to forsake,” or “to permit,” but such an idea does not fit this context very well. Many scholars have suspected that the text originally read either וַתֵּט (vattet, “and it spread out”), from the root נטה (nth), or וַתִּקֶשׁ (vattiqesh, “and it grew fierce”), from the root קשׂה (qsh). The former suggestion is apparently supported by the LXX ἔκλινεν (eklinen, “it inclined”) and is adopted in the translation.
[4:2] 66 tn Heb “the Philistines, and they killed.” The pronoun “they” has been translated as a relative pronoun (“who”) to make it clear to the English reader that the Philistines were the ones who did the killing.
[4:3] 66 tn Heb “and it will come in our midst and it will save.” After the cohortative (see “let’s take”), the prefixed verbal forms with the prefixed conjunction indicate purpose or result. The translation understands the ark to be the subject of the third masculine singular verbs, although it is possible to understand the Lord as the subject. In the latter case, one should translate, “when he is with us, he will save us.”
[4:5] 66 tn Heb “shouted [with] a great shout.”
[4:7] 67 tn The Hebrew text has a direct quote, “because they said, ‘Gods have come to the camp.’” Even though the verb translated “have come” is singular, the following subject should be taken as plural (“gods”), as v. 8 indicates. Some emend the verb to a plural form.
[4:7] 68 tn Traditionally “woe to.” They thought disaster was imminent.
[4:10] 68 tn Heb “and they fled, each to his tents.”
[4:12] 69 tn Or perhaps, “the same day.” On this use of the demonstrative pronoun see Joüon 2:532 §143.f.
[4:13] 70 tc Read with many medieval Hebrew
[4:13] 71 tn Heb “his heart was trembling.”
[4:13] 72 tn Heb “and the man came to report in the city.”
[4:14] 71 tn Heb “the sound of the cry.”
[4:14] 72 tn Heb “the sound of this commotion.”
[4:15] 72 tn Heb “were set” or “were fixed,” i.e., without vision.
[4:16] 73 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Eli) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:18] 75 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Eli) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:20] 76 tn Heb “and she did not set her heart.”
[4:21] 77 sn The name Ichabod (אִי־כָבוֹד) may mean, “Where is the glory?”
[5:3] 78 tc The LXX adds “they entered the temple of Dagon and saw.”
[5:4] 79 tc Heb “only Dagon was left.” We should probably read the word גֵּו (gev, “back”) before Dagon, understanding it to have the sense of the similar word גְּוִיָּה (gÿviyyah, “body”). This variant is supported by the following evidence: The LXX has ἡ ῥάχις (Jh rJacis, “the back” or “trunk”); the Syriac Peshitta has wegusmeh (“and the body of”); the Targum has gupyeh (“the body of”); the Vulgate has truncus (“the trunk of,” cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV, NLT). On the strength of this evidence the present translation employs the phrase “Dagon’s body.”
[5:6] 80 tn Heb “the hand of the
[5:6] 81 tn The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[5:6] 82 tc The LXX and Vulgate add the following: “And mice multiplied in their land, and the terror of death was throughout the entire city.”
[5:7] 82 tn Heb “for his hand is severe upon.”
[5:8] 82 tn Heb “and they sent and gathered.”
[5:9] 83 tn Heb “the hand of the
[5:9] 84 tn Heb “and he struck the men of the city from small and to great.”
[5:9] 85 tn See the note on this term in v. 6. Cf. KJV “and they had emerods in their secret parts.”
[5:11] 85 tn Heb “and they sent and gathered.”
[5:11] 89 tn Heb “the hand of God was very heavy there.”
[6:1] 88 tc The LXX adds “and their land swarmed with mice.”
[6:3] 88 tc The LXX and a Qumran
[6:5] 89 tn Heb “your mice.” A Qumran
[6:5] 90 tn Heb “Perhaps he will lighten his hand from upon you and from upon your gods and from upon your land.”
[6:6] 90 tn Heb “like Egypt and Pharaoh hardened their heart.”
[6:6] 91 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[6:6] 92 tn Heb “and they sent them away and they went.”
[6:10] 91 tn Heb “and the men did so.”
[6:18] 92 tc A few Hebrew
[6:19] 93 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[6:19] 94 tc The number 50,070 is surprisingly large, although it finds almost unanimous textual support in the MT and in the ancient versions. Only a few medieval Hebrew
[6:20] 94 tn Heb “he” or “it”; the referent here (the ark) has been specified in the translation for clarity (cf. also NIV, CEV, NLT). Others, however, take the referent to be the
[7:2] 96 tn Heb “house” (also in the following verse).
[7:2] 97 tn Heb “mourned after”; NIV “mourned and sought after”; KJV, NRSV “lamented after”; NAB “turned to”; NCV “began to follow…again.”
[7:3] 97 tn Heb “the Ashtarot” (plural; also in the following verse). The words “images of” are supplied for clarity.
[7:3] 98 tn Following imperatives, the jussive verbal form with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose/result.
[7:4] 98 tn Heb “the sons of Israel.”
[7:6] 100 tn Heb “judged”; NAB “began to judge”; TEV “settled disputes among.”
[7:8] 100 tn Heb “don’t stop.”
[7:8] 101 tc The LXX reads “your God” rather than the MT’s “our God.”
[7:8] 102 tn After the negated jussive, the prefixed verbal form with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose/result.
[7:9] 101 tn Heb “a lamb of milk”; NAB “an unweaned lamb”; NIV “a suckling lamb”; NCV “a baby lamb.”
[7:10] 102 tn Heb “approached for battle against Israel.”
[7:12] 103 tn Cf. NAB, NRSV, NLT “Jeshanah.”
[7:12] 104 sn The name Ebenezer (אֶבֶן הָעָזֶר) means “stone of help” in Hebrew (cf. TEV); NLT adds the meaning parenthetically after the name.
[7:15] 105 tn Heb “judged” (also in v. 17).
[7:16] 106 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[7:17] 107 tn Or perhaps “settled disputes for” (cf. NLT “would hear cases there”; NRSV “administered justice there”).
[8:3] 108 tn Heb “walk in” (also in v. 5).
[8:3] 109 tn Heb “and they turned aside after unjust gain and took bribes and perverted justice.”
[8:5] 109 tn Heb “judge” (also in v. 6).
[8:7] 111 tn Heb “Listen to the voice of the people, to all which they say to you.”
[8:8] 112 tn Heb “according to all the deeds which they have done.”
[8:9] 113 tn Heb “and now, listen to their voice.”
[8:9] 114 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the imperative for emphasis.
[8:9] 115 tn Heb “and tell them the manner of the king who will rule over them.”
[8:12] 114 tc The numbers of v. 12 are confused in the Greek and Syriac versions. For “fifties” the LXX has “hundreds.” The Syriac Peshitta has “heads of thousands and heads of hundreds and heads of fifties and heads of tens,” perhaps reflecting influence from Deut 1:15.
[8:15] 115 tn Or “eunuchs” (so NAB); NIV “officials”; KJV, NASB, NRSV, NLT “officers.”
[8:18] 116 tc The LXX adds “because you have chosen for yourselves a king.”
[8:19] 117 tn Heb “and the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel.”
[8:20] 118 tn Heb “and go out before us.”
[8:21] 119 tn Heb “and Samuel heard all the words of the people and he spoke them into the ears of the
