1 Samuel 1

Samuel’s Birth

1 There was a man named Elkanah son of Jeroham from Ramathaim in the mountains of Ephraim. Elkanah was from the family of Zuph. (Jeroham was Elihu’s son. Elihu was Tohu’s son, and Tohu was the son of Zuph from the family group of Ephraim.)

2 Elkanah had two wives named Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
3 Every year Elkanah left his town of Ramah and went up to Shiloh to worship the Lord All-Powerful and to offer sacrifices to him. Shiloh was where Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, served as priests of the Lord.4 When Elkanah offered sacrifices, he always gave a share of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to her sons and daughters.5 But Elkanah always gave a special share of the meat to Hannah, because he loved Hannah and because the Lord had kept her from having children.6 Peninnah would tease Hannah and upset her, because the Lord had made her unable to have children.7 This happened every year when they went up to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. Peninnah would upset Hannah until Hannah would cry and not eat anything.

8 Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you crying and why won’t you eat? Why are you sad? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”
9 Once, after they had eaten their meal in Shiloh, Hannah got up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair near the entrance to the Lord’s house.10 Hannah was so sad that she cried and prayed to the Lord.11 She made a promise, saying, “Lord All-Powerful, see how sad I am. Remember me and don’t forget me. If you will give me a son, I will give him back to you all his life, and no one will ever cut his hair with a razor.” 12 While Hannah kept praying, Eli watched her mouth.13 She was praying in her heart so her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk

14 and said to her, “Stop getting drunk! Throw away your wine!”
15 Hannah answered, “No, sir, I have not drunk any wine or beer. I am a deeply troubled woman, and I was telling the Lord about all my problems.

16 Don’t think I am an evil woman. I have been praying because I have many troubles and am very sad.”

17 Eli answered, “Go! I wish you well. May the God of Israel give you what you asked of him.”

18 Hannah said, “May I always please you.” When she left and ate something, she was not sad anymore.
19 Early the next morning Elkanah’s family got up and worshiped the Lord. Then they went back home to Ramah. Elkanah had sexual relations with his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.20 So Hannah became pregnant, and in time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, 

Hannah Gives Samuel to God

21 Every year Elkanah went with his whole family to Shiloh to offer sacrifices and to keep the promise he had made to God.

22 But one time Hannah did not go with him. She told him, “When the boy is old enough to eat solid food, I will take him to Shiloh. Then I will give him to the Lord, and he will always live there.”

23 Elkanah, Hannah’s husband, said to her, “Do what you think is best. You may stay home until the boy is old enough to eat. May the Lord do what you have said.” So Hannah stayed at home to nurse her son until he was old enough to eat.
24 When Samuel was old enough to eat, Hannah took him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh, along with a three-year-old bull, one-half bushel of flour, and a leather bag filled with wine.25 After they had killed the bull for the sacrifice, Hannah brought Samuel to Eli.26 She said to Eli, “As surely as you live, sir, I am the same woman who stood near you praying to the Lord.27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord answered my prayer and gave him to me.28 Now I give him back to the Lord. He will belong to the Lord all his life.” And he 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.