Page:JPS-1917-Universal.djvu/350

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2.30
FIRST SAMUEL

for them that honour Me I will honour, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. 31Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thy house. 32And thou shalt behold a rival in My habitation, in all the good which shall be done to Israel; and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever. 33Yet will I not cut off every man of thine from Mine altar, to make thine eyes to fail, and thy heart to languish; and all the increase of thy house shall die young men. 34And this shall be the sign unto thee, that which shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die both of them. 35And I will raise Me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in My heart and in My mind; and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before Mine anointed for ever. 36And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thy house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and shall say: Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.'

3And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision. 2And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place—now his eyes had begun to wax dim, that he could not see—3and the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down to sleep in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, 4that the Lord called Samuel; and he said: 'Here am I.' 5And he ran unto Eli, and said: 'Here am I; for thou didst call me.' And he said: 'I called not; lie down again.' And he went and lay down. 6And the Lord called yet again Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said: 'Here am I; for thou didst call me.' And he answered: 'I called not, my son; lie down again.' 7Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him. 8And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said: 'Here am I; for thou didst call me.' And Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the child. 9Therefore Eli said unto Samuel: 'Go, lie down; and it shall be, if thou be called, that thou shalt say: Speak, Lord; for Thy servant heareth.' So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times: 'Samuel, Samuel.' Then Samuel said: 'Speak; for Thy servant heareth.' 11And the Lord said to Samuel: 'Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. 12In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even unto the end. 13For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity, in that he knew that his sons did bring a curse upon themselves, and he rebuked them not. 14And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering for ever.' 15And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to tell Eli the vision. 16Then Eli called Samuel, and said: 'Samuel, my son.' And he said: 'Here am I.' 17And he said: 'What is the thing that He hath spoken unto thee? I pray thee,

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