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2:1 哈拿祷告说,我的心因耶和华快乐。我的角因耶和华高举。我的口向仇敌张开。我因耶和华的救恩欢欣。
And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
2:2 只有耶和华为圣。除他以外没有可比的,也没有磐石像我们的神。
There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
2:3 人不要夸口说骄傲的话,也不要出狂妄的言语。因耶和华是大有智识的神,人的行为被他衡量。
Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
2:4 勇士的弓都已折断。跌倒的人以力量束腰。
The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
2:5 素来饱足的,反作用人求食。饥饿的,再不饥饿。不生育的,生了七个儿子。多有儿女的,反倒衰微。
They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.
2:6 耶和华使人死,也使人活,使人下阴间,也使人往上升。
The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
2:7 他使人贫穷,也使人富足,使人卑微,也使人高贵。
The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.
2:8 他从灰尘里抬举贫寒人,从粪堆中提拔穷乏人,使他们与王子同坐,得着荣耀的座位。地的柱子属于耶和华。他将世界立在其上。
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and he hath set the world upon them.
2:9 他必保护圣民的脚步,使恶人在黑暗中寂然不动。人都不能靠力量得胜。
He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
2:10 与耶和华争竞的,必被打碎。耶和华必从天上以雷攻击他,必审判地极的人,将力量赐与所立的王,高举受膏者的角。
The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.
2:11 以利加拿往拉玛回家去了。那孩子在祭司以利面前事奉耶和华。
And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.
2:12 以利的两个儿子是恶人,不认识耶和华。
Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
2:13 这二祭司待百姓是这样的规矩,凡有人献祭,正煮肉的时候,祭司的仆人就来,手拿三齿的叉子,
And the priests’ custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;
2:14 将叉子往罐里,或鼎里,或釜里,或锅里一插,插上来的肉,祭司都取了去。凡上到示罗的以色列人,他们都是这样看待。
And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.
2:15 又在未烧脂油以前,祭司的仆人就来对献祭的人说,将肉给祭司,叫他烤吧。他不要煮过的,要生的。
Also before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
2:16 献祭的人若说,必须先烧脂油,然后你可以随意取肉。仆人就说,你立时给我,不然我便抢去。
And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.
2:17 如此,这二少年人的罪在耶和华面前甚重了,因为他们藐视耶和华的祭物(或作他们使人厌弃给耶和华献祭)。
Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
2:18 那时,撒母耳还是孩子,穿着细麻布的以弗得,侍立在耶和华面前。
But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
2:19 他母亲每年为他作一件小外袍,同着丈夫上来献年祭的时候带来给他。
Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
2:20 以利为以利加拿和他的妻祝福,说,愿耶和华由这妇人再赐你后裔,代替你从耶和华求来的孩子。他们就回本乡去了。
And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home.
2:21 耶和华眷顾哈拿,她就怀孕生了三个儿子,两个女儿。那孩子撒母耳在耶和华面前渐渐长大。
And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.
2:22 以利年甚老迈,听见他两个儿子待以色列众人的事,又听见他们与会幕门前伺候的妇人苟合,
Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
2:23 他就对他们说,你们为何行这样的事呢。我从这众百姓听见你们的恶行。
And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.
2:24 我儿阿,不可这样。我听见你们的风声不好,你们使耶和华的百姓犯了罪。
Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD’s people to transgress.
2:25 人若得罪人,有士师审判他。人若得罪耶和华,谁能为他祈求呢。然而他们还是不听父亲的话,因为耶和华想要杀他们。
If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.
2:26 孩子撒母耳渐渐长大,耶和华与人越发喜爱他。
And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.
2:27 有神人来见以利,对他说,耶和华如此说,你祖父在埃及法老家作奴仆的时候,我不是向他们显现吗。
And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house?
2:28 在以色列众支派中,我不是拣选人作我的祭司,使他烧香,在我坛上献祭,在我面前穿以弗得,又将以色列人所献的火祭都赐给你父家吗。
And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?
2:29 我所吩咐献在我居所的祭物,你们为何践踏。尊重你的儿子过于尊重我,将我民以色列所献美好的祭物肥己呢。
Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
2:30 因此,耶和华以色列的神说,我曾说,你和你父家必永远行在我面前。现在我却说,决不容你们这样行。因为尊重我的,我必重看他。藐视我的,他必被轻视。
Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
2:31 日子必到,我要折断你的膀臂和你父家的膀臂,使你家中没有一个老年人。
Behold, 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 thine house.
2:32 在神使以色列人享福的时候,你必看见我居所的败落。在你家中必永远没有一个老年人。
And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.
2:33 我必不从我坛前灭尽你家中的人。那未灭的必使你眼目乾瘪,心中忧伤。你家中所生的人都必死在中年。
And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.
2:34 你的两个儿子何弗尼,非尼哈所遭遇的事可作你的证据,他们二人必一日同死。
And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.
2:35 我要为自己立一个忠心的祭司。他必照我的心意而行。我要为他建立坚固的家。他必永远行在我的受膏者面前。
And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.
2:36 你家所剩下的人都必来叩拜他,求块银子,求个饼,说,求你赐我祭司的职分,好叫我得点饼吃。
And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.
撒母耳记上2参考
感恩不知如何祷告?看哈拿的 ──
2:1-10 哈拿因神垂听祷告,赐下麟儿而赞美神。她以诗歌的形式来祷告,其主题是对神的掌管与主权充满信心,并为神成就的一切感谢他。耶稣的母亲马利亚仿效哈拿的祷告,发出她的赞歌,称为尊主颂(参路1:46-55)。我们应当像马利亚与哈拿一样,确信神必管理我们的一生,顺服神为我们所定的道路,也要因他用自己的方法赐福给我们而感谢他。我们颂赞他百般美善的赏赐,就是承认他有权管理我们的一生。
神是我的磐石吗?我怎样倚靠这个磐石呢?
2:2 哈拿颂赞神是磐石──稳固、坚强、永不变迁。今天的世界步调急速,朋友来来去去,环境变换不定,很难找到稳固不变的根基。人若一生贪求成就、但求拥有,以财富作为安全的根基,所得的既有限又无常。我们拚命争取,得到的财产却皆会失去,只有神永远存在。你要以神为指望,他永不叫你失望。
用人的方法伸冤,符合神的心意吗?遭遇不公平的对待也要……
2:3 哈拿讲这些话时,一定想到□尼拿的傲慢与责骂。她不需要与□尼拿看齐,也毋需报复;她知道神监察一切,要审判人的罪恶与骄傲,哈拿很有智慧地等候神伸冤。当避免为自己伸冤;神既会衡量你的行为,也会衡量欺压你之人的行为。
在物质世界里,我能在各种境遇中都记得神是公义的主宰吗?
2:10 我们活在邪恶充斥的世界,又受核武的威胁,很可能忘记神仍然作王。哈拿看出神(1)像磐石一样坚定(2:2);(2)察验我们的作为(2:3);(3)管理人的大小事务(2:4-8);(4)是最高的审判主宰,施行完全的公义(2:10)。切记神正在作王掌权,会使我们对世界和个人事务都有恰当的看法。
少年撒母耳的事奉态度,哪些值得我效法?
2:11 童子撒母耳“在祭司以利面前事奉耶和华”,换句话说,他是以利的帮手或助理。他既然担当这种角色,工作就包括每天开会幕的门(3:15)、扫地、清洁器物;到他长大以后,就会协助以利献祭。他穿上细麻布的以弗得(这是只有祭司才可穿上的衣服),显示他是见习祭司(2:18)。因为他是以利的助手,所以也是神的助手。在你服事别人的时候,即使是做一般的事务,你也是事奉神。我们最终都是事奉神的,所以任何工作都有它的尊严。
以利的二忤逆子给我们的领袖敲了甚么警钟?
2:12-36 按律法规定,由百姓作十一奉献来供养所有的利未人(参民18:20-24;书13:14, 33)。以利的两个儿子既是祭司,百姓自当如此照顾他们。但以利的儿子们利用职权,满足财富和权力之欲,藐视人民与敬拜神的事,损害了整个祭司制度的廉正。以利知道儿子的恶行,却未认真地去纠正或劝阻他们,甚至对神圣所的美誉受损也不加理会。他身为大祭司,应当将这两个劣子处死(参民15:22-31),但他竟然袖手旁观,未有力制止歪风,任由他们自私自利的行为放任自流,使他们败坏了自己,也害了别人。许多时候我们要面对严重的问题,即使过程和结果都是痛苦的。
以利二子的仆人令祭司罪上加罪……
2:13-14 叉子是铜做的器具(参出27:3),在圣殿里献祭时使用。它通常有三个齿,以叉祭坛上的肉。以利的儿子叫仆人用这叉子,从锅里取去超过自己当得的一分。
祭司在献祭上任意妄为其影响及后果怎样?
2:13-17 以利的儿子所犯的是甚么罪?他们在祭肉献给神之前,就从祭坛上取去一部分。他们在未烧脂油(献给神)以前吃献祭之肉,违背了神的律法(参利3:3-5),实际上是藐视对神的献祭。献祭本来是人为了寻求神的赦罪,并表达对他的尊敬的方式,但由于他们的不敬虔,所以在为人献祭时,实际上就是在犯罪。他们还有另一种罪行,就是与会幕门前伺候的妇人苟合(2:22)。
有些宗教领袖好像以利的儿子,轻看一般平信徒的信仰,也轻视他们对神的奉献。那些使人民走入歧途,又轻看奉献给神的礼物的,神必严厉地审判(参民18:32)。
小撒母耳穿上的以弗得是──
2:18 撒母耳穿上祭司的制服──细麻布的以弗得(是用细麻布做的、没有袖子的长背心或外袍)。大祭司所穿的以弗得有其特殊意义,它是用多种色线绣的,上面还有一个围兜一般的胸牌,用金线绣的肩带系上。其上镶有十二块宝石,每块宝石代表以色列的一个支派;以弗得上有一个小口袋,里面装有乌陵和土明,遇上国家大事等悬疑不决时,大祭司就用它来判断神的旨意。
哈拿为何能由不孕到得子,并得到六个子女?
2:21 神看重忠心的哈拿的心愿。在以后的经文里,再也找不到对□尼拿和她儿女的记载,但是撒母耳则蒙神大大地使用,除了撒母耳以外,神又赐给哈拿五个儿女。神常常以出人意外的方式赐福给我们。哈拿从来没有想到,以她的年纪会有一个孩子,更遑论六个!不要埋怨神所定的时间。他虽然未必立即赐福,但只要我们照他在圣经中所说的忠心去做,他赐的福终必来临。
神是轻慢不得的!明知故犯,后果严重,如以利二子──有时我心也偷偷地想,神不会这样严厉吧……
2:23-25 以利的两个儿子比别人更清楚神是轻慢不得的,但是他们继续欺诈、行淫、抢夺百姓的献祭,故意违背神,所以神定意要击杀他们。所有的罪都不该犯,而存心欺诈的罪恶则更严重。我们出于无知而犯罪固然该受惩罚,若存心犯罪后果就更严重。不要忽视神对犯罪的警告,要在罪恶变成习惯以前,就把它撇弃。
以利二子不听父训,终遭神惩罚 ……
2:25 慈爱的神是否定意要人死亡呢?试想在会幕之中,人献祭本为求罪得赦免,但是以利的儿子偷去祭物,使献祭者的悔改变成虚无。爱以色列人的神绝不容许这种情形继续下去,他允许以利的两个儿子被杀,为的是惩罚他们的胆大妄为。他们将神的约柜带上战场,以为可得保护,但神并不施行保护,遂使他们被杀(4:10-11)。
以利看子犯错竟不管教;若我看见我家人是如此,我会如何──
2:29 以利难以教养两个儿子。他知道二人犯错以后,显然并没有严加管教。当知道,他不但身为人父,应处理悖逆的儿子,他还是大祭司,竟不理会其管辖下的祭司们犯罪(他的儿子也是祭司)。他既不管教,耶和华就不得不施行管治了。
以利让儿子沉迷罪恶,溺爱儿子过于尊敬神,这是他的罪。在你的生活、家庭、或是工作之中,你是否明知错了,仍然听任情况继续下去呢?如果有的话,你就是与犯错的人同罪。
神的惩罚最终临到以利家──
2:31, 35, 36 这个预言论到以利家,其应验见列王纪上(参王上2:26-27。)那里说所罗门革除大祭司亚比亚他的职位,使继承大祭司职任的以利子孙终止事奉。神在那时兴起撒督,在大卫王朝当祭司,到所罗门作王时他作大祭司。撒督的子孙可能持续到以斯拉的时代仍然作大祭司。
2:35 神说“我的受膏者”是指君王而言(参2:10)。意思是说他忠心的祭司要永远事奉君王。