Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begate Hezron, and Hezron begate Ram, and Ram begate Amminadab, and Amminadab begate Nahshon, and Nahshon begate Salmon, and Salmon begate Boaz, and Boaz begate Obed, and Obed begate lesse, and Iesse begate David.

Elkanah a
Levite having

two wives,

worshippeth

yeerely at Shiloh.

Hee cherisheth Hannah, though barren, and provoked by Peninnah.

Hannah in

griefe, prayeth

for a childe.

THE FIRST BOOKE OF SAMUEL otherwise called, The FIRST BOOKE of the KINGS

CHAPTER I

OW there was a certaine man of Ramathaim Zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the sonne of Ieroham, the sonne of Elihu, the sonne of Tohu, the sonne of Zuph, an Ephrathite; and he had two wives, the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. And this man went up out of his citie yeerely, to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hostes in Shiloh; and the two sonnes of Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas, the Priests of the LORD, were there.

And when the time was, that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sonnes, and her daughters, portions. But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion: (for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had shut up her wombe. And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her wombe.) And as he did so yeere by yeere, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? Am not I better to thee, then ten sonnes ?

So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunke; (now Eli the Priest sate upon a seat by a poste of the Temple of the LORD.) And shee was in bitternesse of soule, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hostes, if thou wilt indeed looke on

CHAPTER
I

afterwards

the affliction of thine handmayd, and remember me, and not forget thine handmayd, but wilt give unto thine handmayd a man childe, then I will give him unto the LORD all the dayes of his life, and there shall no rasor come upon his head. And it came Eli first to passe as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli rebuking her, marked her mouth. Now Hannah, shee spake in her heart; blesseth her. onely her lippes mooved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had beene drunken. And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. And Hannah answered, and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowfull spirit: I have drunke neither wine nor strong drinke, but haue powred out my soule before the LORD. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and griefe, have I spoken hitherto. Then Eli answered, and said, Goe in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition, that thou hast asked of him. And she said, Let thine handmaid finde grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eate, and her countenance was no more sad.

stayeth at

And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before Hannah having the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and borne Samuel, Elkanah knewe Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembred her. home till he Wherefore it came to passe when the time was come about, after be weaned. Hannah had conceived, that shee bare a sonne, and called his name Samuel,1 saying; Because I have asked him of the LORD. And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yeerely sacrifice, and his vowe. But Hannah went not up; for shee said unto her husband, I will not goe up untill the childe be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appeare before the LORD, and there abide for ever. And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good, tary untill thou have weaned him, only the LORD establish his word: so the woman abode, and gave her sonne sucke untill she weaned him.

And when she had weaned him, shee tooke him up with her, She presenteth with three bullocks, and one Ephah of floure, and a bottle of him, according to her vow, to wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: the LORD. and the childe was young. And they slew a bullocke, and brought the childe to Eli. And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soule liveth, my lord, I am the woman, that stood by thee heere, praying unto the LORD. For this childe I prayed, and the LORD hath given me my petition, which I asked of him: therefore also I have lent him to the LORD as long as hee liveth, he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.

2: G

1 That is, asked of God.

49

CHAPTER
II

Hannahs song
in thankeful-

nesse.

The sinne of
Elies sonnes.

CHAPTER II

ND Hannah prayed, and said,

A

My heart reioyceth in the LORD,

Mine horne is exalted in the LORD:

My mouth is inlarged over mine enemies:
Because I reioyce in thy salvation.
There is none holy as the LORD:
For there is none beside thee:
Neither is there any Rocke like our God.
Talke no more so exceeding proudly,
Let not arrogancie come out of your
For the LORD is a God of knowledge,
And by him actions are weighed.

mouth:

The bowes of the mightie men are broken,

And they that stumbled are girt with strength.

They that were full, have hired out themselves for bread:

And they that were hungry, ceased :

So that the barren hath borne seven,

And she that hath many children, is waxed feeble.

The LORD killeth and maketh alive,

He bringeth downe to the grave, and bringeth up.

The LORD maketh poore, and maketh rich:

He bringeth low, and lifteth up.

He raiseth up the poore out of the dust,

And lifteth up the begger from the dunghill,

To set them among princes,

And to make them inherit the throne of glory :

For the pillars of the earth are the LORDS,

And hee hath set the world upon them.

He will keepe the feet of his saints,

And the wicked shall bee silent in darkenesse;

For by strength shall no man prevaile.

The adversaries of the LORD shalbe broken to pieces:

Out of heaven shal he thunder upon them:

The LORD shall iudge the ends of the earth,

And he shal give strength unto his king,

And exalt the horne of his Anointed.

And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house, and the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the Priest.

Now the sonnes of Eli were sonnes of Belial, they knewe not the LORD. And the priests custome with the people was, that when any man offred sacrifice, the priestes servant came, while the

flesh was in seething, with a flesh-hooke of three teeth in his hand, and he strooke it into the panne, or kettle, or caldron, or pot: all that the flesh-hooke brought up, the priest tooke for himselfe so they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither. Also before they burnt the fat, the priests servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roste for the priest, for he wil not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw. And if any man said unto him, Let them not faile to burne the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soule desireth: then hee would answere him, Nay, but thou shalt give it mee now and if not, I will take it by force. Wherefore the sinne of the yong men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.

CHAPTER

II

But Samuel ministred before the LORD, being a child, girded Samuels with a linnen Ephod. Moreover, his mother made him a litle ministerie. coate, and brought it to him from yeere to yeere, when she came up with her husband, to offer the yeerely sacrifice.

Hannah is

And Eli blessed Elkanah, and his wife, and said, The LORD give By Elies thee seed of this woman, for the loane which is lent to the LORD. blessing, And they went unto their owne home. And the LORD visited Hannah, so that shee conceived, and bare three sonnes, and two daughters and the child Samuel grew before the LORD.

:

more fruitfull.

his sonnes.

Now Eli was very olde, and heard all that his sonnes did unto Eli reprooveth all Israel, and how they lay with the women that assembled at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation. And he said unto them, Why doe ye such things? for I heare of your evil dealings, by all this people. Nay my sonnes: for it is no good report that I heare; yee make the LORDS people to transgresse. If one man sinne against another, the Iudge shall iudge him: but if a man sinne against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them. (And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour, both with the LORD, and also with men.)

house.

And there came a man of God unto Eli, and saide unto him, A prophecie Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainely appeare unto the house of against Elies thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaohs house? and did I chuse him out of all the tribes of Israel, to be my Priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burne incense, to weare an Ephod before mee? and did I give unto the house of thy father, all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel? Wherefore kicke yee at my sacrifice, and at mine offering, which I have commaunded in my habitation, and honourest thy sonnes above mee, to make your selves fat with the chiefest of all the offrings of Israel my people?

CHAPTER

II

Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I sayd indeede, that thy house, and the house of thy father should walke before me for ever but now the LORD saith, Be it farre from mee; for them that honour me, I will honour, and they that despise me, shall be lightly esteemed. Behold, the dayes come, that I will cut off thine arme, and the arme of thy fathers house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house. And thou shalt see an enemie in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel, and there shall not bee an olde man in thine house for ever. And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine Altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the floure of their age. And this shall bee a signe unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sonnes, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die both of them. And I will raise me up a faithfull Priest, that shall doe according to that which is in my heart and in my mind, and I will build him a sure house, and hee shall walke before mine Anointed for ever. And it shall come to passe, that every one that is left in thine house, shal come and crouch to him for a piece of silver, and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me (I pray thee) into one of the Priests offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.

CHAPTER III

How the word of the Lord was first revealed to Samuel.

A

ND the child Samuel ministred unto the LORD before Eli: and the word of the LORD was precious in those daies; there was no open vision. And it came to passe at that time, when Eli was layd downe in his place, and his eyes beganne to waxe dimme, that he could not see; and yer the lampe of God went out in the Temple of the LORD, where the Arke of God was, and Samuel was layd downe to sleepe; that the LORD called Samuel, and he answered, Here am I. And he ranne unto Eli, and sayd, Here am I, for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie downe againe. And he went and lay downe. And the LORD called yet againe, Samuel. And Samuel arose, and went to Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou diddest call me. And he answered, I called not, my sonne; lie downe againe. Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him. And the LORD called Samuel againe the third time. And hee arose, and went to Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou diddest call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the childe. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie downe, and it shal be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speake