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 man of Ramathaimsophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elcana, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliu, the son of Thohu, the son of Suph, 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 Anna, and the name of the other Phenenna. Phenenna had children: but Anna had no 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 out of his city upon the appointed days, to adore and to offer sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Silo. And the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were there priests of the Lord.

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;

Now the day came, and Elcana offered sacrifice, and gave to Phenenna his wife, and to all her sons and daughters, portions:

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

But to Anna he gave one portion with sorrow, because he loved Anna. And the Lord had shut up 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.

Her rival also afflicted her, and troubled her exceedingly, insomuch that she upbraided her, that the Lord had shut up 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 thus she did every year, when the time returned that they went up to the temple of the Lord: and thus she provoked her: but Anna wept, and did not eat.

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?

Then Elcana her husband said to her: Anna, why weepest thou? and why dost thou not eat? And why dost thou afflict thy heart? Am not I better to thee than ten children?

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;

So Anna arose after she had eaten and drunk in Silo: And Heli the priest sitting upon a stool, before the door of the temple of the Lord:

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

As Anna had her heart full of grief, she prayed to the Lord, shedding many tears,

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 thou wilt look down on the affliction of thy servant, and wilt be mindful of me, and not forget thy handmaid, and wilt give to thy servant a man child: I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.

12 And so it was, as she continued praying before Yahweh, that Eli was watching her mouth.

And it came to pass, as she multiplied prayers before the Lord, that Heli 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.

Now Anna spoke in her heart, and only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard at all. Heli therefore thought her to be drunk,

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

And said to her: How long wilt thou, be drunk? digest a little the wine, of which thou hast taken too much.

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.

Anna answering, said: Not so, my lord: for I am an exceeding unhappy woman, and have drunk neither wine nor any strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before 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.

Count not thy handmaid for one of the daughters of Belial: for out of the abundance of my sorrow and grief have I spoken till 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 Heli said to her: Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition, which thou hast asked 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: Would to God thy handmaid may find grace in thy eyes. So the woman went on her way, and ate, and her countenance was no more changed.

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 in the morning, and worshipped before the Lord: and they returned, and came into their house at Ramatha. And Elcana knew Anna his wife: 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 came to pass when the time was come about, Anna conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel: because she had asked him of 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.

And Elcana her husband went up, and all his house, to offer to the Lord the solemn sacrifice, and 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 Anna went not up: for she said to her husband: I will not go till the child be weaned, and till I may carry him, that he may appear before the Lord, and may abide 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 Elcana her husband said to her: Do what seemeth good to thee, and stay till thou wean him: and I pray that the Lord may fulfill his word. So the woman stayed at home, and gave her son suck, till she weaned him.

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 carried him with her, with three calves, and three bushels of flour, and a bottle of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord in Silo. Now the child was as yet very young:

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

And they immolated a calf, and offered the child to Heli.

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 Anna said: I beseech thee, my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord: I am that woman who stood before thee here praying to the Lord.

27 For this boy, I prayed, —And Yahweh hath given me my petition which I asked of him.

For this child did I pray, and the Lord hath granted 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.

Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord all the days of his life, he shall be lent to the Lord. And they adored the Lord there. And Anna prayed, and said: