Samuel & King Saul

She said, “Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD.

For this child I prayed; and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of him.

Therefore also I have granted him to the LORD. As long as he lives he is granted to the LORD.” He worshiped the LORD there.

Hannah prayed, and said: “My heart exults in the LORD! My horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth is enlarged over my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.

There is no one as holy as the LORD, For there is no one besides you, nor is there any rock like our God.

“Talk no more so exceeding proudly. Don’t let arrogance come out of your mouth, For the LORD is a God of knowledge. By him actions are weighed.

“The bows of the mighty men are broken. Those who stumbled are armed with strength.

Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread. Those who were hungry are satisfied. Yes, the barren has borne seven. She who has many children languishes.

“The LORD kills, and makes alive. He brings down to Sheol, and brings up.

The LORD makes poor, and makes rich. He brings low, he also lifts up.

He raises up the poor out of the dust. He lifts up the needy from the dunghill, To make them sit with princes, and inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s. He has set the world on them.

He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness; for no man shall prevail by strength.

Those who strive with the LORD shall be broken to pieces. He will thunder against them in the sky. “The LORD will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. The child served the LORD before Eli the priest.

Now the sons of Eli were base men; they didn’t know the LORD.

The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came, while the flesh was boiling, with a fork of three teeth in his hand;

and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest took therewith. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.

Yes, before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed, “Give meat to roast for the priest; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but raw.”

If the man said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take as much as your soul desires”; then he would say, “No, but you shall give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force.”

The sin of the young men was very great before the LORD; for the men despised the offering of the LORD.

But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, clothed with a linen ephod.

Moreover 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.

Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, “The LORD give you seed of this woman for the petition which was asked of the LORD.” They went to their own home.

The LORD visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. The child Samuel grew before the LORD.

Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they lay with the women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting.