Old/New Testament
Samuel’s Birth
1 There was a [certain] man named Elkanah son of Jeroham from ·Ramathaim [Ramah; C just north of Jerusalem] in the ·mountains [hill country] of Ephraim. Elkanah was from the ·family [or region] of Zuph. (Jeroham was Elihu’s son. Elihu was Tohu’s son, and Tohu was the son of Zuph ·from the family group of Ephraim [an Ephraimite].) 2 Elkanah had two wives named Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none [C childlessness carried a serious social stigma].
3 Every year Elkanah left his town of Ramah and ·went up [traveled] to Shiloh [C the central worship place at that time, 30 miles north of Jerusalem, where the tabernacle was located] to worship the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; of Hosts] and to offer sacrifices to him. Shiloh was where Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, served as priests of the Lord. 4 ·When [L On the day] Elkanah offered sacrifices, he always gave ·a share of the meat [portions] to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But Elkanah always gave Hannah ·a double portion of the meat because he loved her and the Lord had kept her from having children [or only one portion of the meat even though he loved her, because the Lord had kept her from having children; C only one portion would be needed since there was no child to feed]. 6 ·Peninnah [L Her rival/foe] would ·tease [taunt] Hannah and ·upset [provoke; irritate; make fun of] her, because the Lord had ·made her unable to have children [L closed her womb]. 7 This happened ·every year [L year after year] ·when [whenever] they went up to the house of the Lord at Shiloh [1:3]. Peninnah would ·upset [taunt; provoke] Hannah until Hannah would cry and not eat anything. 8 Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you crying and why won’t you eat? Why are you ·sad [downhearted]? ·Don’t I mean more [or Am I not better] to you than ten sons?”
9 Once, after ·they had eaten their meal [L eating and drinking] in Shiloh [1:3], Hannah got up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on ·a chair [the seat] ·near the entrance to [by the doorpost of] the Lord’s ·house [temple; Tabernacle]. 10 Hannah was so ·sad [anguished; deeply distressed; L bitter] that she cried bitterly ·and [as she] prayed to the Lord. 11 She made this ·promise [vow], saying, “Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; of Hosts], if you will look on the ·sorrow [affliction; misery; humiliation] of your maidservant, and will ·remember [L remember and not forget] me, and will give ·me [L your maidservant] a son, I will give him back to ·you [L the Lord] all the days of his life, and no one will ever ·cut his hair [L touch his head] with a razor [C indicating consecration to the Lord as a Nazirite; Num. 6:1–5].”
12 While Hannah kept praying [L before the Lord], Eli watched her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying ·in her heart [silently]; her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “·Stop getting [L How long are you going to stay…?] drunk! ·Throw away [Get rid of; Put away] your wine!”
15 Hannah answered [L and said], “No, sir, I have not drunk any wine or ·beer [T strong drink; C an alcoholic beverage made of grain]. I am ·a deeply troubled woman [very discouraged; oppressed in spirit], and I was ·telling the Lord about all my problems [L pouring out my heart/soul to/before the Lord]. 16 Don’t think ·I am [your maidservant is] an ·evil [worthless] woman. I have been praying all this time ·because I have many troubles and am very sad [L out of great anguish/anxiety and sorrow/resentment].”
17 Eli answered, “·Go! I wish you well [Go in peace!]. May the God of Israel ·give you what [L grant the request/petition] you asked of him.”
18 Hannah said, “May ·I always please you [your servant find favor in your sight].” So she left and ate something, and ·she [L her face/countenance] was not sad anymore.
19 Early the next morning they got up and worshiped [L before] the Lord. Then they went back home to Ramah. Elkanah ·had sexual relations with [L knew] his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 20 So Hannah ·became pregnant [L conceived], and in time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel [C sounds like “God heard” in Hebrew], saying, “His name is Samuel because I asked the Lord for him.”
Hannah Gives Samuel to God
21 ·Every [or The next] year Elkanah went with his whole family to Shiloh [1:3] to offer sacrifices and to keep the ·promise [vow] he had made to ·God [L the Lord]. 22 ·But one time [L But] Hannah did not go with him. She told her husband, “When the boy is ·old enough to eat solid food [weaned], I will take him to Shiloh [1:3]. Then I will give him to [… and present him before] the Lord, and he will ·always live there [stay there permanently/forever].”
23 Elkanah, Hannah’s husband, said to her, “Do what you think is best. ·You may stay home until the boy is old enough to eat [Stay until you have weaned him]. May the Lord ·do what you have said [bring about his promise; L confirm/establish his word].” So Hannah stayed at home to nurse her son until he was ·old enough to eat [weaned].
24 When Samuel was ·old enough to eat [weaned], [L though still very young,] Hannah took him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh [1:3], along with a three-year-old bull, ·one-half bushel [L an ephah] of flour, and a ·leather bag filled with [skin of] wine. 25 After they had ·killed the bull for the sacrifice [L slaughtered the bull], they brought Samuel to Eli. 26 Hannah said to Eli, “As surely as you live, sir, I am the same woman who stood ·near [beside] you praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord answered my ·prayer [request; petition] and gave him to me. 28 Now I ·give him back [dedicate him; L lend him] to the Lord. He ·will belong [is dedicated/given over/lent] to the Lord all his life.” And ·he [or they] worshiped the Lord there.
Hannah Gives Thanks
2 Hannah prayed [L and said; C Hannah’s prayer is similar to Psalm 113 and Mary’s song in Luke 1:46–55]:
“·The Lord has filled my heart with joy [L My heart rejoices/exults in the Lord];
·I feel very strong in the Lord [My strength/L horn is exalted/lifted up in the Lord; C a lifted horn symbolizes strength, based on an animal lifting its head triumphantly]
·I can laugh at [L My mouth mocks/derides] my enemies;
I ·am glad [rejoice/delight] because you have ·helped [saved; rescued; delivered] me!
2 “There is no one ·holy [set apart] like the Lord.
There is no ·God but [one besides] you;
there is no Rock like our God.
3 “·Don’t continue bragging [Talk/Boast no more so proudly/haughtily],
·don’t speak proud words [don’t let such arrogance come out of your mouth].
The Lord is a God who ·knows everything [is wise],
and he ·judges [weighs] what people do.
4 “The bows of ·warriors [the mighty] ·break [are shattered],
but ·weak people [L those who stumbled/tottered] ·become strong [L gird on strength].
5 Those who ·once had plenty of food [were well fed] now ·must work [hire themselves out] for ·food [bread],
but people who were hungry ·are hungry no more [grow fat].
The woman who ·could not have children [was barren] now ·has [L gives birth to] seven,
but the woman who had many children now ·is sad [L wastes away; languishes].
6 “The Lord ·sends death [kills],
and he ·brings to [gives] life.
He ·sends people to the grave [brings down to Sheol; C the grave or the place of the dead],
and he raises ·them to life again [L up].
7 The Lord makes some people poor,
and others he makes rich.
He ·makes some people humble [brings low/down],
and others he ·makes great [lifts up; exalts].
8 The Lord ·raises [lifts] the poor up from the dust,
and he lifts the needy from the ·ashes [garbage heap].
He ·lets the poor sit [sets/seats the poor] with princes
and ·receive [L they inherit] a throne of honor.
“The ·foundations [pillars] of the earth belong to the Lord,
and the Lord ·set [poised] the world upon them.
9 He ·protects [L guards the feet/steps of] those who are ·loyal [faithful] to him,
but ·evil people [the wicked] will ·be silenced [disappear] in darkness.
·Power is not the key to success [L For no one succeeds/prevails by strength alone].
10 The Lord ·destroys [shatters] ·his enemies [those who oppose/fight against him];
he will thunder ·in [from] heaven against them.
The Lord will judge ·all [throughout; L the ends of] the earth.
He will give ·power [strength] to his king
and ·make his appointed king strong [L exalt the horn of his anointed/anointed one; 2:1].”
Eli’s Evil Sons
11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah [1:1], but the boy ·continued to serve [ministered to/before] the Lord ·under [in the presence of] Eli the priest.
12 Now Eli’s sons were ·evil men [scoundrels; good-for-nothings]; they did not ·care about [know; respect; regard] the Lord. 13 ·This is what the priests would normally do to [… nor about their duties as priests for] the people: Every time someone ·brought [offered] a sacrifice, the meat would be ·cooked [L boiled] in a pot. The priest’s servant would then come carrying a fork that had three prongs. 14 He would plunge the fork into the pot or the kettle or cauldron or pan. Whatever the fork brought out of the pot belonged to the priest. But this is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh [1:3] to offer sacrifices. 15 Even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come to the person offering sacrifices and say, “Give the priest some meat to roast. He won’t accept boiled meat from you, only raw meat.”
16 If the one who offered the sacrifice said, “Let the fat be burned up first as usual, and then take anything you want,” the priest’s servant would answer, “No, give me the meat now. If you don’t, I’ll take it by force.”
17 ·The Lord saw that [In the Lord’s sight] the sin of the servants was very ·great [serious] because they ·did not show respect for [treated with contempt; despised] the offerings ·made to [L of] the Lord.
Samuel Grows Up
18 But Samuel ·obeyed [L served; ministered before] the Lord. As a boy he wore a linen ·holy vest [ephod; C a special garment worn only by priests; Ex. 28:6–14]. 19 Every year his mother made a little ·coat [robe] for him and took it to him when she went with her husband to Shiloh [1:3] for the [annual] sacrifice. 20 When Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, he would say, “May the Lord ·repay you with [or give you] ·children [an heir; L seed] through Hannah ·to take the place of [in exchange for] the boy Hannah ·prayed for and gave back [dedicated] to the Lord.” Then Elkanah and Hannah would go home. 21 The Lord was ·kind to [gracious to; or visited] Hannah, so she ·became the mother of [L conceived and bore] three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew up ·serving [in the presence of; before] the Lord.
22 Now Eli was very old. He heard about everything his sons were doing to all ·the Israelites [Israel] and how his sons ·had sexual relations [lay] with the women who served at the ·entrance [doorway] to the Meeting Tent. 23 Eli said to them, “Why do you do these evil things that the people tell me about? 24 No, my sons. The Lord’s people are spreading a bad report about you. 25 If you sin against someone, God can ·help [intercede/mediate/arbitrate for] you. But if you sin against the Lord himself, ·no one [who…?] can ·help [intercede/mediate/arbitrate for] you!” But Eli’s sons would not listen to ·him [L the voice/words/rebuke of their father], because the Lord ·had decided [desired; wanted] to put them to death.
26 The boy Samuel grew ·physically and pleased [in stature and in favor with] the Lord and the people.
27 A man of God [C a prophet] came to Eli and said, “·This is what the Lord says [T Thus says the Lord]: ‘·I [L Did I not…?] clearly showed myself to the ·family [L house] of your ·ancestor Aaron [father] when in Egypt they were slaves to ·the king of Egypt [L Pharaoh’s house]. 28 ·I chose [L Did I not choose…?] them from all the tribes of Israel to be my priests. I wanted them to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the ·holy vest [L ephod in my presence/before me]. ·I [L Did I not…?] also let the ·family [L house] of your ·ancestor [father] have ·part of all [all] the offerings by fire sacrificed by the Israelites. 29 So why ·don’t you respect [do you scorn/trample/look greedily at; L kick at] the sacrifices and ·gifts [offerings that I have commanded/prescribed]? You honor your sons ·more than [above] me. You ·grow fat [fatten yourselves] on the ·best [choicest] parts of the meat the Israelites bring to me.’
30 “So the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I promised that your ·family [L house] and your ·ancestor’s family [father’s house] would ·serve [minister/walk before] me always.’ But now the Lord says: ‘·This must stop [Far be it from me]! I will honor those who honor me, but I will ·dishonor [despise; have contempt for] those who ·ignore [disdain] me. 31 The ·time [day] is coming when I will ·destroy [L break/cut off the strength of] the ·descendants [L seed] of both you and your ·ancestors [L father’s house]. No ·man [one] will ·grow old [reach old age] in your family. 32 You will ·see trouble in my house. No matter what good things happen to Israel, [or watch with envy/distress/greedy eyes on all the prosperity I pour out on Israel. But] there will never be an old ·man [person] in your family [22:11–23]. 33 I will ·not totally cut off your family from my altar. But […keep one of you alive at my altar so that] your eyes will cry and your heart be sad, because all your descendants will die.
34 “‘·I will give you a [This will be your] sign. Both your sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will die on the same day [4:1–22]. 35 Then I will ·choose [L raise up] a loyal priest ·for myself [or myself] who will ·listen to me and do what I want [act according to what is in my heart and soul/mind]. I will ·make his family continue [build him an enduring family/house], and he will always ·serve before [walk/go in and out before] my ·appointed king [anointed one; 1 Kin. 2:26–27]. 36 Then everyone left in your ·family [L house] will come and bow down before him. They will beg for a ·little money [piece of silver] or a ·little food [loaf of bread] and say, “Please give me ·a job as priest [some priestly duty/work] so I can ·have food to eat [eat a morsel of bread].”’”
God Calls Samuel
3 The boy Samuel ·served [ministered before] the Lord under Eli. In those days ·the Lord did not speak directly to people very often [L the word from the Lord was rare]; there were very few visions.
2 Eli’s eyes were so ·weak [dim] he ·was almost blind [L could not see]. One night he was lying in ·bed [his usual place]. 3 Samuel was ·also in bed [L lying down] in the Lord’s ·house [sanctuary; temple], where the Ark of God [C another name for the Ark of the Covenant; 4:3] was. God’s lamp [C probably the Menorah] ·was still burning [had not yet gone out].
4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, “I am here!” 5 He ran to Eli and said, “I am here. You called me.”
But Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back ·to bed [and lie down].” So Samuel went back ·to bed [and lay down].
6 The Lord called again, “Samuel!”
Samuel again went to Eli and said, “I am here. You called me.”
Again Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back ·to bed [and lie down].”
7 Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and ·the Lord had not spoken directly to him yet [L the word of the Lord had not been revealed to him before].
8 The Lord called Samuel for the third time. Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “I am here. You called me.”
Then Eli ·realized [understood; perceived; discerned that] the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So he told Samuel, “Go ·to bed [lie down]. If he calls you again, say, ‘Speak, Lord. ·I am your servant and I am […for your servant is] listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in ·bed [his place].
10 The Lord came and stood there and called as he had before, “Samuel, Samuel!”
Samuel said, “·Speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am [L Speak, for your servant is] listening.”
11 The Lord said to Samuel, “Watch, I am going to do something in Israel that will ·shock [L make the ears ring/tingle of] those who hear about it. 12 ·At that time [L In that day] I will ·do to [carry out against] Eli and his ·family [L house] everything I ·promised [threatened; spoke], from beginning to end. 13 I told Eli I would ·punish [judge] his ·family always [L house forever], because ·he knew his sons were evil [of the sin/iniquity he knew of]. They ·cursed God[a] [blasphemed], but he did not ·stop [correct; discipline; rebuke] them. 14 So I swore to Eli’s ·family [L house], ‘Your ·guilt [sins; iniquity] will never be ·removed [forgiven; atoned for; expiated] by sacrifice or offering.’”
15 Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the ·house [temple] of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision, 16 but Eli called to him, “Samuel, my son!”
Samuel answered, “I am here.”
17 Eli asked, “·What did the Lord say [What word/message did he speak/give] to you? Don’t hide it from me. May God ·punish you terribly [L do so to you, and more also,] if you hide from me anything he said to you.” 18 So Samuel told Eli everything and did not hide anything from him. Then Eli said, “He [or It] is the Lord. Let him do what he thinks ·is best [good].”
19 The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up; he did not let any of Samuel’s ·messages [words] ·fail to come true [L fall to the ground]. 20 Then all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba [C from the extreme north to the extreme south], knew Samuel was ·a true [confirmed/attested as a] prophet of the Lord [Deut. 13:1–5; 18:14–22]. 21 And the Lord continued to ·show himself [appear; manifest himself] at Shiloh [1:3], and he ·showed [revealed] himself to Samuel through his word.
A Man with Demons Inside Him(A)
26 ·Jesus and his followers [L They] sailed across the lake from Galilee to the area of the Gerasene[a] people [C Gerasa was southeast of Lake Galilee; the exact location is uncertain]. 27 When Jesus got out on the land, a man from the town who ·had demons inside him [was possessed by demons] came to Jesus. For a long time he had worn no clothes and had lived in the ·burial caves [tombs], not in a house. 28 When he saw Jesus, he ·cried out [shouted; shrieked] and fell down before him. He said with a loud voice, “·What do you want with me [Leave me alone; What business do we have with each other; L What to me and to you], Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t ·torture [torment] me!” 29 He said this because Jesus was commanding [reprimanding; rebuking] the ·evil [defiling; L unclean; 4:33] spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had ·taken hold of [seized; taken control of] him. Though he had been kept under guard and chained hand and foot, he had broken his chains and had been ·forced [driven] by the demon out into ·a lonely place [the desert/wilderness].
30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
He answered, “Legion,” because many demons ·were in [had entered] him [C a legion was about five thousand Roman soldiers; the sense here is “many”]. 31 The demons begged Jesus not to ·send them [L command them to depart] into ·eternal darkness [the bottomless pit; L the Abyss]. 32 A large herd of pigs [C considered ritually unclean by Jews] was feeding on a hill, and the demons begged Jesus to allow them to go into the pigs. So Jesus allowed them to do this. 33 When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd ·ran [rushed] down the ·hill [steep bank; precipice] into the lake and was drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ·ran away [fled] and ·told about [reported] this in the town and the countryside. 35 And people went to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind, because the demons were gone. But the people were frightened. 36 The people who saw this happen told the others how Jesus had made the [L demon-possessed] man well. 37 All the ·people [crowd; multitude] of the Gerasene ·country [region] asked Jesus to leave [L them], because they were all ·very afraid [overwhelmed/seized with great fear]. So Jesus got into the boat and ·went back across the lake [left; L returned].
38 The man ·whom Jesus had healed [L from whom the demons had gone out] begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Go back home and ·tell [explain to] people ·how much [or what great things] God has done for you.” So the man went all over town ·telling [proclaiming] ·how much [or what great things] Jesus had done for him.
Jesus Gives Life to a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman(B)
40 When Jesus ·got back to the other side of the lake [L returned], a crowd welcomed him, because everyone was ·waiting for [expecting] him. 41 [L And look/T behold] A man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue, came to Jesus and ·fell [bowed; knelt] at his feet, ·begging [urging; pleading with] him to come to his house. 42 [L …because] Jairus’ only daughter, about twelve years old, was dying.
While Jesus was on his way to Jairus’ house, the people were ·crowding [crushing; pressing] all around him. 43 A woman was in the crowd who had been bleeding for twelve years[b] [C probably a chronic menstrual disorder], but no one was able to heal her. 44 She came up behind Jesus and touched the ·edge [or tassel; see Num. 15:38–39] of his ·coat [cloak; garment], and instantly her bleeding stopped. 45 Then Jesus said, “Who touched me?”
When all the people ·said they had not touched him [denied it], Peter said, “Master, the people are all around you and are pushing against you.”
46 But Jesus said, “Someone did touch me, because I felt power go out from me.” 47 When the woman saw she could not hide, she came forward, ·shaking [trembling], and fell down before Jesus. While all the people listened, she ·told [explained] why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Jesus said to her, “·Dear woman [L Daughter], ·you are made well because you believed [your faith has saved/healed you]. Go in peace.”
49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of the synagogue leader and said to him, “Your daughter is dead. Don’t ·bother [trouble] the teacher anymore.”
50 When Jesus heard this, he said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just believe, and your daughter will be ·well [healed].”
51 When Jesus ·went [came] to the house, he let only Peter, John, James, and the girl’s father and mother go inside with him. 52 All the people were crying and ·feeling sad [wailing; lamenting; mourning] because the girl was dead, but Jesus said, “Stop crying. She is not dead, only asleep.”
53 The people ·laughed at [ridiculed] Jesus because they knew the girl was dead. 54 But Jesus took hold of her hand and called to her, “My child, ·stand up [arise]!” 55 Her ·spirit came back into her [or breath/life returned], and she ·stood up [arose] at once. Then Jesus ·ordered [directed] that she be given something to eat. 56 The girl’s parents were ·amazed [overwhelmed; astonished], but Jesus ·told [commanded; ordered] them not to tell anyone what had happened.
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