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.

There was a certain man from Ramah of Zophim, on Mount 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 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 one was Hannah, and the name of the second was Peninnah. And Peninnah had sons. But Hannah did not have children.

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

And this man went up from his city, on the established days, so that he might adore and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh. Now the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests of the Lord, were in that place.

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.

Then the day arrived, and Elkanah immolated. And he gave portions to his wife Peninnah, and to all her sons and daughters.

5 But to Hannah he would give a double portion because he loved Hannah. Now YHWH had kept her from conceiving.

But to Hannah he gave one portion with sorrow. For he loved Hannah, but the Lord had closed her womb.

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

And her rival afflicted her and vehemently distressed her, to a great extent, for she rebuked her that the Lord had closed her womb.

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

And she did so every year, when the time returned for them to ascend to the temple of the Lord. And she provoked her in this way. And so, she wept and did not take food.

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?"

Therefore, her husband Elkanah said to her: “Hannah, why are you weeping? And why do you not eat? And for what reason do you afflict your heart? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

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

And so, after she ate and drank at Shiloh, Hannah rose up. And Eli, the priest, was sitting on the seat before the door of the temple of the Lord.

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

And since Hannah was bitter in soul, she prayed to the Lord, weeping greatly.

11 And she vowed a vow and said, "YHWH 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 made a vow, saying, “O Lord of hosts, if, in looking with favor, you will see the affliction of your servant and will remember me, and will not forget your handmaid, and if you will give to your servant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall pass over his head.”

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

Then it happened that, while she multiplied prayers before the Lord, Eli observed 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.

For Hannah was speaking in her heart, and only her lips moved, and her voice was barely heard. Therefore, Eli considered her to be drunk,

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

and so he said to her: “How long will you be inebriated? You should take only a little wine, but instead you are drenched.”

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 YHWH.

Responding, Hannah said: “By no means, my lord. For I am an exceedingly unhappy woman, and I drank neither wine, nor anything that can inebriate. Instead, I have poured out my soul in the sight of 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."

You should not repute your handmaid as one of the daughters of Belial. For I have been speaking from the abundance of my sorrow and grief, even until now.”

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

Then Eli said to her: “Go in peace. And may the God of Israel grant to you your petition, which you have begged 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, “I wish that your handmaid may find grace in your eyes.” And the woman went on her way, and she ate, and her countenance was no longer changed for the worse.

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

And they rose up in the morning, and they worshipped before the Lord. And they returned and arrived at their own house at Ramah. Then Elkanah knew his wife Hannah. 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 YHWH."

And it happened that, in the course of days, Hannah conceived and bore a son. And she called his name Samuel, because she had requested him from the Lord.

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

Now her husband Elkanah ascended with his entire house, so that he might immolate to the Lord a solemn sacrifice, with 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 YHWH, and stay there forever."

But Hannah did not go up. For she said to her husband, “I will not go, until the infant has been weaned, and until I may lead him, so that he may appear before the sight of the Lord, and may remain always there.”

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

And her husband Elkanah said to her: “Do what seems good to you, and stay until you wean him. And I pray that the Lord may fulfill his word.” Therefore, the woman remained at home, and she breastfed her son, until she withdrew him from milk.

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 YHWH in Shiloh, and the boy was with them. And they went before YHWH and his father slaughtered the sacrifice, which he did annually to YHWH. Then he brought the boy,

And after she had weaned him, she brought him with her, along with three calves, and three measures of flour, and a small bottle of wine, and she led him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. But the boy was still a young child.

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

And they immolated a calf, and they presented the boy 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 YHWH.

And Hannah said: “I beg you, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord: I am that woman, who stood before you here, praying to the Lord.

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

I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted to me my petition, which I asked of him.

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

Because of this, I have also lent him to the Lord, for all the days when he shall be lent to the Lord.” And they adored the Lord in that place. And Hannah prayed, and she said: