1 Samuel 1

Samuel’s Birth

1 There was a man named Elkanah from Ramathaim Zophim in the mountains of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, grandson of Elihu, great-grandson of Tohu, whose father was Zuph from the tribe of Ephraim.2 Elkanah had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

3 Every year this man would go from his own city to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Armies at Shiloh. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, served there as priests of the Lord.
4 Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he would give portions of it to his wife Peninnah and all her sons and daughters.5 He would also give one portion to Hannah because he loved her, even though the Lord had kept her from having children.6 Because the Lord had made her unable to have children, her rival Peninnah tormented her endlessly in order to make her miserable.7 This happened year after year. Whenever Hannah went to the Lord’s house, Peninnah would make her miserable, and Hannah would cry and not eat.

8 Her husband Elkanah would ask her, “Hannah, why are you crying? Why haven’t you eaten? Why are you so downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”
9 One day, after Hannah had something to eat and drink in Shiloh, she got up. (The priest Eli was sitting on a chair by the door of the Lord’s temple.)10 Though she was resentful, she prayed to the Lord while she cried.11 She made this vow, “Lord of Armies, if you will look at my misery, remember me, and give me a boy, then I will give him to you for as long as he lives. A razor will never be used on his head.”12 While Hannah was praying a long time in front of the Lord, Eli was watching her mouth.

13 She was praying silently. Her voice couldn’t be heard; only her lips were moving. Eli thought she was drunk.
14 “How long are you going to stay drunk?” Eli asked her. “Get rid of your wine.”15 “No, sir,” Hannah responded, “I’m depressed, not drunk. I’m pouring out my heart to the Lord.

16 Don’t take me to be a good-for-nothing woman. I was praying like this because I’ve been troubled and tormented.”
17 Eli replied, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your request.”18 “May you continue to be kind to me,” she said. Then the woman went her way and ate. She was no longer sad.t19 Early in the morning Elkanah and his family got up and worshiped in front of the Lord. Then they returned home to Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.

20 Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel [God Hears], because she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”

Samuel’s Childhood

21 To keep his vow, the man Elkanah and his entire household again went to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord.

22 But Hannah didn’t go. She told her husband, “I’ll wait until the boy is weaned. Then I’ll bring him and present him to the Lord, and he’ll stay there permanently.”
23 “Do what you think is best,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Wait until you’ve weaned him. May the Lord keep his word.” The woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.24 As soon as she had weaned Samuel, she took him with her. She also brought a three-year-old bull,t half a bushel of flour, and a full wineskin. She brought him to the Lord’s house at Shiloh while the boy was still a child.25 Then the parents butchered the bull and brought the child to Eli.26 “Sir,” Hannah said, “as sure as you live, I’m the woman who stood here next to you and prayed to the Lord.27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted my request.

28 In return, I am giving him to the Lord. He will be dedicated to the Lord for his whole life.”
And they worshiped the Lord there.

1 Samuel 1

Hannah Gives Birth to Samuel

1 There was a man from Ramathaim Zophim,s from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah. 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. Now Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.
3 Year after yeart this man would go up from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh. It was there that the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, served as the Lord’s priests.4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he used to give meat portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.5 But he would give a doublet portion to Hannah, because he especially loved her.t Now the Lord had not enabled her to have children.t6 Her rival wife used to upset her and make her worry,t for the Lord had not enabled her to have children.7 Peninnaht would behave this way year after year. Whenever Hannaht went up to the Lord’s house, Peninnaht would upset her so that she would weep and refuse to eat.

8 Finally her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep and not eat? Why are you so sad?t Am I not better to you than tens sons?”
9 On one occasion in Shiloh, after they had finished eating and drinking, Hannah got up.s (Now at the time Eli the priest was sitting in his chairt by the doorpost of the Lord’s temple.)10 She was very upsett as she prayed to the Lord, and she was weeping uncontrollably.t

11 She made a vow saying, “O Lord of hosts, if you will look with compassiont on the suffering of your female servant,t remembering me and not forgetting your servant, and give a male childt to your servant, then I will dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life. His hair will never be cut.”t
12 As she continued praying tos the Lord, Eli was watching her mouth.13 Now Hannah was speaking from her heart. Although her lips were moving, her voice was inaudible. Eli therefore thought she was drunk.

14 So het said to her, “How often do you intend to get drunk? Put away your wine!”
15 But Hannah replied, “That’s not the way it is,t my lord! I am under a great deal of stress.t I have drunk neither wine nor beer. Rather, I have poured out my soul tot the Lord.

16 Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman,t for until now I have spoken from my deep pain and anguish.”
17 Eli replied, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked of him.”

18 She said, “May I, your servant, find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and got something to eat.s Her face no longer looked sad.
19 They got up early the next morning and after worshiping the Lord, they returned to their home at Ramah. Elkanah had marital relations witht his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembereds her.

20 After some time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, thinking, “I asked the Lord for him.t

Hannah Dedicates Samuel to the Lord

21 This man Elkanah went up with all his family to make the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and to keep his vow,

22 but Hannah did not go up with them.t Instead she told her husband, “Once the boy is weaned, I will bring him and appear before the Lord, and he will remain there from then on.”

23 So her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do what you think best.t Stay until you have weaned him. May the Lord fulfill his promise.”t
So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.24 Once she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with three bulls, an ephahs of flour, and a containert of wine. She brought him to the Lord’s house at Shiloh, even though he was young.s25 Once the bull had been slaughtered, they brought the boy to Eli.26 She said, “Just as surely as you are alive, my lord, I am the woman who previously stood here with you in order to pray to the Lord.27 I prayed for this boy, and the Lord has given me the request that I asked of him.

28 Now I dedicate him to the Lord. From this time on he is dedicated to the Lord.” Then theyt worshiped the Lord there.