1 Samuel 1

Chapter 1

Elkanah and His Family

1 There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah in the region of Zupht in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, of Ephraim.

2 Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.
3 Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle. The priests of the LORD at that time were the two sons of Eli—Hophni and Phinehas.4 On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children.5 And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portiont because the LORD had given her no children.6 So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the LORD had kept her from having children.

7 Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle.t Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat.

8 “Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?”

Hannah’s Prayer for a Son

9 Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the Tabernacle.t10 Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the LORD.

11 And she made this vow: “O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the LORD, his hair will never be cut.t”
12 As she was praying to the LORD, Eli watched her.13 Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking.

14 “Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!”
15 “Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the LORD.

16 Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.”

17 “In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”

18 “Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.

Samuel’s Birth and Dedication

19 The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the LORD once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the LORD remembered her plea,

20 and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,t for she said, “I asked the LORD for him.”
21 The next year Elkanah and his family went on their annual trip to offer a sacrifice to the LORD.

22 But Hannah did not go. She told her husband, “Wait until the boy is weaned. Then I will take him to the Tabernacle and leave him there with the LORD permanently.t”

23 “Whatever you think is best,” Elkanah agreed. “Stay here for now, and may the LORD help you keep your promise.” So she stayed home and nursed the boy until he was weaned.
24 When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh. They brought along a three-year-old bullt for the sacrifice and a baskett of flour and some wine.25 After sacrificing the bull, they brought the boy to Eli.26 “Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked. “I am the woman who stood here several years ago praying to the LORD.27 I asked the LORD to give me this boy, and he has granted my request.

28 Now I am giving him to the LORD, and he will belong to the LORD his whole life.” And theyt 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.