1 Samuel 1

1 There was a man of one of the two Ramathaim Zophim, of mount Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah the sonne of Ieroham, the sonne of Elihu, the sonne of Tohu, the sonne of Zuph, an Ephrathite:

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.

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

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

3 And this man went vp out of his citie euery yeere, to worship and to sacrifice vnto the Lord of hostes in Shiloh, where were the two sonnes of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas Priests of the Lord.

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.

4 And on a day, when Elkanah sacrificed, he gaue to Peninnah his wife and to all her sonnes and daughters portions,

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.

5 But vnto Hannah he gaue a worthy portion: for he loued Hannah, and the Lord had made her barren.

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

6 And her aduersarie vexed her sore, forasmuch as she vpbraided her, because the Lord had made her barren.

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

7 (And so did he yeere by yeere) and as oft as she went vp to the house of the Lord, thus she vexed her, that she wept and did not eate.

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.

8 Then sayd Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thine heart troubled? am not I better to thee then ten sonnes?

“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?”

9 So Hannah rose vp after that they had eaten and drunke in Shiloh (and Eli the Priest sate vpon a stoole by one of the postes of the Temple of the Lord)

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.

10 And she was troubled in her minde, and prayed vnto the Lord, and wept sore:

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

11 Also she vowed a vowe, and sayd, O Lord of hostes, if thou wilt looke on the trouble of thine handmaide, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaide, but giue vnto thine handmaide a manchilde, then I will giue him vnto the Lord all the dayes of his life, and there shall no rasor come vpon his head.

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.”

12 And as she continued praying before the Lord, Eli marked her mouth.

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

13 For Hannah spake in her heart: her lips did moue onely, but her voyce was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had bene drunken.

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

14 And Eli sayde vnto her, Howe long wilt thou be drunken? Put away thy drunkennesse from thee.

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

15 Then Hannah answered and sayd, Nay my lord, but I am a woman troubled in spirit: I haue drunke neither wine nor strong drinke, but haue powred out my soule before the Lord.

“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.

16 Count not thine handmaide for a wicked woman: for of the abundance of my complaint and my griefe haue I spoken hitherto.

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.”

17 Then Eli answered, and sayd, Go in peace, and the God of Israel graunt thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

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

18 She sayd againe, Let thine handmayd finde grace in thy sight: so the woman went her way, and did eate, and looked no more sad.

“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.

19 Then they rose vp early, and worshipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah. Nowe Elkanah knewe Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembred her.

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.

20 For in processe of time Hannah conceiued, and bare a sonne, and she called his name Samuel, Because, said she, I haue asked him of the Lord.

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.”

21 So the man Elkanah and all his house went vp to offer vnto the Lord the yeerely sacrifice, and his vowe:

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

22 But Hannah went not vp: for she sayd vnto her husband, I will tarie vntill the childe be weined, then I will bring him that hee may appeare before the Lord, and there abide for euer.

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.”

23 And Elkanah her husband sayd vnto her, Do what seemeth thee best: tarie vntill thou hast weined him: only the Lord accomplish his word. So the woman abode, and gaue her sonne sucke vntill she weined him.

“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.

24 And when she had weined him, she tooke him with her with three bullockes and an Ephah of floure and a bottell of wine, and brought him vnto the house of the Lord in Shiloh, and the childe was yong.

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.

25 And they slewe a bullocke, and brought the childe to Eli.

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

26 And she said, Oh my Lord, as thy soule liueth, my lord, I am the woman that stoode with thee here praying vnto the Lord.

“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.

27 I prayed for this childe, and the Lord hath giuen me my desire which I asked of him.

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

28 Therefore also I haue giuen him vnto the Lord: as long as he liueth hee shalbe giuen vnto the Lord: and he worshipped the Lord there.

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.