Chapter 2

Anna giveth thanks in a Canticle. ℣.11 The sons of Heli grievously sinning are reprehended, but not duly corrected by their father. ℣.21 Anna beareth three sons more, and two daughters. ℣.27 Heli is threatened, ℣.34 and the death of his two sons foretold.

1. 1

   My heart hath rejoiced in our Lord, and my horn is exalted in my God: my mouth is dilated upon mine enemies: because I have joyed in thy salvation.

2. 2

   There is none holy as our Lord is: for neither is there an other beside thee, and there is none so strong as our God.

3. 3

   Do not multiply to speak high things boasting, let old matters depart from your mouth: because our Lord is a God of all knowledge, and to him cogitations are prepared.

4. 4

   The bow of the strong men is overcome, and the weak are girded with strength.

5. 5

   They that before were filled have hired out themselves for bread: and the hungry are filled, until the barren woman bare very many: and she that had many children was weakened.

6. 6

   Our Lord mortifieth and quickeneth, bringeth down to hell and fetcheth back again.

7. 7

   Our Lord maketh poor and enricheth, humbleth and lifteth up.

8. 8

   He raiseth the needy man from the dust, and from the dung he lifteth up the poor: that he may sit with Princes, and hold the throne of glory. For the poles of the earth are our Lord's, and upon them he hath set the world.

9. 9

   The feet of his Saints he will keep, and the impious shall be silent in darkness: because in his own force man shall not be strengthened.

10. 10

    Our Lord shall his adversaries fear: & upon them shall he thunder in the heavens: our Lord shall judge the ends of the earth, & shall give empire to his King, and shall exalt the horn of his Christ.

11. 11

    And Elcana went into Ramatha, unto his house: but the child ministered in the sight of our Lord before the face of Heli the Priest.

12. 12

    Moreover the sons of Heli, were the sons of Belial, not knowing our Lord,

13. 13

    nor the office of Priests to the people: but whosoever had immolated a victim, the servant of the Priest came, whilst the flesh was in boiling, and had a flesh hook with three teeth in his hand,

14. 14

    and thrust it into the kettle, or into the cauldron, or into the pot, or into the pan: and all that the flesh hook brought up, the Priest took to himself. So did they to all Israel that came into Silo.

15. 15

    Yea before they burnt the fat, the servant of the Priest came, and said to him that immolated: Give me flesh, that I may boil it for the Priest: for I will not take flesh of thee sod, but raw.

16. 16

    And he that immolated said to him: Let the fat first be burnt to day according to the manner, and take unto thee how much soever thy soul desireth. Who answering said to him: Not so: for thou shalt give it now, or else I will take it away by force.

17. 17

    Therefore the sin of the young men was exceeding great before our Lord: because men detracted from the sacrifice of our Lord.

18. 18

    But Samuel ministered before the face of our Lord: a child, girded with an ephod of linen.

19. 19

    And his mother made him a little tunic, which she brought upon the ordinary days, going up with her husband to immolate the solemn host.

20. 20

    And Heli blessed Elcana and his wife: & he said to him: Our Lord render thee seed of this woman, for the usury that thou hast given our Lord. And they went into their place.

21. 21

    Our Lord therefore visited Anna, and she conceived, and bare three sons, and two daughters: and the child Samuel was magnified before our Lord.

22. 22

    And Heli was very old, and heard all things which his sons did to all Israel: & how they slept with the women that waited at the door of the tabernacle:

23. 23

    and he said to them: Why do you these kind of things, which I hear, very naughty things, of all the people?

24. 24

    Do not so my sons: for it is not a good report, which I do hear, that you make the people of our Lord to transgress.

25. 25

    If man shall sin against man, God may be pacified toward him: but if a man shall sin against our Lord who shall pray for him? And they heard not the voice of their father, because our Lord would kill them.

26. 26

    But the child Samuel prospered, and grew, and pleased both our Lord and men.

27. 27

    And there came a man of God to Heli, and said to him: Thus saith our Lord: Was not I openly revealed to thy father's house, when they were in Ægypt in the house of Pharao?

28. 28

    and I chose him of all the tribes of Israel for my Priest, that he might ascend to my altar, and burn to me incense, and might carry the ephod before me: and I gave to thy father's house all things of the sacrifices of the children of Israel.

29. 29

    Why have you with your heel rejected my victim, and my gifts which I commanded to be offered in the temple: and hast rather honoured thy sons than me, that you would eat the first fruits of every sacrifice of Israel my people?

30. 30

    Therefore said our Lord the God of Israel: Speaking I spake that thy house, and the house of thy father should minister in my sight for ever. But now saith our Lord: Be this far from me: but whosoever shall glorify me I will glorify him: and they that contemn me, shall be base.

31. 31

    Behold the days come: and I will cut off thy arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there may not be an old man in thy house.

32. 32

    And thou shalt see whom thou enviest in the temple, in all prosperities of Israel, and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever.

33. 33

    Notwithstanding I will not altogether take away a man of thee from mine altar: but that thine eyes may fail, and thy soul melt: and a great part of thy house shall die when it is come to man's age.

34. 34

    And this shall be a sign to thee, which shall come upon thy two sons, Ophni, and Phinees: In one day they shall both die.

35. 35

    And I will raise up unto me a faithful Priest, which shall do according to my heart, and my soul: and I will build him a faithful house and the same shall walk before my Christ all days.

36. 36

    And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall remain in thy house, shall come that he may be prayed for, and shall offer a piece of silver, and a manchet of bread, and shall say: Leave me I beseech thee to one priestly part, that I may eat a morsel of bread.