1 Samuel 1
World English Bible
1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country 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 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 out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh[a] of Armies in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahweh, were there. 4 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters; 5 but he gave a double portion to Hannah, for he loved Hannah, but Yahweh had shut up her womb. 6 Her rival provoked her severely, to irritate her, because Yahweh had shut up her womb. 7 So year by year, when she went up to Yahweh’s house, her rival provoked her. Therefore she wept, and didn’t eat. 8 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why don’t you eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
9 So Hannah rose up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of Yahweh’s temple. 10 She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to Yahweh, weeping bitterly. 11 She vowed a vow, and said, “Yahweh of Armies, if you will indeed look at the affliction of your servant and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a boy, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head.”
12 As she continued praying before Yahweh, Eli saw 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 Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Get rid of your wine!”
15 Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have not been drinking wine or strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Yahweh. 16 Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman; for I have been speaking out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation.”
17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; and may the God[b] of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him.”
18 She said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate; and her facial expression wasn’t sad any more.
19 They rose up in the morning early and worshiped Yahweh, then returned and came to their house to Ramah. Then Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and Yahweh remembered her.
20 When the time had come, Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she named him Samuel,[c] saying, “Because I have asked him of Yahweh.”
21 The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice and his vow. 22 But Hannah didn’t go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before Yahweh, and stay there forever.”
23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only may Yahweh establish his word.”
So the woman waited and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, and one ephah[d] of meal, and a container of wine, and brought him to Yahweh’s house in Shiloh. The child was young. 25 They killed the bull, and brought the child to Eli. 26 She said, “Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to Yahweh. 27 I prayed for this child, and Yahweh has given me my petition which I asked of him. 28 Therefore I have also given him to Yahweh. As long as he lives he is given to Yahweh.” He worshiped Yahweh there.
1 Samuel 1
New American Standard Bible
Elkanah and His Wives
1 Now there was a man from (A)Ramathaim-zophim from the (B)hill country of Ephraim, and his name was (C)Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 And he had (D)two wives: the name of one was (E)Hannah and the name of the [a]other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 Now this man would go up from his city (F)yearly (G)to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of armies in (H)Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the Lord there. 4 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he (I)would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; 5 but to Hannah he would give a double portion, because he loved Hannah, (J)but the Lord had closed her womb. 6 Her rival, moreover, (K)would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 And it happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, that she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat. 8 Then Elkanah her husband would say to her, “Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you not eat, and why is your heart sad? (L)Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
9 Then Hannah got up after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of (M)the [b]temple of the Lord. 10 She, [c]greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she (N)made a vow and said, “Lord of armies, if You will indeed (O)look on the affliction of Your bond-servant and remember me, and not forget Your bond-servant, but will give Your bond-servant a [d]son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and (P)a razor shall never come on his head.”
12 Now it came about, as she [e]continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth. 13 As for Hannah, (Q)she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were quivering, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought that she was drunk. 14 Then Eli said to her, “(R)How long will you behave like a drunk? Get rid of your wine!” 15 But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman [f]despairing in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I (S)have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not [g]consider your bond-servant a useless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation.” 17 Then Eli answered and said, “(T)Go in peace; and may the God of Israel (U)grant your request that you have asked of Him.” 18 She said, “(V)Let your bond-servant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went on her way and ate, and (W)her face was no longer sad.
Samuel Is Born to Hannah
19 Then they got up early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned again to their house in (X)Ramah. And Elkanah [h]had relations with Hannah his wife, and (Y)the Lord remembered her. 20 It came about [i]in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “(Z)Because I have asked for him of the Lord.”
21 Then the man Elkanah (AA)went up with all his household 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, “I will not go until the child is weaned; then I will (AB)bring him, so that he may appear before the Lord and (AC)stay there for life.” 23 (AD)Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do [j]what seems best to you. Stay until you have weaned him; only (AE)may the Lord confirm His word.” So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 Now when she had weaned him, (AF)she took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull, one ephah of flour, and a jug of wine, and brought him to (AG)the house of the Lord in Shiloh, although the child was young. 25 Then (AH)they [k]slaughtered the bull, and (AI)brought the boy to Eli. 26 And she said, “Pardon me, my lord! (AJ)As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. 27 (AK)For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my request which I asked of Him. 28 (AL)So I have also [l]dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is [m]dedicated to the Lord.” And (AM)he worshiped the Lord there.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 1:2 Or second
- 1 Samuel 1:9 I.e., tabernacle
- 1 Samuel 1:10 Lit bitter of soul
- 1 Samuel 1:11 Lit seed of men
- 1 Samuel 1:12 Lit multiplied
- 1 Samuel 1:15 Lit hard
- 1 Samuel 1:16 Lit give
- 1 Samuel 1:19 Lit knew Hannah
- 1 Samuel 1:20 Lit at the circuit of the days
- 1 Samuel 1:23 Lit the good in your eyes
- 1 Samuel 1:25 I.e., for sacrifice
- 1 Samuel 1:28 Or lent
- 1 Samuel 1:28 Or lent
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