1 Samuel 1

The Family of Elkanah

1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the mountains of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.2 And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.3 This man went up from his city yearly to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. Also the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.4 And whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an offering, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.5 But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the Lord had closed her womb.6 And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb.7 So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat.

Hannahs Vow

8 Then Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?9 So Hannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle of the Lord.10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish.11 Then she made a vow and said, O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.12 And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth.13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.14 So Eli said to her, How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!15 But Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.16 Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.18 And she said, Let your maidservant find favor in your sight. So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

Samuel is Born and Dedicated

19 Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her.20 So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked for him from the Lord.21 Now 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 up, for she said to her husband, Not until the child is weaned; then I will take him, that he may appear before the Lord and remain there forever.23 So Elkanah her husband said to her, Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him. Only let the Lord establish His word. Then the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.24 Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh. And the child was young.25 Then they slaughtered a bull, and brought the child to Eli.26 And she said, O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord.27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him.28 Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord. So 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.