1 Samuel 2:11

King James Version (KJV)

And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.

Translations

1 Samuel 2:11 - Amplified Bible

Elkanah and his wife Hannah returned to Ramah to his house. But the child ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest.

1 Samuel 2:11 - American Standard Version

And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto Jehovah before Eli the priest.

1 Samuel 2:11 - Bible in Basic English

Then Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child became the servant of the Lord under the direction of Eli the priest.

1 Samuel 2:11 - Darby Bible

And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the boy ministered to Jehovah in the presence of Eli the priest.

1 Samuel 2:11 - English Standard Version

Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy ministered to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest.

1 Samuel 2:11 - King James Version

And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.

1 Samuel 2:11 - La Biblia de las Americas

Entonces Elcana se fue a Ramá, a su casa. Y el niño servìa al SEÑOR delante del sacerdote Elì.

1 Samuel 2:11 - The Message

Elkanah went home to Ramah. The boy stayed and served God in the company of Eli the priest.

1 Samuel 2:11 - New American Standard Bible

Then Elkanah went to his home at Ramah. But the boy ministered to the LORD before Eli the priest.

1 Samuel 2:11 - Nueva Biblia Latinoamericana de Hoy

Entonces Elcana regresò a Ramá, a su casa. Y el niño Samuel se quedò sirviendo al SEÑOR delante del sacerdote Elì.

1 Samuel 2:11 - World English Bible

Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. The child did minister to Yahweh before Eli the priest.

1 Samuel 2:11 - Young's Living Translation

And Elkanah goeth to Ramath, unto his house, and the youth hath been serving Jehovah, [in] the presence of Eli the priest;

1 Samuel 2:11 - Additional Comments

We find Samuel ministering before the Lord again in 3:1.
Elkanah and Hannah left Samuel in Shiloh as a gift to the Lord all the days of his life (she vowed to do this if she would be given a child, before she became pregnant - 1:11). After a few years, Hannah was blessed with more children (2:19-21). At the time she gave Samuel, he was her only child. It would have been much less of a sacrifice if she had had other children.
When you give sacrifices to God, either you energy, time, wealth, belongings, whatever, God truly knows your heart, and how much of a gift it is from your perspective. It is both how much it impacts you and how much it means to you. God cares much more about your heart in giving rather than the value of what you give. He always focuses on the heart.
In Matt 9:13, 12:7 Jesus says He prefers mercy over sacrifice.
In Mark 9:49-50, Jesus says our sacrifices are to be seasoned with salt, meaning a good heart.
In Mark 12:32-34, Jesus agrees with the scribe who says more important than sacrifices are loving God and neighbors.
Romans 12:1 says we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice.
Phil 4:18 describes a sacrifice that was well-pleasing to God - because of how it was given.
Heb 11:4 mentions how Abel's sacrifice was more excellent than Cain's, which He rejected. It was due to his heart, not the gift itself.
Heb 13:15-16 tells us sacrifice can be praise given to God, and doing good and sharing with others.
What a contrast, seeing the sacrifice that Hannah made over the years, and the sacrifices that Samuel was making, compared to the thievery of Eli's son!

Comments are closed.