1 Samuel 2:6-8

2:6 The Lord both kills and gives life;

he brings down to the grave ¹  and raises up.

2:7 The Lord impoverishes and makes wealthy;

he humbles and he exalts.

2:8 He lifts the weak ²  from the dust;

he raises ³  the poor from the ash heap

to seat them with princes

and to bestow on them an honored position. ⁴ 

The foundations of the earth belong to the Lord,

and he has placed the world on them.

[2:6]  ¹ tn Heb “Sheol”; NAB “the nether world”; CEV “the world of the dead.”

[2:8]  ² tn Or “lowly”; Heb “insignificant.”

[2:8]  ³ 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]  ⁴ tn Heb “a seat of honor.”