¹sn Horns of animals have always functioned as both offensive and defensive weapons for them. As a figure of speech the horn is therefore often used in the Bible as a symbol of human strength (see also in v. 10). The allusion in v. 1 to the horn being lifted high suggests a picture of an animal elevating its head in a display of strength or virility.
²tn Heb “my mouth opens wide against.”
³tn Heb “for I rejoice in your deliverance.”
⁴sn In this context God’s holiness refers primarily to his sovereignty and incomparability. He is unique and distinct from all other so-called gods.
⁵tn The LXX has “and there is none righteous like our God.” The Hebrew term translated “rock” refers to a rocky cliff where one can seek refuge from enemies. Here the metaphor depicts God as a protector of his people.
⁶tn Heb “proudly, proudly.” If MT is original, the repetition of the word is for emphasis, stressing the arrogance of those addressed. However, a few medieval Hebrew manuscripts and some other textual witnesses do not reflect the repetition, suggesting that the Hebrew text may be dittographic.
⁷tc The MT (Qere) reads “and by him actions are weighed.” The translation assumes that reading of the Qere olw+ (v^elo, “and by him”), which is supported by many medieval Hebrew mss, is correct, rather than the reading of the Kethib aolw+ (v^elo’, “and not”).
⁸tc Against BHS but with the MT, the preposition (du^, ’ad) should be taken with what follows rather than with what precedes. For this sense of the preposition see Job 25:5.
⁹sn The number seven is used here in an ideal sense. Elsewhere in the OT having seven children is evidence of fertility as a result of God’s blessing on the family. See, for example, Jer 15:9, Ruth 4:15.
¹⁰tn Or “languishes.”
¹¹tn The imperfect verbal form, which is parallel to the participle in the preceding line, is best understood here as indicating what typically happens.
¹²tn Heb “a seat of honor.”
¹³tn Heb “guards the feet of.” The expression means that God watches over and protects the godly in all of their activities and movements. The imperfect verbal forms in v. 9 are understood as indicating what is typically true. Another option is to translate them with the future tense. See v. 10b.
¹⁴tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading the plural (“his holy ones”) rather than the singular (“his holy one”) of the Kethib.
¹⁵tn The imperfect verbal forms in this line and in the next two lines are understood as indicating what is typically true. Another option is to translate them with the future tense. See v. 10b.
¹⁶tc The translation follows the Qere, many medieval Hebrew manuscripts, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Vulgate in reading the plural (“his adversaries”) rather than the singular (“his adversary”) of the Kethib.
¹⁷tn The Hebrew preposition here has the sense of “from within.”
¹⁸tn The imperfect verbal forms in this and the next line are understood as indicating what is anticipated and translated with the future tense, because at the time of Hannah’s prayer Israel did not yet have a king.
¹⁹tn Heb “the horn,” here a metaphor for power or strength.
²⁰tc The LXX greatly expands v. 10 with an addition that seems to be taken from Jer 9:23-24.
sn The anointed one is the anticipated king of Israel, as the preceding line makes clear.
²¹tn Heb “with [or “before”] the face of.”
²²tn Heb “sons of worthlessness.”
²³tn Heb “they did not know the Lord.” The verb here has the semantic nuance “recognize the authority of.” Eli’s sons obviously knew who the Lord was; they served in his sanctuary. But they did not recognize his moral authority.
²⁴tn Heb “the habit of the priests with the people [was this].”
²⁵sn The Hebrew word occurs only twice in the OT, here and again in v. 14. Its exact meaning is not entirely clear, although from the context it appears to be a sacrificial tool used for retrieving things from boiling water.
²⁶tn Heb “to all Israel.”
²⁷tn Heb “living.”
²⁸tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss (“no”) rather than the Kethib and MT, which read “to him.”
²⁹tc Heb “the men,” which is absent from one medieval Hebrew ms, a Qumran ms, and the LXX.
³⁰tn Heb “seed.”
³¹tn The MT has a masculine verb here, but in light of the context the reference must be to Hannah. It is possible that the text of the MT is incorrect here (cf. the ancient versions), in which case the text should be changed to read either a passive participle or better, the third feminine singular of the verb. If the MT is correct here, perhaps the masculine is to be understood in a nonspecific and impersonal way, allowing for a feminine antecedent. In any case, the syntax of the MT is unusual here.
³²tn Heb “his.”
³³tn Heb “with the Lord.”
³⁴tn Heb “to all Israel.”
³⁵tn Heb “lie with.”
³⁶tc For “these” the LXX has “of the Lord” (kurivou, kuriou), perhaps through the influence of the final phrase of v. 24 (“the people of the Lord”). Somewhat less likely is the view that the MT reading is due to a distorted dittography of the first word of v. 24. The Vulgate lacks the word.
³⁷tn Heb “no.”
³⁸tn Heb “desired.”
³⁹tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
⁴⁰tn Heb “your ancestor’s” (also in vv. 28, 30).
⁴¹tn Heb “him”; the referent (Eli’s ancestor, i.e., Aaron) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
⁴²tc The MT has a plural “you” here, but the LXX and a Qumran ms have the singular. The singular may be the correct reading; the verb “you have honored” later in the verse is singular even in the MT. However, it is more probable that the Lord here refers to Eli and his sons. Note the plural in the second half of the verse (“you have made yourselves fat”).
⁴³tn Heb “which I commanded, dwelling place.” The noun is functioning as an adverbial accusative in relation to the verb. Since God’s dwelling place/sanctuary is in view, the pronoun “my” is supplied in the translation.
⁴⁴tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
⁴⁵tn Heb “walk about before.”
⁴⁶tn Heb “may it be far removed from me.”
⁴⁷tn Heb “chop off your arm.” The arm here symbolizes strength and activity.
⁴⁸tn Heb “arm.”
⁴⁹tn Heb “you will see [the] trouble of [the] dwelling place.” Since God’s dwelling place/sanctuary is in view, the pronoun is supplied in the translation (see v. 29).
⁵⁰tn Heb “in all which he does good with Israel.”
⁵¹tc The LXX and a Qumran manuscript have the first person pronoun “my” here.
⁵²tn Heb “all the days.”
⁵³tc The LXX, a Qumran ms, and a few old Latin mss have the third person pronominal suffix “his” here.
⁵⁴tn Heb “to cause your eyes to fail.” Elsewhere this verb, when used of eyes, refers to bloodshot eyes resulting from weeping, prolonged staring, or illness (see Lev 26:16; Pss 69:3; 119:82; Lam 2:11; 4:17).
⁵⁵tn Heb “and to cause your soul grief.”
⁵⁶tn Heb “and all the increase of your house.”
⁵⁷tc The text is difficult. The MT literally says “they will die [as] men.” Apparently the meaning is that they will be cut off in the prime of their life without reaching old age. The LXX and a Qumran ms, however, have the additional word “sword” (“they will die by the sword of men”). This is an easier reading, but that fact is not in favor of its originality.
⁵⁸tn Heb “and this to you [is] the sign which will come to both of your sons.”
⁵⁹tn Heb “house.”
⁶⁰tn Heb “and he will walk about before my anointed one all the days.”