1 Samuel 1

1 Now there was a man named Elkanah who was from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:

2 He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 Year after year Elkanah would go up from his city to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD.

And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto YHWH of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of YHWH, were there.

4 And whenever the day came for Elkanah to present his sacrifice, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.

And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:

5 But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved her even though the LORD had closed her womb.

But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but YHWH had shut up her womb.

6 Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her and taunt her viciously.

And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because YHWH had shut up her womb.

7 And this went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival taunted her until she wept and would not eat.

And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of YHWH, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

8 “Hannah, why are you crying?” her husband Elkanah asked. “Why won’t you eat? Why is your heart so grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

9 So after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.

So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of YHWH.

10 In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears.

And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto YHWH, and wept sore.

11 And she made a vow, pleading, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever come over his head.”

And she vowed a vow, and said, O YHWH of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto YHWH all the days of his life, and there shall no rasor come upon his head.

12 As Hannah kept on praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth.

And it came to pass, as she continued praying before YHWH, that Eli marked her mouth.

13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk

Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

14 and said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put away your wine!”

And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

15 “No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman oppressed in spirit. I have not had any wine or strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD.

And Hannah answered and said, No, mymaster, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before YHWH.

16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; for all this time I have been praying out of the depth of my anguish and grief.”

Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

17 “Go in peace,” Eli replied, “and may the God of Israel grant the petition you have asked of Him.”

Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the Elohim of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

18 “May your maidservant find favor with you,” said Hannah. Then she went on her way, and she began eating again, and her face was no longer downcast.

And she said, Let thine handmaid find favour in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

19 The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before the LORD, and then returned home to Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her.

And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before YHWH, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and YHWH remembered her.

20 So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.”

Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of YHWH.

21 Then Elkanah and all his house went up to make the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow,

And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto YHWH the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

22 but Hannah did not go. “After the boy is weaned,” she said to her husband, “I will take him to appear before the LORD and to stay there permanently.”

But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before YHWH, and there abide for ever.

23 “Do what you think is best,” her husband Elkanah replied, “and stay here until you have weaned him. Only may the LORD confirm His word.” So Hannah stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only YHWH establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

24 Once she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. Though the boy was still young, she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh.

And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of YHWH in Shiloh: and the child was young.

25 And when they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli.

And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.

26 “Please, my lord,” said Hannah, “as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD.

And she said, Oh mymaster, as thy soul liveth, mymaster, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto YHWH.

27 I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him,

For this child I prayed; and YHWH hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

28 I now dedicate the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD there.

Therefore also I have lent him to YHWH; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to YHWH. And he worshipped YHWH there.