1 Samuel 1

1 Once there was a man from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, from the tribe of Ephraim.

Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill-country of Ephraim. And his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

2 He had two wives. The name of the first wife was Hannah, and the name of the second, Peninnah. 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 Every year Elkanah would leave his town and go to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were the Lord's priests.

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

4 Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he would give portions of it to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.

And when the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions,

5 He would give an extra portion to Hannah, to show his love for her even though the Lord hadn't given her any children.

but to Hannah he gave a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but Jehovah had shut up her womb.

6 Her rival—the other wife—would taunt her badly to upset her because the Lord hadn't given her any children.

And her rival provoked her greatly, to make her fret, because Jehovah had shut up her womb.

7 This went on for years. Whenever Hannah went to the Lord's Temple, Peninnah would taunt her until she cried and couldn't eat.

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

8 “Hannah, what are you crying for?” her husband Elkanah would ask. “Why don't you eat? Why are you so upset? Aren't I better to you than ten sons?”

And Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why do thou weep? And why do thou not eat? And why is thy heart grieved? Am not I better to thee than ten sons?

9 One time when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to the Temple. Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the entrance to the Lord's Temple.

So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by the door-post of the temple of Jehovah.

10 She was terribly upset, and prayed to the Lord as she cried and cried.

And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to Jehovah, and wept much.

11 She made a vow, asking, “Lord Almighty, if only you would pay attention to the suffering of your servant and remember me, and not forget me but give me a son, then I will dedicate him to the Lord for his whole life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.”

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

12 As Hannah went on praying before the Lord, Eli watched her mouth.

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

13 Hannah was praying in her head, and though her lips were moving, her voice made no sound. Eli thought she must be drunk.

Now Hannah, she spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.

14 “Do you have to come here drunk?” he asked. “Get rid of your wine!”

And Eli said to her, How long will thou be drunken? Put away thy wine from thee.

15 “It's not that, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I'm a very miserable woman. I haven't been drinking wine or beer; I'm just pouring my heart out to the Lord.

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

16 Please don't think I'm a bad woman! I have been praying because of all my troubles and grief.”

Count not thy handmaid for an iniquitous woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation have I spoken until now.

17 “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel give you what you have asked him for,” Eli replied.

Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant thy petition that thou have asked of him.

18 “Thank you for your kindness to your servant,” she said. Then she went on her way, had something to eat, and she didn't look sad any more.

And she said, Let thy handmaid find favor in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and ate, and her countenance was no more sad.

19 Elkanah and Hannah got up early the next morning to worship the Lord and then they went home to Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord honored her request.

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

20 In due course she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”

And it came to pass, when the time came about, that Hannah conceived, and bore a son. And she called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of Jehovah.

21 Elkanah and all his family went to make the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow.

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

22 But Hannah did not go. She told her husband, “Once the boy is weaned I will take him to be presented to the Lord and to remain there forever.”

But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, Not until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before Jehovah, and abide there forever.

23 “Do as you see fit,” her husband Elkanah replied. “Stay here until you have weaned him. May the Lord fulfill what he has said.” So Hannah stayed behind and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

And Elkanah her husband said to her, Do what seems good to thee. Remain until thou have weaned him, only Jehovah establish his word. So the woman remained and gave her son suck, until she weaned him.

24 When she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a wineskin containing wine. Even though the boy was young, she brought him to the Lord's Temple at Shiloh.

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

25 After they had slaughtered the bull, they presented the boy to Eli.

And they killed the 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 with you praying to the Lord.

And she said, Oh, my lord, as thy soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by thee here, praying to Jehovah.

27 I prayed for this boy, and since the Lord has given me what I asked him for,

I prayed for this child, and Jehovah has given me my petition which I asked of him.

28 now I'm giving him to the Lord. As long as he lives he will be dedicated to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

Therefore also I have granted him to Jehovah; as long as he lives he is granted to Jehovah. And he worshiped Jehovah there.