1 Samuel 1

1 And there is a certain man of Ramathaim-Zophim, of the hill-country of Ephraim, and his name [is] Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite,

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 and he has two wives, the name of the first [is] Hannah, and the name of the second Peninnah, and Peninnah has children, and Hannah has no children.

He had two wives. The name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 And that man has gone up out of his city from time to time, to bow himself, and to sacrifice, before YHWH of Hosts, in Shiloh, and there [are] two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests of YHWH.

This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of Armies in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to the LORD, were there.

4 And the day comes, and Elkanah sacrifices, and he has given portions to his wife Peninnah, and to all her sons and her daughters,

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

5 and he gives a certain portion to Hannah—double, for he has loved Hannah, and YHWH has shut her womb;

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

6 and her rival has also provoked her greatly, so as to make her tremble, for YHWH has shut up her womb.

Her rival provoked her severely, to irritate her, because the LORD had shut up her womb.

7 And so is done year by year, from the time of her going up into the house of YHWH, so she provokes her, and she weeps, and does not eat.

So year by year, when she went up to the LORD’s house, her rival provoked her. Therefore she wept, and didn’t eat.

8 And her husband Elkanah says to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart afflicted? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why don’t you eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

9 And Hannah rises after eating in Shiloh, and after drinking, and Eli the priest is sitting on the throne by the doorpost of the temple of YHWH.

So Hannah rose up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the LORD’s temple.

10 And she is bitter in soul, and prays to YHWH, and weeps greatly,

She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly.

11 and vows a vow, and says, “YHWH of Hosts, if You certainly look on the affliction of Your handmaid, and have remembered me, and do not forget Your handmaid, and have given to Your handmaid seed of men—then I have given him to YHWH all [the] days of his life, and a razor does not go up on his head.”

She vowed a vow, and said, “LORD of Armies, if you will indeed look at the affliction of your servant and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a boy, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head.”

12 And it has been, when she multiplied praying before YHWH, that Eli is watching her mouth,

As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli saw her mouth.

13 and Hannah, she is speaking over her heart—only her lips are moving, and her voice is not heard, and Eli reckons her to be drunken.

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

14 And Eli says to her, “Until when are you drunken? Turn aside your wine from you.”

Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Get rid of your wine!”

15 And Hannah answers and says, “No, my lord, I [am] a woman sharply pained in spirit, and I have not drunk wine and strong drink, and I pour out my soul before YHWH;

Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have not been drinking wine or strong drink, but I poured out my soul before the LORD.

16 do not put your handmaid before a daughter of worthlessness, for from the abundance of my meditation, and of my provocation, I have spoken until now.”

Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman; for I have been speaking out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation.”

17 And Eli answers and says, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel gives your petition which you have asked of Him.”

Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him.”

18 And she says, “Let your handmaid find grace in your eyes”; and the woman goes on her way, and eats, and her face has not been [downcast] for herself anymore.

She said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate; and her facial expression wasn’t sad any more.

19 And they rise early in the morning, and bow themselves before YHWH, and turn back, and come to their house in Ramah, and Elkanah knows his wife Hannah, and YHWH remembers her;

They rose up in the morning early and worshiped the LORD, then returned and came to their house to Ramah. Then Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.

20 and it comes to pass, at the revolution of the days, that Hannah conceives, and bears a son, and calls his name Samuel, for, “I have asked for him from YHWH.”

When the time had come, Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the LORD.”

21 And the man Elkanah goes up, and all his house, to sacrifice to YHWH the sacrifice of the days, and his vow.

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

22 And Hannah has not gone up, for she said to her husband, “Until the youth is weaned—then I have brought him in, and he has appeared before the face of YHWH, and dwelt there for all time.”

But Hannah didn’t go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and stay there forever.”

23 And her husband Elkanah says to her, “Do that which is good in your eyes; abide until your weaning him; only, let YHWH establish His word”; and the woman abides and suckles her son until she has weaned him,

Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only may the LORD establish his word.” So the woman waited and nursed her son until she weaned him.

24 and she causes him to go up with her when she has weaned him, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and she brings him into the house of YHWH at Shiloh, and the youth [is but] a youth.

When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, and one ephah of meal, and a container of wine, and brought him to the LORD’s house in Shiloh. The child was young.

25 And they slaughter the bullock, and bring in the youth to Eli,

They killed the bull, and brought the child to Eli.

26 and she says, “O my lord, your soul lives! My lord, I [am] the woman who stood with you in this [place], to pray to YHWH;

She said, “Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD.

27 I prayed for this youth, and YHWH gives to me my petition which I asked of Him;

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

28 and I also have called him to YHWH, all the days that he has lived—he is called to YHWH”; and he bows himself there before YHWH.

Therefore I have also given him to the LORD. As long as he lives he is given to the LORD.” He worshiped the LORD there.