1 Samuel 1
English Standard Version
The Birth of Samuel
1 There was a certain man of (A)Ramathaim-zophim of (B)the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, (C)an Ephrathite. 2 He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 Now this man used to go up (D)year by year from his city (E)to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts (F)at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. 4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, (G)he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.[a] 6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. 8 And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? (H)Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
9 After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of (I)the temple of the Lord. 10 She was (J)deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she (K)vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed (L)look on the affliction of your servant and (M)remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, (N)and no razor shall touch his head.”
12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but (O)I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not regard your servant as (P)a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 17 Then Eli answered, (Q)“Go in peace, and the God of Israel (R)grant your petition that you have made to him.” 18 And she said, (S)“Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman (T)went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at (U)Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord (V)remembered her. 20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.”[b]
Samuel Given to the Lord
21 The man Elkanah and all his house (W)went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the Lord (X)and dwell there forever.” 23 (Y)Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; (Z)only, may the Lord establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 And when she had weaned him, (AA)she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull,[c] an ephah[d] of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to (AB)the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! (AC)As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. 27 For this child I prayed, (AD)and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.”
(AE)And he worshiped the Lord there.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 1:5 Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. Septuagint And, although he loved Hannah, he would give Hannah only one portion, because the Lord had closed her womb
- 1 Samuel 1:20 Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for heard of God
- 1 Samuel 1:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint, Syriac; Masoretic Text three bulls
- 1 Samuel 1:24 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
1 Samuel 1
Tree of Life Version
A Barren Woman’s Petition is Granted
1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim—his name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives: the name of the one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.
3 Now this man used to go up from his town every year to worship and to sacrifice to Adonai-Tzva’ot in Shiloh.[a] (The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were kohanim of Adonai there.) 4 Then on the designated day Elkanah would sacrifice and give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters, 5 but to Hannah he would give only one portion—even though he loved Hannah—for Adonai had closed her womb. 6 Her rival would taunt her bitterly to provoke her, because Adonai had closed her womb. 7 So it was year after year, whenever she went up to the House of Adonai, that she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat.
8 Then her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you crying? Why won’t you eat? Why is your heart so sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
9 After eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah got up. Now Eli the kohen was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the Temple of Adonai. 10 While her soul was bitter, she prayed to Adonai and wept. 11 So she made a vow and said, “Adonai-Tzva’ot, if You will indeed look upon the affliction of Your handmaid, remember me and not forget Your handmaid, but grant Your handmaid a son, then I will give him to Adonai all the days of his life and no razor will ever touch his head.”
12 It came to pass, as she prayed long before Adonai, that Eli was watching her mouth. 13 Now Hannah was praying in her heart—only her lips were moving, but her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. 14 Then Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Get rid of your wine!”
15 But in response Hannah said, “No, my lord, I am a woman with an oppressed spirit! I haven’t been drinking wine or beer. Instead I’ve been pouring out my soul before Adonai. 16 Don’t consider your handmaid a wicked woman. For out of my great anguish and grief I’ve been praying until now.”
17 Then Eli responded, “Go in shalom, and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you asked of Him.”[b]
18 “May your maidservant find favor in your eyes,” she said. So the woman went her way; she ate, and her countenance was no longer dejected.
19 They rose up early in the morning and worshipped before Adonai, then went back to their home to Ramah. Then Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and Adonai remembered her. 20 So it came to pass at the turn of the year that Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She called his name Samuel, “because I have asked Adonai for him.”
21 When the man Elkanah and all his household went up to offer the annual sacrifice to Adonai and to fulfill his vow offering, 22 Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “When the child is weaned, I will bring him, so he may appear before Adonai and stay there forever.”
23 So her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do what seems best to you. Stay until you have weaned him—only may Adonai establish His word.” So the woman stayed home and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with three bulls, one ephah of flour and a jar of wine, and brought him to the House of Adonai in Shiloh, while the child was still young.
25 After they slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli. 26 “It’s me, my lord!” she said. “As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman that stood by you here, praying to Adonai. 27 For this boy I prayed, and Adonai has granted me my petition that I asked of Him. 28 So I in turn dedicate him to Adonai—as long as he lives he is dedicated to Adonai.” Then he bowed in worship there before Adonai.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 1:3 cf. Luke 2:41.
- 1 Samuel 1:17 cf. Acts 15:33.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.