1 Samuel 2 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Then Hannah prayed: "My heart soars because of Yahweh; my strength is lifted high because of Yahweh. My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, because I celebrate in your rescue."

"No one is set apart like Yahweh — there is no one besides you. No rock stands firm like our God."

"Stop talking so proudly; don't let arrogance spill from your mouth. Because Yahweh is a God who knows everything, and he weighs every action."

"The bows of warriors shatter, but those who stumble are armed with new strength."

"Those who were full hire themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry hunger no more. The woman who couldn't conceive gives birth to seven, but the mother of many wastes away."

"Yahweh brings death and gives life; he sends people down to the grave and raises them up."

"Yahweh makes some poor and others wealthy; he humbles some and lifts others up."

"He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the trash heap, seating them with leaders and giving them a place of honor. Because the foundations of the earth belong to Yahweh, and he set the world on top of them."

"He guards the steps of those devoted to him, but the wicked stumble and vanish in darkness — because no one wins by their own strength."

"Those who oppose Yahweh will be shattered; he will thunder against them from the sky. Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth. He will give power to his king and lift high the strength of his anointed one."

Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy stayed behind to serve Yahweh under the supervision of Eli the priest.

Now Eli's sons were worthless men — they had no regard for Yahweh.

Here's what these priests would do to the people: Whenever someone offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come while the meat was still boiling, holding a three-pronged fork.

He would plunge the fork into the pot or kettle or cauldron or cooking vessel — and whatever the fork brought up, the priest would take for himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh.

Even before the fat was burned, the priest's servant would come and say to the person making the offering, "Hand over some meat for the priest to roast. He won't accept boiled meat from you — only raw."

If the person said, "Let them burn the fat first, as they're supposed to, and then take whatever you want," the servant would reply, "No — hand it over now. If you don't, I'll take it by force."

The failure of these young men was extremely serious in Yahweh's eyes, because they were treating Yahweh's offering with contempt.

But Samuel was serving in Yahweh's presence — a young boy wearing a linen priestly vest.

Each year his mother would make a small robe for him and bring it when she came up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.

Eli would speak well of Elkanah and his wife, saying, "May Yahweh give you children through this woman to replace the one she dedicated to Yahweh." Then they would go home.

Yahweh was good to Hannah — she conceived and gave birth to three more sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in Yahweh's presence.

Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing about everything his sons were doing to all Israel — including how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the meeting tent.

He said to them, "Why are you doing these things? I keep hearing about your terrible behavior from all these people."

"No, my sons — the reports I'm hearing from Yahweh's people are not good."

"If a person wrongs another person, God can step in and mediate. But if someone wrongs Yahweh himself — who is going to step in for them?" But they wouldn't listen to their father, because Yahweh had already decided to put them to death.

And the boy Samuel kept growing, gaining more favor both with Yahweh and with people.

A man of God came to Eli and said, "This is what Yahweh says: 'Didn't I clearly reveal myself to your ancestor's family when they were in Egypt, enslaved to Pharaoh's household?'"

"'I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest — to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear the priestly vest in my presence. And I gave your ancestor's family all the food offerings from the Israelites.'"

"'Why do you trample on my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling place? Why do you honor your sons more than me — fattening yourselves on the best portions of every offering my people Israel bring?'"

"Therefore, Yahweh, the God of Israel, declares: 'I did promise that your family and your ancestor's family would serve before me permanently. But now' — Yahweh declares — 'that is over. Because those who honor me, I will honor. But those who despise me will be treated as nothing.'"

"'The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your ancestor's family, so that no one in your family will grow old.'"

"'You will see distress in my dwelling place. Even though good things will come to Israel, no one in your family will ever grow old.'"

"'The one man from your family I don't cut off from my altar will be spared only to weep his eyes out and grieve his heart. And all the rest of your descendants will die in the prime of life.'"

"'And this will be the sign for you — both your sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will die on the same day.'"

"'Then I will raise up a faithful priest for myself who will act according to what is in my heart and mind. I will build him an enduring family, and he will serve before my anointed one permanently.'"

"'And everyone left in your family will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, begging, "Please — assign me to any priestly duty so I can have a bite to eat."'"