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1 Samuel 1:4-20
Contemporary English Version
1 Samuel 1:4-20
Contemporary English Version
4 Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he gave some of the meat[a] to Peninnah and some to each of her sons and daughters. 5 But he gave Hannah even more, because[b] he loved Hannah very much, even though the Lord had kept her from having children of her own.
6 Peninnah liked to make Hannah feel miserable about not having any children, 7 especially when the family went to the house of the Lord[c] each year.
One day, Elkanah was there offering a sacrifice, when Hannah began crying and refused to eat. 8 So Elkanah asked, “Hannah, why are you crying? Why won't you eat? Why do you feel so bad? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?”
9 When the sacrifice had been offered, and they had eaten the meal, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli was sitting in his chair near the door to the place of worship. 10 Hannah was heartbroken and was crying as she prayed, 11 (A) “Lord All-Powerful, I am your servant, but I am so miserable! Please let me have a son. I promise to give him to you for as long as he lives, and his hair will never be cut.”[d]
12-13 Hannah prayed silently to the Lord for a long time. But her lips were moving, and Eli thought she was drunk. 14 “How long are you going to stay drunk?” he asked. “Sober up!”
15-16 “Sir, please don't think I'm no good!” Hannah answered. “I'm not drunk, and I haven't been drinking. But I do feel miserable and terribly upset. I've been praying all this time, telling the Lord about my problems.”
17 Eli replied, “Go home. Everything will be fine. The God of Israel will answer your prayer.”
18 “Sir, thank you for being so kind to me,” Hannah said. Then she left, and after eating something, she felt much better.
Samuel Is Born
19 Elkanah and his family got up early the next morning and worshiped the Lord. Then they went back home to Ramah. Later the Lord blessed Elkanah and Hannah 20 with a son. She named him Samuel because she had asked the Lord for him.[e]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1.4 meat: For some sacrifices, like this one, only part of the meat was burned. Some was given to the priest, and the rest was eaten by the family and guests of the worshiper (see Leviticus 3.1-17; 7.11-18).
- 1.5 even more, because: One ancient translation; Hebrew “only one; he.”
- 1.7 house of the Lord: Another name for the place of worship at Shiloh, which still may have been the sacred tent at this time.
- 1.11 his hair … cut: Never cutting the child's hair would be a sign that he would belong to the Lord (see Numbers 6.1,21, especially verse 5).
- 1.20 him: In Hebrew “Samuel” sounds something like “Someone from God” or “The name of God” or “His name is God.”
1 Samuel 1:4-20
New International Version
1 Samuel 1:4-20
New International Version
4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice,(A) he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.(B) 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion(C) because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb.(D) 6 Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.(E) 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.(F) 8 Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?(G)”
9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house.(H) 10 In her deep anguish(I) Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11 And she made a vow,(J) saying, “Lord Almighty(K), if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember(L) me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life,(M) and no razor(N) will ever be used on his head.”
12 As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”
15 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled.(O) I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring(P) out my soul to the Lord. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”(Q)
17 Eli answered, “Go in peace,(R) and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.(S)”
18 She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.(T)” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.(U)
19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah.(V) Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered(W) her. 20 So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.(X) She named(Y) him Samuel,[a](Z) saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 1:20 Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for heard by God.
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