1 Samuel 1

1 And there is a certain man of Ramathaim-Zophim, of the hill-country of Ephraim, and his name [is] Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, and Ephrathite,

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 hath two wives, the name of the one [is] Hannah, and the name of the second Peninnah, and Peninnah hath children, and Hannah hath no children.

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 And that man hath gone up out of his city from time to time, to bow himself, and to sacrifice, before Jehovah of Hosts, in Shiloh, and there [are] two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Jehovah.

This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, cohanim to the LORD, were there.

4 And the day cometh, and Elkanah sacrificeth, and he hath given to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions,

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 and to Hannah he giveth a certain portion — double, for he hath loved Hannah, and Jehovah hath shut her womb;

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

6 and her adversity hath also provoked her greatly, so as to make her tremble, for Jehovah hath shut up her womb.

And because the LORD kept her from conceiving, her rival used to taunt her severely, to irritate her.

7 And so he doth year by year, from the time of her going up into the house of Jehovah, so it provoketh her, and she weepeth, and doth not eat.

And this went on year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she taunted her; therefore she would weep and refuse to eat.

8 And Elkanah her husband saith to her, 'Hannah, why weepest thou? and why dost thou not eat? and why is thy heart afflicted? am I not better to thee than ten sons?'

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 And Hannah riseth after eating in Shiloh, and after drinking, and Eli the priest is sitting on the throne by the side-post of the temple of Jehovah.

So Hannah got up after eating and drinking in Shiloh, and stood before the LORD. Now Eli the cohen was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.

10 And she is bitter in soul, and prayeth unto Jehovah, and weepeth greatly,

And she was greatly distressed and prayed to the LORD, and wept uncontrollably.

11 and voweth a vow, and saith, 'Jehovah of Hosts, if Thou dost certainly look on the affliction of Thy handmaid, and hast remembered me, and dost not forget Thy handmaid, and hast given to Thy handmaid seed of men — then I have given him to Jehovah all days of his life, and a razor doth not go up upon his head.'

And she vowed a vow and said, "LORD 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 And it hath been, when she multiplied praying before Jehovah, that Eli is watching her mouth,

Now it happened, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli observed her mouth.

13 and Hannah, she is speaking to her heart, only her lips are moving, and her voice is not heard, and Eli reckoneth her to be drunken.

And she was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.

14 And Eli saith unto her, 'Until when are thou drunken? turn aside thy wine from thee.'

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

15 And Hannah answereth and saith, 'No, my lord, A woman sharply pained in spirit I [am], and wine and strong drink I have not drunk, and I pour out my soul before Jehovah;

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 the LORD.

16 put not thy handmaid before a daughter of worthlessness, for from the abundance of my meditation, and of my provocation, I have spoken hitherto.'

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 And Eli answereth and saith, 'Go in peace, and the God of Israel doth give thy petition which thou hast asked of Him.'

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

18 And she saith, 'Let thy handmaid find grace in thine eyes;' and the woman goeth on her way, and eateth, and her countenance hath not been [sad] for it any more.

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 And they rise early in the morning, and bow themselves before Jehovah, and turn back, and come in unto their house in Ramah, and Elkanah knoweth Hannah his wife, and Jehovah remembereth her;

They rose up 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 and it cometh to pass, at the revolution of the days, that Hannah conceiveth, and beareth a son, and calleth his name Samuel, 'for, from Jehovah I have asked him.'

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 the LORD."

21 And the man Elkanah goeth up, and all his house, to sacrifice to Jehovah the sacrifice of the days, and his vow.

The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and to redeem his vow and all the tithes of his land.

22 And Hannah hath not gone up, for she said to her husband, 'Till the youth is weaned — then I have brought him in, and he hath appeared before the face of Jehovah, and dwelt there — unto the age.'

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 the LORD, and stay there forever."

23 And Elkanah her husband saith to her, 'Do that which is good in thine eyes; abide till thy weaning him; only, Jehovah establish His word;' and the woman abideth and suckleth her son till she hath weaned him,

And Elkanah her husband said to her, "Do what seems good in your eyes. Wait until you have weaned him; only may the LORD establish what you have said." So the woman waited and nursed her son, until she weaned him.

24 and she causeth him to go up with her when she hath weaned him, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and she bringeth him into the house of Jehovah at Shiloh, and the youth [is but] a youth.

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 the LORD in Shiloh, and the boy was with them. And they went before the LORD and his father slaughtered the sacrifice, which he did annually to the LORD. Then he brought the boy,

25 And they slaughter the bullock, and bring in the youth unto Eli,

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

26 and she saith, 'O, my lord, thy soul liveth! my lord, I [am] the woman who stood with thee in this [place], to pray unto Jehovah;

She said, "Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD.

27 for this youth I prayed, and Jehovah doth give to me my petition which I asked of Him;

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

28 and also I have caused him to be asked for Jehovah, all the days that he hath lived — he is asked for Jehovah;' and he boweth himself there before Jehovah.

Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives he is lent to the LORD." Then she left him there, and she worshipped before the LORD.