1 Samuel 2:2-4
Context2:2 No one is holy 1 like the Lord!
There is no one other than you!
There is no rock 2 like our God!
2:3 Don’t keep speaking so arrogantly, 3
letting proud talk come out of your mouth!
For the Lord is a God who knows;
he 4 evaluates what people do.
2:4 The bows of warriors are shattered,
but those who stumble find their strength reinforced.
1 sn In this context God’s holiness refers primarily to his sovereignty and incomparability. He is unique and distinct from all other so-called gods.
2 tn The LXX has “and there is none righteous like our God.” The Hebrew term translated “rock” refers to a rocky cliff where one can seek refuge from enemies. Here the metaphor depicts God as a protector of his people. Cf. TEV “no protector like our God”; CEV “We’re safer with you than on a high mountain.”
3 tn Heb “proudly, proudly.” If MT is original, the repetition of the word is for emphasis, stressing the arrogance of those addressed. However, a few medieval Hebrew manuscripts and some other textual witnesses do not reflect the repetition, suggesting that the Hebrew text may be dittographic.
4 tc The MT (Qere) reads “and by him actions are weighed.” The translation assumes that reading of the Qere וְלוֹ (vÿlo, “and by him”), which is supported by many medieval Hebrew