¹⁰ Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm^[a] so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.

⁹ After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of ^(A)the temple of the Lord. ¹⁰ She was ^(B)deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. ¹¹ And she ^(C)vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed ^(D)look on the affliction of your servant and ^(E)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, ^(F)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 ^(G)I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. ¹⁶ Do not regard your servant as ^(H)a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” ¹⁷ Then Eli answered, ^(I)“Go in peace, and the God of Israel ^(J)grant your petition that you have made to him.” ¹⁸ And she said, ^(K)“Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman ^(L)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 ^(M)Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord ^(N)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.”^[a]

Samuel Given to the Lord

²¹ The man Elkanah and all his house ^(O)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 ^(P)and dwell there forever.” ^23 (Q)Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; ^(R)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, ^(S)she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull,^[b] an ephah^[c] of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to ^(T)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! ^(U)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, ^(V)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.”

^(W)And he worshiped the Lord there.

¹⁹ And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. ²⁰ And behold, a woman ^(A)who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched ^(B)the fringe of his garment, ²¹ for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” ²² Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, ^(C)“Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” ^(D)And instantly^[a] the woman was made well.

¹⁷ Elijah was a man ^(A)with a nature like ours, and ^(B)he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for ^(C)three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. ^18 (D)Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.