1 Samuel 2:18

THE MESSAGE

In the midst of all this, Samuel, a boy dressed in a priestly linen tunic, served God . Additionally, every year his mother would make him a little robe cut to his size and bring it to him when she and her husband came for the annual sacrifice. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, " God give you children to replace this child you have dedicated to God ." Then they would go home.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Samuel served in the Lord’s presence—this mere boy was dressed in the linen ephod.

Hebrew Names Version
But Shemu'el ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen efod.

King James Version
But Samuel ministered before the Lord , being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

Lexham English Bible
Now Samuel was serving before Yahweh, as a boy wearing a linen ephod.

English Standard Version
Samuel was ministering before the Lord , a boy clothed with a linen ephod.

New Century Version
But Samuel obeyed the Lord . As a boy he wore a linen holy vest.

New English Translation
Now Samuel was ministering before the Lord . The boy was dressed in a linen ephod.

Amplified Bible
Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD, as a child dressed in a linen ephod [a sacred item of priestly clothing].

New American Standard Bible
Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD, as a boy wearing a linen ephod.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Now Samuel being a yong childe ministred before the Lord, girded with a linen Ephod.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now Samuel was ministering before Yahweh, as a young boy girded with a linen ephod.

Contemporary English Version
The boy Samuel served the Lord and wore a special linen garment

Complete Jewish Bible
But Sh'mu'el ministered in the presence of Adonai , wearing a linen ritual vest even though he was only a child.

Darby Translation
And Samuel ministered before Jehovah, a boy girded with a linen ephod.

Easy-to-Read Version
But Samuel served the Lord . He was a helper who wore the linen ephod.

George Lamsa Translation
But the boy Samuel ministered before the LORD, and he wore a linen ephod.

Good News Translation
In the meantime the boy Samuel continued to serve the Lord , wearing a sacred linen apron.

Literal Translation
And Samuel was serving before Jehovah, a boy girded with an ephod of linen.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But Samuel was a mynister before the LORDE, and the childe was gyrded with an ouer body cote of lynnen.

American Standard Version
But Samuel ministered before Jehovah, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

Bible in Basic English
But Samuel did the work of the Lord's house, while he was a child, dressed in a linen ephod.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But the childe Samuel ministred before the Lorde, girded with a linnen Ephod.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

King James Version (1611)
But Samuel ministred before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linnen Ephod.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Samuel ministered before the Lord, a child girt with a linen ephod.

English Revised Version
But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

Berean Standard Bible
Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD-a boy wearing a linen ephod.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
`Forsothe Samuel, a child gird with a lynnun clooth, mynystride bifor the face of the Lord.

Young's Literal Translation
And Samuel is ministering [in] the presence of Jehovah, a youth girt [with] an ephod of linen;

Update Bible Version
But Samuel ministered before Yahweh, being a lad, girded with a linen ephod.

Webster's Bible Translation
But Samuel ministered before the LORD, [being] a child, girded with a linen ephod.

World English Bible
But Samuel ministered before Yahweh, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

New King James Version
But Samuel ministered before the LORD, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod.

New Living Translation
But Samuel, though he was only a boy, served the Lord . He wore a linen garment like that of a priest.

New Life Bible
Now Samuel was serving the Lord, even as a boy, wearing a linen vest.

New Revised Standard
Samuel was ministering before the Lord , a boy wearing a linen ephod.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, as for Samuel, he was ministering before Yahweh, - a boy girded with an ephod of linen.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But Samuel ministered before the face of the Lord: being a child girded with a linen ephod.

Revised Standard Version
Samuel was ministering before the LORD, a boy girded with a linen ephod.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD, as a boy wearing a linen ephod.

Contextual Overview

¹¹ Elkanah went home to Ramah. The boy stayed and served God in the company of Eli the priest. ¹²Eli's own sons were a bad lot. They didn't know God and could not have cared less about the customs of priests among the people. Ordinarily, when someone offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant was supposed to come up and, while the meat was boiling, stab a three-pronged fork into the cooking pot. The priest then got whatever came up on the fork. But this is how Eli's sons treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh to offer sacrifices to God . Before they had even burned the fat to God , the priest's servant would interrupt whoever was sacrificing and say, "Hand over some of that meat for the priest to roast. He doesn't like boiled meat; he likes his rare." If the man objected, "First let the fat be burned—God's portion!—then take all you want," the servant would demand, "No, I want it now. If you won't give it, I'll take it." It was a horrible sin these young servants were committing—and right in the presence of God !—desecrating the holy offerings to God . ¹⁸In the midst of all this, Samuel, a boy dressed in a priestly linen tunic, served God . Additionally, every year his mother would make him a little robe cut to his size and bring it to him when she and her husband came for the annual sacrifice. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, " God give you children to replace this child you have dedicated to God ." Then they would go home. ²¹ God was most especially kind to Hannah. She had three more sons and two daughters! The boy Samuel stayed at the sanctuary and grew up with God . ²²By this time Eli was very old. He kept getting reports on how his sons were ripping off the people and sleeping with the women who helped out at the sanctuary. Eli took them to task: "What's going on here? Why are you doing these things? I hear story after story of your corrupt and evil carrying on. Oh, my sons, this is not right! These are terrible reports I'm getting, stories spreading right and left among God 's people! If you sin against another person, there's help—God's help. But if you sin against God , who is around to help?" But they were far gone in disobedience and refused to listen to a thing their father said. So God , who was fed up with them, decreed their death. But the boy Samuel was very much alive, growing up, blessed by God and popular with the people. A holy man came to Eli and said: "This is God 's message: I revealed myself openly to your ancestors when they were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt. Out of all the tribes of Israel, I chose your family to be my priests: to preside at the Altar, to burn incense, to wear the priestly robes in my presence. I put your ancestral family in charge of all the sacrificial offerings of Israel. So why do you now treat as mere loot these very sacrificial offerings that I commanded for my worship? Why do you treat your sons better than me, turning them loose to get fat on these offerings, and ignoring me? Therefore—this is God 's word, the God of Israel speaking—I once said that you and your ancestral family would be my priests indefinitely, but now— God 's word, remember!—there is no way this can continue. I honor those who honor me; those who scorn me I demean. "Be well warned: It won't be long before I wipe out both your family and your future family. No one in your family will make it to old age! You'll see good things that I'm doing in Israel, but you'll see it and weep, for no one in your family will live to enjoy it. I will leave one person to serve at my Altar, but it will be a hard life, with many tears. Everyone else in your family will die before their time. What happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be the proof: Both will die the same day. Then I'll establish for myself a true priest. He'll do what I want him to do, be what I want him to be. I'll make his position secure and he'll do his work freely in the service of my anointed one. Survivors from your family will come to him begging for handouts, saying, ‘Please, give me some priest work, just enough to put some food on the table.'" ²⁶ Hannah prayed: I'm bursting with God -news! I'm walking on air. I'm laughing at my rivals. I'm dancing my salvation. Nothing and no one is holy like God , no rock mountain like our God. Don't dare talk pretentiously— not a word of boasting, ever! For God knows what's going on. He takes the measure of everything that happens. The weapons of the strong are smashed to pieces, while the weak are infused with fresh strength. The well-fed are out begging in the streets for crusts, while the hungry are getting second helpings. The barren woman has a houseful of children, while the mother of many is bereft. God brings death and God brings life, brings down to the grave and raises up. God brings poverty and God brings wealth; he lowers, he also lifts up. He puts poor people on their feet again; he rekindles burned-out lives with fresh hope, Restoring dignity and respect to their lives— a place in the sun! For the very structures of earth are God 's; he has laid out his operations on a firm foundation. He protectively cares for his faithful friends, step by step, but leaves the wicked to stumble in the dark. No one makes it in this life by sheer muscle! God 's enemies will be blasted out of the sky, crashed in a heap and burned. God will set things right all over the earth, he'll give strength to his king, he'll set his anointed on top of the world! Elkanah went home to Ramah. The boy stayed and served God in the company of Eli the priest. Eli's own sons were a bad lot. They didn't know God and could not have cared less about the customs of priests among the people. Ordinarily, when someone offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant was supposed to come up and, while the meat was boiling, stab a three-pronged fork into the cooking pot. The priest then got whatever came up on the fork. But this is how Eli's sons treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh to offer sacrifices to God . Before they had even burned the fat to God , the priest's servant would interrupt whoever was sacrificing and say, "Hand over some of that meat for the priest to roast. He doesn't like boiled meat; he likes his rare." If the man objected, "First let the fat be burned—God's portion!—then take all you want," the servant would demand, "No, I want it now. If you won't give it, I'll take it." It was a horrible sin these young servants were committing—and right in the presence of God !—desecrating the holy offerings to God . In the midst of all this, Samuel, a boy dressed in a priestly linen tunic, served God . Additionally, every year his mother would make him a little robe cut to his size and bring it to him when she and her husband came for the annual sacrifice. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, " God give you children to replace this child you have dedicated to God ." Then they would go home. God was most especially kind to Hannah. She had three more sons and two daughters! The boy Samuel stayed at the sanctuary and grew up with God . By this time Eli was very old. He kept getting reports on how his sons were ripping off the people and sleeping with the women who helped out at the sanctuary. Eli took them to task: "What's going on here? Why are you doing these things? I hear story after story of your corrupt and evil carrying on. Oh, my sons, this is not right! These are terrible reports I'm getting, stories spreading right and left among God 's people! If you sin against another person, there's help—God's help. But if you sin against God , who is around to help?" But they were far gone in disobedience and refused to listen to a thing their father said. So God , who was fed up with them, decreed their death. But the boy Samuel was very much alive, growing up, blessed by God and popular with the people.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ministered: 1 Samuel 2:11, 1 Samuel 3:1

a linen ephod: 1 Samuel 22:18, Exodus 28:4, Leviticus 8:7, 2 Samuel 6:14

Reciprocal: Judges 11:31 - shall surely Judges 11:39 - to his vow 1 Samuel 1:22 - and there 1 Kings 18:12 - from my youth 1 Chronicles 15:27 - a robe 2 Chronicles 34:1 - eight years Ecclesiastes 12:1 - Remember Hosea 3:4 - ephod Matthew 11:25 - and hast Matthew 19:14 - Suffer Matthew 20:2 - he sent Luke 1:66 - And the Luke 2:40 - the child Acts 3:24 - Samuel 2 Timothy 3:15 - from Hebrews 11:32 - Samuel

Cross-References

Genesis 1:31
God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good! It was evening, it was morning— Day Six.

Genesis 3:12
The Man said, "The Woman you gave me as a companion, she gave me fruit from the tree, and, yes, I ate it." God said to the Woman, "What is this that you've done?"

Ruth 3:1
One day her mother-in-law Naomi said to Ruth, "My dear daughter, isn't it about time I arranged a good home for you so you can have a happy life? And isn't Boaz our close relative, the one with whose young women you've been working? Maybe it's time to make our move. Tonight is the night of Boaz's barley harvest at the threshing floor.

Proverbs 18:22
Find a good spouse, you find a good life— and even more: the favor of God !

1 Corinthians 7:36
If a man has a woman friend to whom he is loyal but never intended to marry, having decided to serve God as a "single," and then changes his mind, deciding he should marry her, he should go ahead and marry. It's no sin; it's not even a "step down" from celibacy, as some say. On the other hand, if a man is comfortable in his decision for a single life in service to God and it's entirely his own conviction and not imposed on him by others, he ought to stick with it. Marriage is spiritually and morally right and not inferior to singleness in any way, although as I indicated earlier, because of the times we live in, I do have pastoral reasons for encouraging singleness.

1 Peter 3:7
The same goes for you husbands: Be good husbands to your wives. Honor them, delight in them. As women they lack some of your advantages. But in the new life of God's grace, you're equals. Treat your wives, then, as equals so your prayers don't run aground.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But Samuel ministered before the Lord,.... The ministration of Samuel, though a child, is observed both before and after the account of the ill behaviour and wickedness of Eli's sons; partly to the shame and disgrace of them, and as serving to aggravate their sin, and make it appear the more black and heinous; and partly to his honour and reputation, that he was not corrupted and turned aside from God by their evil practices. The phrase here used is different from that in 1 Samuel 2:11 there he is said to minister before Eli, under his direction and guidance, but here before the Lord; being now engaged in higher services, and which he could perform without the assistance of Eli, as in the presence of God more immediately; it seems to have respect to him when more grown in age, stature, knowledge, and experience, though here related: yet still being "a child"; not got out of his childhood, or arrived to manhood:

girded with a linen ephod; such as priests used to wear, but not Levites in common, nor extraordinary persons on extraordinary occasions, see 1 Samuel 22:18. This seems to be a peculiar favour, and a special honour which Eli granted to Samuel when so very young, on account of the grace of God bestowed on him in a wonderful manner; and because brought up in the tabernacle as a holy person, and a Nazarite; and because his birth was foretold, and he asked of God, as his name signified, as Procopius Gazaeus observes.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Girded with a linen ephod - This was the usual dress of the priests. It does not appear whether Levites wore an ephod properly. Possibly it was a mark of Samuel’s special dedication to the Lord’s service that he wore one. (See the marginal reference). The ephod was sometimes used as an idolatrous implement Judges 8:27.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 2:18. Girded with a linen ephod — This the Targum translates אסיר כרדוט דבוץ asir cardut debuts, "Girded with a cardit of byssus, or fine linen." The word cardut they seem to have borrowed from the Greek χειριδωτος, a tunic, having χειριδας, i.e., sleeves that came down to, or covered, the hands. This was esteemed an effeminate garment among the Romans. See Buxtorf's Talmudic Lexicon.