1 Samuel 1

1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Toah, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

And there was a certain man of Rama-thayim-zophim, of the mountain of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah, the son of Yerocham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tochu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite.

2 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.

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

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

And this man went up out of his city from year to year to prostrate himself and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And at that place were the two sons of 'Eli, Chophni and Phinehas, priests of the Lord.

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

And when the day was come 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 because he loved Hannah. Now the LORD had kept her from conceiving.

But unto Hannah he gave a double portion; for Hannah he loved [greatly]; but the Lord had shut up her womb.

6 And because the LORD kept her from conceiving, her rival used to taunt her severely, to irritate her.

And her rival also provoked her continually, in order to make her fret; because the Lord had shut up her womb.

7 And this went on year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she taunted her; therefore she would weep and refuse to eat.

And he did so year by year, as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, so did she provoke her; wherefore she wept, and did not eat.

8 And her husband Elkanah said to her, "Hannah, why are you weeping? And why are you not eating? And why are you so sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"

Then said to her Elkanah her husband, Hannah, why wilt thou weep? and why wilt thou not eat? and why should thy heart be grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

9 So Hannah got up after eating and drinking in Shiloh, and stood before the LORD. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.

And Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk; and 'Eli the priest was sitting upon a chair by the door-post of the temple of the Lord.

10 And she was greatly distressed and prayed to the LORD, and wept uncontrollably.

But she had bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept greatly.

11 And she vowed a vow and said, "LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will set him before you as a Nazirite until the day of his death. And he will not drink wine or strong drink, and no razor will come on his head."

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

12 Now it happened, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli observed her mouth.

And it came to pass, as she continued praying long before the Lord, that 'Eli watched her mouth.

13 And she was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.

Now as for Hannah, she spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard; wherefore 'Eli regarded her as a drunken woman.

14 So Eli said to her, "How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine, and go from before the LORD."

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

15 And Hannah answered, "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 the LORD.

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

16 Do not count your servant as a worthless woman; for I have been speaking out of the abundance of my distress and my anguish."

Esteem not thy handmaid as a worthless woman; for out of the abundance of my grief and vexation have I spoken hitherto.

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

Then 'Eli answered and said, Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant thy petition which thou hast asked of him.

18 She said, "Let your servant find favor in your sight." So the woman went her way, and entered her quarters, and ate; and her facial expression wasn't sad any more.

And she said, Let thy handmaid find grace in thy eyes. The woman then went on her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no longer as before.

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

And they rose up early in the morning, and prostrated themselves before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house at Ramah; and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her.

20 It happened, when the time had come, that Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked him of the LORD."

And it came to pass, after the lapse of some time, that Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she called his name Samuel, saying, Because from the Lord have I asked him.

21 The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and to redeem his vow and all the tithes of his land.

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

22 But Hannah did not 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."

But Hannah did not go up; for she said unto her husband, So soon as the child shall be weaned, then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and abide there for ever.

23 And Elkanah her husband said to her, "Do what seems good in your eyes. Wait until you have weaned him; only may the LORD establish what you have said." So the woman waited and nursed her son, until she weaned him.

And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth good in thy eyes; tarry until thou hast weaned him; only may the Lord fulfill his word. So the woman remained behind, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

24 Then she took him to Shiloh along with a three-year old bull, and bread, and an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. And she came to the house of the LORD in Shiloh, and the boy was with them. And they went before the LORD and his father slaughtered the sacrifice, which he did annually to the LORD. Then he brought the boy,

And she took him up with her, when she had weaned him, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and she brought him unto the house of the Lord at Shiloh; although the child was yet young.

25 and he slaughtered the bull. And Hannah, the mother of the boy, brought him to Eli.

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

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

And she said, Pardon, my Lord, as thy soul liveth, my Lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, to pray unto the Lord.

27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of him.

For this lad did I pray; and the Lord hath granted me my petition which I asked of him;

28 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives he is lent to the LORD." Then she left him there, and she worshipped before the LORD.

Therefore also have I lent him, for my part, to the Lord; all the days that have been assigned to him shall he be lent to the Lord. And he bowed himself there before the Lord.