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 man named Elkanah who was from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

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.

He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

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.

Year after year Elkanah would go up from his city to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD.

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 whenever the day came for Elkanah to present his sacrifice, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.

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

But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved her even though the LORD had closed her womb.

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

Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her and taunt her viciously.

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 this went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival taunted her until she wept and would 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?”

“Hannah, why are you crying?” her husband Elkanah asked. “Why won’t you eat? Why is your heart so grieved? Am I not better to you 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 after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.

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

In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears.

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 made a vow, pleading, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever come over his head.”

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

As Hannah kept on praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth.

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

Hannah was praying in her heart, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk

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

and said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put away your wine!”

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.

“No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman oppressed in spirit. I have not had any wine or strong drink, but I 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.”

Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; for all this time I have been praying out of the depth of my anguish and grief.”

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

“Go in peace,” Eli replied, “and may the God of Israel grant the petition you have 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.

“May your maidservant find favor with you,” said Hannah. Then she went on her way, and she began eating again, and her face was no longer downcast.

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.

The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before the LORD, and then returned home to Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, 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.”

So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.”

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

Then Elkanah and all his house went up to make the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill 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 did not go. “After the boy is weaned,” she said to her husband, “I will take him to appear before the LORD and to stay there permanently.”

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.

“Do what you think is best,” her husband Elkanah replied, “and stay here until you have weaned him. Only may the LORD confirm His word.” So Hannah stayed and nursed her son until she had 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.

Once she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. Though the boy was still young, she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh.

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

And when they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy 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.

“Please, my lord,” said Hannah, “as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD.

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

I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD has granted me what 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.

I now dedicate the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD there.