1 Samuel 1:1-8
Expanded Bible
Samuel’s Birth
1 There was a [certain] man named Elkanah son of Jeroham from ·Ramathaim [Ramah; C just north of Jerusalem] in the ·mountains [hill country] of Ephraim. Elkanah was from the ·family [or region] 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 [an Ephraimite].) 2 Elkanah had two wives named Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none [C childlessness carried a serious social stigma].
3 Every year Elkanah left his town of Ramah and ·went up [traveled] to Shiloh [C the central worship place at that time, 30 miles north of Jerusalem, where the tabernacle was located] to worship the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; of Hosts] and to offer sacrifices to him. Shiloh was where Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, served as priests of the Lord. 4 ·When [L On the day] Elkanah offered sacrifices, he always gave ·a share of the meat [portions] to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But Elkanah always gave Hannah ·a double portion of the meat because he loved her and the Lord had kept her from having children [or only one portion of the meat even though he loved her, because the Lord had kept her from having children; C only one portion would be needed since there was no child to feed]. 6 ·Peninnah [L Her rival/foe] would ·tease [taunt] Hannah and ·upset [provoke; irritate; make fun of] her, because the Lord had ·made her unable to have children [L closed her womb]. 7 This happened ·every year [L year after year] ·when [whenever] they went up to the house of the Lord at Shiloh [1:3]. Peninnah would ·upset [taunt; provoke] 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 [downhearted]? ·Don’t I mean more [or Am I not better] to you than ten sons?”
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