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1 Samuel 2

Life Application Study Bible1 SamuelChapter 2

1 Samuel 2

New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 410, 411, 412, 413

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21 Samuel 2

1[rejoice because you rescued me.

2No one is holy like the LORD!There is no one besides you;there is no Rock like our God.

3“Stop acting so proud and haughty!Don't speak with such arrogance!For the LORD is a God who knows what you have done;he will judge your actions.

4The bow of the mighty is now broken,and those who stumbled are now strong.

5Those who were well fed are now starving,and those who were starving are now full.The childless woman now has seven children,and the woman with many children wastes away.

6The LORD gives both death and life;he brings some down to the grave* but raises others up.

7The LORD makes some poor and others rich;he brings some down and lifts others up.

8He lifts the poor from the dustand the needy from the garbage dump.He sets them among princes,placing them in seats of honor.For all the earth is the LORD’s,and he has set the world in order.

9“He will protect his faithful ones, 2:9 but the wicked will disappear in darkness. Ps 91-11-12 No one will succeed by strength alone. “ 10Those who fight against the LORD will be shattered. 2:10 Exod 15:6; 19:16 He thunders against them from heaven; 7 Sam 7:10 the LORD judges throughout the earth. Pas 18:1 13; 24:4, 7; He gives power to his king; he increases the strength* of his anointed one.” 11Then Elkanah returned home to Ramah without Samuel. And the boy served the LORD 2:41 by assisting Eli the priest. 2:1 Hebrew has exalted my horn. 2:6 Hebrew to Sheol. 2:10 Hebrew he exalts the horn. pL 2:1-10 Hannah praised God for his answer to her prayer forason. even with Peninnah. She knew that God is all-knowing and that The theme of her poetic prayer is her confidence in God's sover- he will judge all sin and pride. Hannah wisely left judgment up gignty and her thankfulness for everything he had done. Mary, the to God. Resist the temptation to take justice into your own hands. mother of Jesus, modeled her own praise song, called the Magnifi- God will weigh your deeds as well as the deeds of those who cat, after Hannah’s prayer (Luke 1:46-55). Like Hannah and Mary, have wronged you. we should be confident of God’s ultimate control over the events in 2-19 Because we live in a world where evil abounds and where our lives, and we should be thankful for the ways God has blessed ~—_ war and terrorism always threaten, we may forget that God is in us. By praising God for all good gifts, we acknowledge his ultimate —_ control. Hannah saw God as (1) solid as a rock (2:2), (2) the one control over ail the affairs of life. who knows what we do (2:3), (3) sovereign over all the affairs 2:2 Hannah praised God for being a Rock—firm, strong, and of people (2:4-8), and (4) the Supreme Judge who administers unchanging. In our fast-paced world, friends come and go, and perfect justice (2:10). Remembering God's sovereign control helps circumstances change. It’s difficult to find a solid foundation that us put both world and personal events in perspective. will not change. Those who devote their lives to achievements, 2:11, 13Samuel assisted Eli the priest. In this role, Samuel's causes, or possessions have as their security that which is finite responsibilities would have included opening the Tabernacle doors and changeable. The possessions that we work so hard to obtain each morning (3:15), cleaning the furniture, and sweeping the will all pass away. But God is always present. Hope in him. He floors. As he grew older, Samuel would have assisted Eli in offering will never fait. sacrifices. The fact that he was wearing a linen garment (like the 2:3 No doubt as Hannah said these words, she was thinking of clothing worn only by priests) shows that he was a priest-in-train- Peninnah’s arrogance and chiding. Hannah did not have to get ing. Because Samuel was Eli’s helper, he was God's helper, too.

Eli’s Wicked Sons

12Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the LORD ‘or for their duties as priests. Whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, Eli’s sons would send over a servant with a three-pronged fork. While the meat of the sacrificed animal was still boiling, 14the servant would stick the fork into the pot and demand that whatever it brought up be given to Eli’s sons. All the Israelites who came to worship at Shiloh were treated this way. SSometimes the servant would come even before the animal's fat had been burned on the altar. He would demand raw meat before it had been boiled so that it could be used for roasting. 16The man offering the sacrifice might reply, “Take as much as you want, but the fat must be burned first.” Then the servant would demand, “No, give it to me now, or I'll take it by force.” 17So the sin of these young men was very serious in the LORD's sight, for they treated the LORD’s offerings with contempt. 18But Samuel, though he was only a boy, served the LORD. He wore a linen garment like that of a priest.* 19Each year his mother made a small coat for him and brought it to him when she came with her husband for the sacrifice. 20Before they returned home, Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the LORD give you other children to take the place of this one she gave to the LORD.*” 21And the LORD gave Hannah three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD. 22Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. He knew, for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle.* 23Eli said to them, “Ihave been hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are doing. Why do you keep sinning? 24You must stop, my sons! The reports I hear among the Lor’s people are not good. 25If someone sins against another person, God* can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede?” But Eli’s sons wouldn't listen to their father, for the LORD was already planning to put them to death. 26Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew taller and grew in favor with the LORD and with the people.

A Warning for Eli’s Family

2727Qne day a man of God came to Eli and gave him this message from the LORD: “I revealed myself* to your ancestors when the people of Israel were slaves in Egypt. 81 chose your ancestor Aaron* from among all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer sacrifices on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the priestly vest* as he served me. And I assigned the sacrificial offerings to you priests. 29So why do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings? Why do you give your sons more honor than you give me—for you and they have become fat from the best offerings of my people Israel! 30“ Therefore, the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I promised that your branch of the tribe of Levi* would always be my priests. But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me. 31The time is coming when I will put an end to your family, so it will no longer serve as my priests. All the members of your family will die before their time. None will reach old age. 32You will watch with envy as I pour out prosperity on the people of Israel. But no members of your family will ever live out their days. $7 Those who survive will live in sadness and grief, and their children will die a violent death.* 34And to prove that what I have said will come true, I will cause your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, to die on the same day! 35"Then I will raise up a faithful priest who will serve me and do what I desire. I will establish his family, and they will be priests to my anointed kings forever. 26Then all of your surviving family will bow before him, begging for money and food. ‘Please, they will say, ‘give us jobs among the priests so we will have enough to eat.’” a The LORD Speaks to Samuel I

Textual footnotes

  1. she requested of the Lonp in prayer.
  2. father.
  3. Scrolls, which read die by the sword; Masoretic Text reads die fike mortals.
  4. 2:1 Verses 21:1-15 are numbered 21:2-16 in Hebrew text.
  5. 2:18 Hebrew He wore a linen ephod.
  6. 2:20 As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text reads this one
  7. 2:22 Hebrew Tent of Meeting. Some manuscripts lack this entire sentence.
  8. 2:25 Or the judges.
  9. 2:27 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads Did I reveal myself.
  10. 2:28a Hebrew your
  11. 2:28b Hebrew an ephod.
  12. 2:30 Hebrew that your house and your father’s house.
  13. 2:33 As in Dead Sea

Life Application Notes 7 notes

2:12ffThe law stipulated that the needs of all the Levites were to be met through the people’s tithes (Numbers 18:20-24; Joshua 13:14, 33). Because Eli's sons were priests, they were to be taken care of this way. But Eli's sons took advantage of their position to Satisfy their (ust for power, possessions, and control. Their contempt and arrogance toward both people and worship undermined the integrity of the whole priesthood. Eti knew that his sons were evil, but he did {ittle to correct or Stop them, even when the integrity of God's sanctuary was threatened. As the high priest, Eli should have responded by executing his sons (Numbers 15:22-31). No wonder he chose not to confront the situation. But by ignoring their selfish actions, Eli let his sons tuin their own lives and the lives of many others. There are times when serious problems must be confronted, even if the process and consequences could be painful.

2:13,14This fork was a utensil used in the Tabernacle for offering sacrifices. Made of bronze (Exodus 27:3), it usually had three prongs to hook the meat that was to be offered on the altar. Eli’s sons used the fork to take more meat from the pot than was due them.

2:13-17What were Eli's sons doing wrong? They were taking parts of the sacrifices before they were offered to God on the altar. They were also eating meat before the fat was burned off. This was against God’s laws (Leviticus 3:3-5). In effect, Eli's sons were treating God's offerings with contempt. Offerings were given to shaw honor and respect to God while seeking forgiveness for sins, but through their irreverence, Eli’s sons were actually sinning while making the offerings. To add to their sins, they were also sleeping with the women who served there (2:22). Like Eli's sons, some religious leaders look down on the faith of ordinary people and treat their offerings to God casually or even with contempt. God harshly judges those who lead his people astray or scorn what is devoted to him (Numbers 18:32).

2:18Samuel wore a linen garment (also called an ephod). Ephods, long sleeveless vests made of plain linen, were worn by all priests. The high priest's ephod carried special significance. It was embroidered with a variety of bright colors. Attached to it was the chestpiece, a bib-like garment with gold embroidered shoulder straps. Twelve precious gemstones were attached to the chestpiece, each stone representing one of the tribes of Israel. A pouch on the ephod held the Urim and the Thummim, two small objects used to determine God’s will in certain national matters.

2:21God honored the desires of faithful Hannah. We never hear about Peninnah or her children again, but Samuel was used mightily by God. God also gave Hannah five children in addition to Samuel. God often blesses us in ways we do not expect. Hannah never expected to have a child at her age, much less six children! Don’t resent God’s timing. His blessings might not be immediate, but they will come if we are faithful to do what he says in his Word.

2:23-25Eli's sons knew better, but they continued to disobey God deliberately by cheating, seducing, and robbing the people. Therefore, God planned to kill them. Any sin is wrong, but sin carried out deliberately and deceitfully is the worst kind. When we sin out of ignorance, we deserve punishment. But when we sin intentionally, the consequences will be more severe. Don't ignore God’s warnings about sin. Abandon sin before it becomes a way of life.

2:25Does a loving God really will or want to put people to death?

Charts, profiles & sidebars from the printed pages

Personality profile · page 411

Hannah's prayer shows us that all we have and receive is on loan from God. Hannah might have had many excuses for being a possessive mother. But when God answered her prayer, she followed through on her promise to dedicate Samuel to God's service. She discovered that the greatest joy in having a child is to give that child fully and freely back to God. She entered motherhood prepared to do what all mothers must eventually do— let go of their children. When children are born, they are completely dependent upon their parents for all their basic necessities. This causes some parents to forget that those same children will grow toward independence within the span of a few short years. Being sensitive to the different stages of that healthy process will greatly strengthen family relationships; resisting or denying that process will cause great pain. We must gradually let go of our children in order to allow them to become mature, independent adults.

© Mother of Samuel, Israel’s greatest judge

• Fervent in worship; effective in prayer Willing to follow through on even a costly commitment

Strengths and accomplishments

• Struggled with her sense of self-worth because she had been unable to have children

Weakness and mistake

• God hears and answers prayer © Our children are gifts from God © God is concerned for the oppressed and afflicted

Lessons from her life

• Where: Ephraim

• Occupation: Homemaker

• Relatives: Husband: Elkanah. Son: Samuel. Later, three other sons and two daughters

• Contemporary: Eli the priest

Vital statistics

“Sir, do you remember me?’ Hannah asked. ‘I am the woman who stood here several years ago praying to the LORD. I asked the LornD to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. Now I am giving him to the LORD, and he will belong to the LORD his whole life.’ And they worshiped the LORD there” (1 Samuel 1:26-28).

Key verses

Her story is told in 1 Samuel 1—2.

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Study feature · page 412

Consider the situation in the Tabernacle. A person made an offering in order to have his sins forgiven, and Eli's sons stole the offering and made a sham of the person's repentant attitude. God, in his love for Israel, could not permit this situation to continue. He allowed Eli's sons to die as a result of their own boastful presumption. They took the Ark into battle, thinking it would protect them. But God withdrew his protection, and the wicked sons of Eti were killed (4:10, 11). 2:29 Eli had a difficult time rearing his sons. He apparently did not take any strong disciplinary action with them when he became aware of their wrongdoing. But Eli was not just a father trying to handle his rebellious sons; he was the high priest ignoring the sins of priests under his jurisdiction. As a result, the LORD took the necessary disciplinary action that Eli would not. Eli was guilty of honoring his sons above God by letting them continue in their sinful ways. Is there a situation in your life, family, or work that you allow to continue even though you know it is wrong? If so, you may become as guilty as those engaged in the wrong act. 2:31, 35, 36 For the fulfillment of this prediction see 1 Kings 2:26, 27. This is where Solomon removed Abiathar from his position, thus ending Eli's line. Then God raised up Zadok, a priest under David and then high priest under Solomon. Zadok’s line was probably still in place as late as the days of Ezra.

Personality profile · page 413

Eli was one Old Testament person with a very modern problem. The recognition and respect he earned in public did not extend to his handling of his private affairs. He may have been an excellent priest, but he was a poor parent. His sons brought him grief and ruin. He lacked two important qualities needed for effective parental discipline: firm resolve and corrective action. Eli responded to situations rather than solving them. But even his responses tended to be weak. God pointed out his sons’ errors, but Eli did little to correct them. The contrast between God's dealing with Eli and Eli’s dealing with his sons is clear—God gave warning, spelled out the consequences of disobedience, and then acted. Eli only warned. Children need to learn that their parents’ words and actions go together. Both love and discipline must be spoken as well as acted out. But Eli had another problem. He was more concerned with the symbols of his religion than with the God they represented. For Eli, the Ark of the Covenant had become a telic to be protected rather than a reminder of the Protector. His faith shifted from the Creator to the created. it may be easier to worship things we can see, whether buildings, people, or Scripture itself, but such tangible things have no power in themselves. This book you hold is either merely a respectable religious relic, or it is the sharp and effective Word of God. Your attitude toward it is largely shaped by your relationship to the God from whom it comes. A relic or antique has to be carefully stored away; God’s Word has to be used and obeyed. Which attitude accurately describes your approach to the Word of God? Strengths and ¢ Judged Israel for 40 years accomplishments © Spoke with Hannah, the mother of Samuel, and assured her of God's blessing

• Reared and trained Samuel, the greatest judge of Israel Weaknesses ¢ Failed to discipline his sons or correct them when they sinned and mistakes ¢ Tended to react to situations rather than take decisive action

• Saw the Ark of the Covenant as a relic to be cherished rather than as a symbol of God's presence with Israel

Lessons from his life

Vital statistics

• Where: Shiloh

• Occupations: High priest, judge of israel Relatives: Sons: Hophni and Phinehas. © Contemporary: Samuel

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