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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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?"

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.

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

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."

12 Now it happened, as she continued praying before YHWH, that 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.

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

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.

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."

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

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.

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."

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.

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."

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.

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,

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

27 For this child I prayed; and YHWH has given 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.