The Beginning

Adam and Eve

⁴ This is the account^(G) of the heavens and the earth when they were created,^(H) when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.

⁵ Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth^[a] and no plant had yet sprung up,^(I) for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth^(J) and there was no one to work the ground, ⁶ but streams^[b] came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. ⁷ Then the Lord God formed^(K) a man^[c](L) from the dust^(M) of the ground^(N) and breathed into his nostrils the breath^(O) of life,^(P) and the man became a living being.^(Q)

⁸ Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden;^(R) and there he put the man he had formed. ⁹ The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees^(S) that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life^(T) and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.^(U)

¹⁰ A river^(V) watering the garden flowed from Eden;^(W) from there it was separated into four headwaters. ¹¹ The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah,^(X) where there is gold. ¹² (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin^[d](Y) and onyx are also there.) ¹³ The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush.^{[e] 14} The name of the third river is the Tigris;^(Z) it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.^(AA)

¹⁵ The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden^(AB) to work it and take care of it. ¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;^{(AC) 17} but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,^(AD) for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”^(AE)

¹⁸ The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”^(AF)

¹⁹ Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals^(AG) and all the birds in the sky.^(AH) He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called^(AI) each living creature,^(AJ) that was its name. ²⁰ So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.

But for Adam^[f] no suitable helper^(AK) was found. ²¹ So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep;^(AL) and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs^[g] and then closed up the place with flesh. ²² Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib^[h](AM) he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

²³ The man said,

²⁴ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united^(AQ) to his wife, and they become one flesh.^(AR)

²⁵ Adam and his wife were both naked,^(AS) and they felt no shame.

From Adam to Noah

5 This is the written account^(A) of Adam’s family line.^(B)

When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God.^(C)

² He created them^(A) male and female^(B) and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind”^[a] when they were created.

Hannah’s Prayer

2 Then Hannah prayed and said:^(A)

¹¹ Then Elkanah went home to Ramah,^(AJ) but the boy ministered^(AK) before the Lord under Eli the priest.

Eli’s Wicked Sons

¹² Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard^(AL) for the Lord. ¹³ Now it was the practice^(AM) of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat^(AN) was being boiled ¹⁴ and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot. Whatever the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. ¹⁵ But even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”

¹⁶ If the person said to him, “Let the fat^(AO) be burned first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would answer, “No, hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.”

¹⁷ This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they^[b] were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.^(AP)

¹⁸ But Samuel was ministering^(AQ) before the Lord—a boy wearing a linen ephod.^{(AR) 19} Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual^(AS) sacrifice. ²⁰ Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed^(AT) for and gave to^[c] the Lord.” Then they would go home. ²¹ And the Lord was gracious to Hannah;^(AU) she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew^(AV) up in the presence of the Lord.

²² Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything^(AW) his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women^(AX) who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ²³ So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. ²⁴ No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the Lord’s people is not good. ²⁵ If one person sins against another, God^[d] may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will^(AY) intercede^(AZ) for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.

²⁶ And the boy Samuel continued to grow^(BA) in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people.^(BB)

Prophecy Against the House of Eli

²⁷ Now a man of God^(BC) came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal myself to your ancestor’s family when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh? ²⁸ I chose^(BD) your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense,^(BE) and to wear an ephod^(BF) in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings^(BG) presented by the Israelites. ²⁹ Why do you^[e] scorn my sacrifice and offering^(BH) that I prescribed for my dwelling?^(BI) Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’

³⁰ “Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.^(BJ)’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor,^(BK) but those who despise^(BL) me will be disdained.^{(BM) 31} The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age,^{(BN) 32} and you will see distress^(BO) in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age.^{(BP) 33} Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants^(BQ) will die in the prime of life.

³⁴ “‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign^(BR) to you—they will both die^(BS) on the same day.^{(BT) 35} I will raise up for myself a faithful priest,^(BU) who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed^(BV) one always. ³⁶ Then everyone left in your family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread and plead,^(BW) “Appoint me to some priestly office so I can have food to eat.^(BX)”’”