The canticle of Anna. The wickedness of the sons of Heli: for which
they are not duly corrected by their father. A prophecy against the
house of Heli.
2:1. My heart hath rejoiced in the Lord, and my horn is exalted in my
God: my mouth is enlarged over my enemies: because I have joyed in thy
salvation.
My horn.... The horn in the scriptures signifies strength, power, the
horn is said to be exalted, when a person receives an increase of
strength or glory.
2:2. There is none holy as the Lord is: for there is no other beside
thee, and there is none strong like our God.
2:3. Do not multiply to speak lofty things, boasting: let old matters
depart from your mouth: for the Lord is a God of all knowledge, and to
him are thoughts prepared.
2:4. The bow of the mighty is overcome, and the weak are girt with
strength.
2:5. They that were full before, have hired out themselves for bread:
and the hungry are filled, so that the barren hath borne many: and she
that had many children is weakened.
2:6. The Lord killeth and maketh alive, he bringeth down to hell, and
bringeth back again.
2:7. The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich, he humbleth and he exalteth:
2:8. He raiseth up the needy from the dust, and lifteth up the poor
from the dunghill: that he may sit with princes, and hold the throne of
glory. For the poles of the earth are the Lord’s, and upon them he hath
set the world.
2:9. He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be
silent in darkness; because no man shall prevail by his own strength.
2:10. The adversaries of the Lord shall fear him: and upon them shall
he thunder in the heavens: The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth,
and he shall give empire to his king, and shall exalt the horn of his
Christ.
2:11. And Elcana went to Ramatha, to his house: but the child
ministered in the sight of the Lord before the face of Heli the priest.
2:12. Now the sons of Heli were children of Belial, not knowing the
Lord,
2:13. Nor the office of the priests to the people: but whosoever had
offered a sacrifice, the servant of the priest came, while the flesh
was in boiling, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand,
2:14. And thrust it into the kettle, or into the cauldron, or into the
pot, or into the pan: and all that the fleshhook brought up, the priest
took to himself. Thus did they to all Israel that came to Silo.
2:15. Also before they burnt the fat, the servant of the priest came,
and said to the man that sacrificed: Give me flesh to boil for the
priest: for I will not take of thee sodden flesh, but raw.
2:16. And he that sacrificed said to him: Let the fat first be burnt to
day, according to the custom, and then take to thee as much as thy soul
desireth. But he answered, and said to him: Not so: but thou shalt give
it me now, or else I will take it by force.
2:17. Wherefore the sin of the young men was exceeding great before the
Lord: because they withdrew men from the sacrifice of the Lord.
2:18. But Samuel ministered before the face of the Lord: being a child
girded with a linen ephod.
2:19. And his mother made him a little coat, which she brought to him
on the appointed days, when she went up with her husband, to offer the
solemn sacrifice.
2:20. And Heli blessed Elcana and his wife: and he said to him: The
Lord give thee seed of this woman, for the loan thou hast lent to the
Lord. And they went to their own home.
2:21. And the Lord visited Anna, and she conceived, and bore three
sons, and two daughters: and the child Samuel became great before the
Lord.
2:22. Now Heli was very old, and he heard all that his sons did to all
Israel: and how they lay with the women that waited at the door of the
tabernacle:
2:23. And he said to them: Why do ye these kinds of things, which I
hear, very wicked things, from all the people?
2:24. Do not so, my sons: for it is no good report that I hear, that
you make the people of the Lord to transgress.
2:25. If one man shall sin against another, God may be appeased in his
behalf: but if a man shall sin against the Lord, who shall pray for
him? And they hearkened not to the voice of their father, because the
Lord would slay them.
Who shall pray for him.... By this word Heli would have his sons
understand, that by their wicked abuse of sacred things, and of the
very sacrifices which were appointed to appease the Lord, they deprived
themselves of the ordinary means of reconciliation with God; which was
by sacrifices. The more, because they were the chief priests whose
business it was to intercede for all others, they had no other to offer
sacrifices and to make atonement for them. Ibid. Because the Lord would
slay them.... In consequence of their manifold sacrileges, he would not
soften their hearts with his efficacious grace, but was determined to
destroy them.
2:26. But the child Samuel advanced, and grew on, and pleased both the
Lord and men.
2:27. And there came a man of God to Heli, and said to him: Thus saith
the Lord: Did I not plainly appear to thy father’s house, when they
were in Egypt in the house of Pharao?
2:28. And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest,
to go up to my altar, and burn incense to me, and to wear the ephod
before me: and I gave to thy father’s house of all the sacrifices of
the children of Israel.
2:29. Why have you kicked away my victims, and my gifts which I
commanded to be offered in the temple: and thou hast rather honoured
thy sons than me, to eat the firstfruits of every sacrifice of my
people Israel?
2:30. Wherefore thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: I said indeed
that thy house, and the house of thy father, should minister in my
sight, for ever. But now saith the Lord: Far be this from me: but
whosoever shall glorify me, him will I glorify: but they that despise
me, shall be despised.
2:31. Behold the days come: and I will cut off thy arm, and the arm of
thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thy house.
2:32. And thou shalt see thy rival in the temple, in all the prosperity
of Israel, and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever.
Thy rival.... A priest of another race. This was partly fulfilled, when
Abiathar, of the race of Heli, was removed from the priesthood, and
Sadoc, who was of another line, was substituted in his place. But it
was more fully accomplished in the New Testament, when the priesthood
of Aaron gave place to that of Christ.
2:33. However, I will not altogether take away a man of thee from my
altar: but that thy eyes may faint, and thy soul be spent: and a great
part of thy house shall die, when they come to man’s estate.
2:34. And this shall be a sign to thee, that shall come upon thy two
sons, Ophni and Phinees: in one day they shall both of them die.
2:35. And I will raise me up a faithful priest, who shall do according
to my heart, and my soul and I will build him a faithful house, and he
shall walk all days before my anointed.
2:36. 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 roll of bread, and shall say: Put me, I beseech thee, to
somewhat of the priestly office, that I may eat a morsel of bread.