1 Samuel 1

1 There was a certain man of Ramathaim of the Zuphites, of the hill country of Ephraim; his name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name [was] Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:

2 He had two wives; the name of the first was Hannah, and the name of the second was Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

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 from his city year after year to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of hosts in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahweh, were there.

And this man went up from his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, [were] there.

4 When the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice each year, he always gave portions of the meat to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters.

And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:

5 But to Hannah he always gave a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although Yahweh had closed her womb.

But to Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah; but the LORD had rendered her barren.

6 Her rival provoked her severely in order to irritate her, because Yahweh had closed her womb.

And her adversary also provoked her greatly, to make her fret, because the LORD had made her barren.

7 So year after year, when she went up to the house of Yahweh with her family, her rival always provoked her. Therefore she used to weep and eat nothing.

And [as] he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

8 Elkanah her husband always said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? [am] not I better to thee than ten sons?

9 On one of these occasions, Hannah rose up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by the doorway to the temple of Yahweh.

So Hannah rose after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drank. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.

10 She was deeply distressed; she prayed to Yahweh and wept bitterly.

And she [was] in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD, and wept bitterly.

11 She made a vow and said, “Yahweh of hosts, if you will look on the affliction of your servant and call me to mind, and do not forget your servant, but give your servant a son, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and no razor will ever touch 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 to thy handmaid a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

12 As she continued praying before Yahweh, Eli watched her mouth.

And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli observed her mouth.

13 Hannah spoke in her heart. Her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.

Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

14 Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Get rid of your wine.”

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

15 Hannah answered, “No, my master, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before Yahweh.

And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I [am] a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drank neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

16 Do not consider your servant to be a shameless woman; I have been speaking out of the abundance of my great concern and provocation.”

Count not thy handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

17 Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace; may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked him for.”

Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant [thee] thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

18 She said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate; her face was no longer sad.

And she said, Let thy handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more [sad].

19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before Yahweh, and then they returned again to their house in Ramah. Elkanah slept with Hannah his wife, and Yahweh called her to mind.

And they rose 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.

20 When the time came, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from Yahweh.”

Wherefore it came to pass, when the time had arrived, after Hannah had conceived, that she bore a son, and called his name Samuel, [saying], Because I have asked him of the LORD.

21 Once again, Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow.

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

22 But Hannah did not go; she had said to her husband, “I will not go until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, so that he may appear before Yahweh and live there forever.”

But Hannah went not up; for she said to her husband, [I will not go up] until the child is weaned, and [then] I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.

23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only, may Yahweh confirm his word.” So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she weaned him.

And Elkanah her husband said to her, Do what seemeth to thee good; tarry until thou hast weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and nursed her son until she weaned him.

24 When she had weaned him, she took him with her, along with a three-year-old bull, one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him to the house of Yahweh in Shiloh. Now the child was still young.

And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child [was] young.

25 They killed the bull, and they brought the child to Eli.

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

26 She said, “Oh, my master! As you live, my master, I am the woman who stood here next to you praying to Yahweh.

And she said, O my lord, [as] thy soul liveth, my lord, I [am] the woman that stood by thee here, praying to the LORD.

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

For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

28 I have given him to Yahweh, as long as he lives he is lent to Yahweh.” Then he worshiped Yahweh there.

Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshiped the LORD there.