New English Translation
1 Samuel 2:8
8He lifts the weak from the dust; he raises the poor from the ash heap to seat them with princes and to bestow on them an honored position. The foundations of the earth belong to the Lord, and he has placed the world on them.
1 Samuel 2:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. “For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; on them he has set the world.
- English Standard Version (ESV)He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory. “For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He has set the world upon them.
Context of 1 Samuel 2:8
6The Lord both kills and gives life; he brings down to the grave and raises up. 7The Lord impoverishes and makes wealthy; he humbles and he exalts. He lifts the weak from the dust; he raises the poor from the ash heap to seat them with princes and to bestow on them an honored position. The foundations of the earth belong to the Lord, and he has placed the world on them. 9He watches over his holy ones, but the wicked are made speechless in the darkness, for it is not by one’s own strength that one prevails. 10The Lord shatters his adversaries; he thunders against them from the heavens. The Lord executes judgment to the ends of the earth. He will strengthen his king and exalt the power of his anointed one.”
Read all of 1 Samuel 21 Samuel 2:8 word by word
מֵקִ֨ים מֵעָפָ֜ר דָּ֗ל מֵֽאַשְׁפֹּת֙ יָרִ֣ים אֶבְי֔וֹן לְהוֹשִׁיב֙ עִם־נְדִיבִ֔ים וְכִסֵּ֥א כָב֖וֹד יַנְחִלֵ֑ם כִּ֤י לַֽיהוָה֙ מְצֻ֣קֵי אֶ֔רֶץ וַיָּ֥שֶׁת עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם תֵּבֵֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- He raiseth upקוּםqûm · to arise: raiseH6965
- the poorדַּלdal · poorH1800
- out of the dustעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
- lifteth upרוּםrûm · to exaltH7311
- the beggarאֶבְיוֹן'ebyôn · needyH34
- from the dunghillאַשְׁפֹּת'ashpôth 'ashpôth shephôth · refuseH830
- to setיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- among princesנָדִיבnâdîyb · nobleH5081
- and to make them inheritנָחַלnâchal · to inheritH5157
- the throneכִּסֵּאkissê' kissêh · throneH3678
- of gloryכָּבוֹדkâbôd kâbôd · gloryH3519
- for the pillarsמָצוּקmâtsûq mâtsûq · pillarH4690
- of the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- the Lord’sיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- and he hath setשִׁיתshîyth · to set: makeH7896
- the worldתֵּבֵלtêbêl · worldH8398
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 2:8
- Job 2:8Job took a shard of broken pottery to scrape himself with while he was sitting among the ashes.
- Job 42:10So the Lord restored what Job had lost after he prayed for his friends, and the Lord doubled all that had belonged to Job.
- Psalms 113:7He raises the poor from the dirt, and lifts up the needy from the garbage pile,
- Daniel 4:17This announcement is by the decree of the sentinels; this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones, so that those who are alive may understand that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms, and he bestows them on whomever he wishes. He establishes over them even the lowliest of human beings.’
- Luke 1:51He has demonstrated power with his arm; he has scattered those whose pride wells up from the sheer arrogance of their hearts.
- 1 Samuel 15:17Samuel said, “Is it not true that when you were insignificant in your own eyes, you became head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord chose you as king over Israel.
- Genesis 41:14Then Pharaoh summoned Joseph. So they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; he shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came before Pharaoh.
- 2 Samuel 7:8“So now, say this to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of hosts says: I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd to make you leader of my people Israel.
- Job 36:6He does not allow the wicked to live, but he gives justice to the poor.
- Ecclesiastes 4:14For he came out of prison to become king, even though he had been born poor in what would become his kingdom.
- Daniel 2:48Then the king elevated Daniel to high position and bestowed on him many marvelous gifts. He granted him authority over the entire province of Babylon and made him the main prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.
- Daniel 6:3Now this Daniel was distinguishing himself above the other supervisors and the satraps, for he had an extraordinary spirit. In fact, the king intended to appoint him over the entire kingdom.
- James 2:5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?
- Revelation 1:6and has appointed us as a kingdom, as priests serving his God and Father – to him be the glory and the power for ever and ever! Amen.
- Revelation 3:21I will grant the one who conquers permission to sit with me on my throne, just as I too conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
- Revelation 5:10You have appointed them as a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 2:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8To set them among princes - There have been many cases where, in the course of God's providence, a person has been raised from the lowest and most abject estate to the highest; from the plough to the imperial dignity: from the dungeon to the throne; from the dunghill to nobility. The story of Cincinnatus is well known; so is that of the patriarch Joseph; but there is one not less in point, that of Roushen Akhter, who was brought out of a dungeon, and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8The entire earth belongs to the Lord. God, who created and rules everything, can: change circumstances (1 Samuel 2:4–8), protect those who are faithful (1 Samuel 2:9), judge those who are wicked, and give strength to his chosen king (1 Samuel 2:10).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill--The dunghill, a pile of horse, cow, or camel offal, heaped up to dry in the sun, and used as fuel, was, and is, one of the common haunts of the poorest mendicants; and the change that had been made in the social position of Hannah, appeared to her grateful heart as auspicious and as great as the elevation of a poor despised beggar to the highest and most dignified…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 2:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries