1 Samuel 1

1 And there was a certain man, of Ramathaim-zuphi, of the hill country of Ephraim, —whose name, was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, 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, 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 So then that man went up, out of his city, from time to time, to worship and to sacrifice unto Yahweh of hosts, in Shiloh, —and, there, were the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests unto Yahweh.

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 And, when the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he used to give, to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions;

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

5 and, unto Hannah, used he to give one portion, —howbeit, Hannah, he loved, although, Yahweh, had restrained her from having children.

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

6 And her rival used even to cause her great vexation, for the sake of provoking her, —because Yahweh had restrained her from having children.

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, thus, used she to do, year by year, whenever she went up to the house of Yahweh, thus, used she to vex her, —and she wept, and would not 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 So Elkanah her husband said to her—Hannah! wherefore shouldst thou weep? and wherefore wilt thou not eat? and wherefore should thy heart be sad? Am, I, not better to thee, 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 And Hannah rose up, after she had eaten in Shiloh, and after she had drunk, —and, Eli the priest, was sitting upon his chair, by the door-post of the temple of Yahweh;

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 being in bitterness of soul, prayed unto Yahweh, and, wept sore.

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

11 And she vowed a vow, and said—Yahweh of hosts! If thou wilt, look, upon the humiliation 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 Yahweh, all the days of his life, and no, razor, shall come upon 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 And so it was, as she continued praying before Yahweh, that Eli was watching her mouth.

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

13 But as for, Hannah, she, was speaking in her heart, only her lips, were moving, but, her voice, could not be heard, —so Eli thought she had been drunken.

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

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 responded and said—Nay! my lord; A woman depressed in spirit, am I: neither wine nor strong drink, have I drunk, —but I poured out my soul, before Yahweh.

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 thy handmaid for an abandoned woman, —for, out of the abundance of my grief and my vexation, have I spoken, hitherto.

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 responded Eli, and said—Go and prosper! And the, God of Israel, grant thy petition which thou hast 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 And she said: Let thy serving-woman find favour, in thine eyes. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and, her countenance, was sad no longer.

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 And they rose up early in the morning, and worshipped before Yahweh, and returned, and entered their own house, in Ramah, —and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and Yahweh 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 And so it was, when the days had come round during which Hannah was with child, that she bare a son, —and called his name Samuel ["Heard of God"], Because, of Yahweh, I asked him.

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 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up, to offer unto Yahweh the yearly sacrifice, and [each] his own vow.

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, went not up, —for she said to her husband—[Not] till the boy is weaned, then will I take him, and he shall appear before Yahweh, and abide there evermore.

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 And Elkanah her husband said to her—Do what is good in thine own eyes, tarry until thou have weaned him, only may Yahweh establish his word! So the woman tarried, 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 took she him up with her, when she had weaned him, with a bullock of three years old, and one ephah of meal, and a skin of wine, and took him to the house of Yahweh, at Shiloh, —the boy yet being young.

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 So they slew the bullock, —and took the boy in, unto Eli.

And they immolated a calf, and they presented the boy to Eli.

26 And she said—Pardon, my lord! By the life of thy soul, my lord, —I, am the woman who was standing near thee here, praying unto Yahweh:

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 boy, I prayed, —And Yahweh hath 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 Hence, I also, have loaned him unto Yahweh, all the days that he liveth. He, is lent unto Yahweh. And he bowed down there, unto Yahweh.

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: