American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
and not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of God.
And {Or, law}the law came in besides, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly:
And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud,
And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto Jehovah before Eli the priest.
Now the sons of Eli were base men; they knew not Jehovah.
And 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 flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand;
and 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 in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.
Yea, before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have boiled flesh of thee, but raw.
And if the man said unto him, They will surely burn the fat {Hebrew: to-day.}first, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then {Another reading is, he would say unto him, Thou &c.}he would say, Nay, but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.
And the sin of the young men was very great before Jehovah; for the men despised the offering of Jehovah.
But Samuel ministered before Jehovah, being a child, girded 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.
And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, Jehovah give thee seed of this woman for the petition which was asked of Jehovah. And they went unto their own home.
{The Hebrew has, For.}And Jehovah visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before Jehovah.
Now 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.
And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.
Nay, my sons; for it is no good report {Or, which I hear Jehovah's people do spread abroad}that I hear: ye make Jehovah's people to transgress.
If one man sin against another, God shall judge him; but if a man sin against Jehovah, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding, they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because Jehovah was minded to slay them.
And the child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with Jehovah, and also with men.
And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Did I reveal myself unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt {Or, in Pharaoh's house}in bondage to Pharaoh's house?
{Or, And I chose}and did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to {Or, offer upon}go up unto mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? {Or, and gave}and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?
Wherefore {Or, trample ye upon…and upon}kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation, and honorest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
Therefore Jehovah, the God of Israel, saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now Jehovah saith, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
Behold, 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.
And thou shalt behold {Or, an adversary in my habitation}the affliction of my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel; and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever.
{Or, Yet will I not cut off every man of thine from mine altar, to consume &c.}And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thy heart; and all the increase of thy house shall die {Hebrew: when they are men.}in the flower of their age.
And this shall be the sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die both of them.
And 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.
And 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.
Be not ashamed therefore of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but suffer hardship with the {Greek: good tidings; and so elsewhere. See marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel according to the power of God;
who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus {Or, long ages ago}before times eternal,
In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.