The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

1 Samuel 2

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Nevi'im — the Prophets

1 Samuel chapter 2 — part of the Nevi'im — the Prophets in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “And Hannah prayed, and said: my heart exulteth in HaShem, my horn is exalted in HaShem; my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice…” — the complete text of all 36 verses is below, free to read online.

1And Hannah prayed, and said: my heart exulteth in HaShem, my horn is exalted in HaShem; my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in Thy salvation.

2There is none holy as HaShem, for there is none beside Thee; neither is there any rock like our G-d.

3Multiply not exceeding proud talk; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth; for HaShem is a G-d of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed.

4The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

5They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry have ceased; while the barren hath borne seven, she that had many children hath languished.

6HaShem killeth, and maketh alive; He bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

7HaShem maketh poor, and maketh rich; He bringeth low, He also lifteth up.

8He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, He lifteth up the needy from the dung-hill, to make them sit with princes, and inherit the throne of glory; for the pillars of the earth are HaShem'S, and He hath set the world upon them.

9He will keep the feet of His holy ones, but the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness; for not by strength shall man prevail.

10They that strive with HaShem shall be broken to pieces; against them will He thunder in heaven; HaShem will judge the ends of the earth; and He will give strength unto His king, and exalt the horn of His anointed.

11And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto HaShem before Eli the priest.

12Now the sons of Eli were base men; they knew not HaShem.

13And the custom of the priests with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his band;

14and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the flesh-hook brought up the priest took therewith. So they did unto all the Israelites that came thither in Shiloh.

15Yea, before the fat was made to smoke, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed: 'Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.'

16And if the man said unto him: 'Let the fat be made to smoke first of all, and then take as much as thy soul desireth'; then he would say: 'Nay, but thou shalt give it me now; and if not, I will take it by force.'

17And the sin of the young men was very great before HaShem; for the men dealt contemptuously with the offering of HaShem.

18But Samuel ministered before HaShem, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

19Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

20And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say: 'The HaShem give thee seed of this woman for the loan which was lent to HaShem.' And they would go unto their own home.

21So HaShem remembered Hannah, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before HaShem.

22Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how that they lay with the women that did service at the door of the tent of meeting.

23And he said unto them: 'Why do ye such things? for I hear evil reports concerning you from all this people.

24Nay, my sons; for it is no good report which I hear HaShem'S people do spread abroad.

25If one man sin against another, G-d shall judge him; but if a man sin against HaShem, who shall entreat for him?' But they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because HaShem would slay them.

26And the child Samuel grew on, and increased in favour both with HaShem, and also with men.

27And there came a man of G-d unto Eli, and said unto him: 'Thus saith HaShem: Did I reveal Myself unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh's house?

28And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to go up unto Mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before Me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?

29Wherefore kick ye at My sacrifice and at Mine offering, which I have commanded in My habitation; and honourest thy sons above Me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel My people?

30Therefore HaShem, the G-d of Israel, saith: I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before Me for ever; but now HaShem saith: Be it far from Me: for them that honour Me I will honour, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.

31Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thy house.

32And thou shalt behold a rival in My habitation, in all the good which shall be done to Israel; and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever.

33Yet will I not cut off every man of thine from Mine altar, to make thine eyes to fail, and thy heart to languish; and all the increase of thy house shall die young men.

34And this shall be the sign unto thee, that which shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die both of them.

35And I will raise Me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in My heart and in My mind; and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before Mine anointed for ever.

36And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thy house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and shall say: Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.'

36 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

‹ 1 Samuel 1 1 Samuel 3 ›

Read, search & bookmark — free

This text opens instantly in the FourFaiths reader, with full-text search across every book, bookmarks saved in your browser, reading plans and a verse of the day. No account, no tracking — everything runs locally in your browser.

Open in the Tanakh reader →