2-5. Nothing and no one is holy like God,no rock mountain like our God.Don’t dare talk pretentiously—not a word of boasting, ever!For God knows what’s going on.He takes the measure of everything that happens.The weapons of the strong are smashed to pieces,while the weak are infused with fresh strength.The well-fed are out begging in the streets for crusts,while the hungry are getting second helpings.The barren woman has a houseful of children,while the mother of many is bereft.
21. God was most especially kind to Hannah. She had three more sons and two daughters! The boy Samuel stayed at the sanctuary and grew up with God.
22-25. By this time Eli was very old. He kept getting reports on how his sons were ripping off the people and sleeping with the women who helped out at the sanctuary. Eli took them to task: “What’s going on here? Why are you doing these things? I hear story after story of your corrupt and evil carrying on. Oh, my sons, this is not right! These are terrible reports I’m getting, stories spreading right and left among God’s people! If you sin against another person, there’s help—God’s help. But if you sin against God, who is around to help?”
25-26. But they were far gone in disobedience and refused to listen to a thing their father said. So God, who was fed up with them, decreed their death. But the boy Samuel was very much alive, growing up, blessed by God and popular with the people.