Hannah’s Vow

1 There was a man from Ramathaim-zophim^(A) in^[a] the hill country of Ephraim.^(B) His name was Elkanah^(C) son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. ² He had two wives,^(D) the first named Hannah^(E) and the second Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless. ³ This man would go up from his town every year^(F) to worship and to sacrifice^(G) to the Lord of Hosts at Shiloh,^(H) where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were the Lord’s priests.

⁴ Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he always gave portions of the meat^(I) to his wife Peninnah and to each of her sons and daughters. ⁵ But he gave a double^[b] portion^(J) to Hannah, for he loved her even though the Lord had kept her from conceiving. ⁶ Her rival would taunt her severely just to provoke her, because the Lord had kept Hannah from conceiving. ⁷ Whenever she went up to the Lord’s house,^(K) her rival taunted her in this way every year. Hannah wept and would not eat. ⁸ “Hannah, why are you crying?” her husband Elkanah asked. “Why won’t you eat? Why are you troubled? Am I not better to you than 10 sons?”^(L)

⁹ Hannah got up after they ate and drank at Shiloh.^[c] Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s tabernacle.^{(M) 10} Deeply hurt, Hannah prayed to the Lord and wept with many tears.^{(N) 11} Making a vow,^(O) she pleaded, “Lord of Hosts, if You will take notice of Your servant’s affliction,^(P) remember and not forget me, and give Your servant a son,^[d] I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut.”^[e](Q)

¹² While she continued praying in the Lord’s presence, Eli watched her lips. ¹³ Hannah was praying silently,^[f](R) and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli thought she was drunk ¹⁴ and scolded her, “How long are you going to be drunk?^(S) Get rid of your wine!”

¹⁵ “No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman with a broken heart. I haven’t had any wine or beer; I’ve been pouring out my heart before the Lord.^{(T) 16} Don’t think of me as a wicked woman;^(U) I’ve been praying from the depth of my anguish and resentment.”^(V)

¹⁷ Eli responded, “Go in peace,^(W) and may the God of Israel grant the petition you’ve requested from Him.”^(X)

¹⁸ “May your servant find favor with you,”^(Y) she replied. Then Hannah went on her way; she ate and no longer looked despondent.^[g](Z)

Samuel’s Birth and Dedication

¹⁹ The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before the Lord. Afterward, they returned home to Ramah.^(AA) Then Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.^{(AB) 20} After some time,^[h] Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,^[i] because she said, “I requested him from the Lord.”

²¹ When Elkanah and all his household went up to make the annual sacrifice^(AC) and his vow offering to the Lord, ²² Hannah did not go and explained to her husband, “After the child is weaned, I’ll take him to appear in the Lord’s presence^(AD) and to stay there permanently.”^(AE)

²³ Her husband Elkanah replied, “Do what you think is best,^[j](AF) and stay here until you’ve weaned him. May the Lord confirm your^[k] word.”^(AG) So Hannah stayed there and nursed her son until she weaned him. ²⁴ When she had weaned him, she took him with her to Shiloh, as well as a three-year-old bull,^[l] half a bushel^[m] of flour, and a jar of wine.^(AH) Though the boy was still young,^[n] she took him to the Lord’s house at Shiloh.^{(AI) 25} Then they slaughtered the bull and brought the boy to Eli.

²⁶ “Please, my lord,” she said, “as sure as you live,^(AJ) my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. ²⁷ I prayed for this boy,^(AK) and since the Lord gave me what I asked Him for,^{(AL) 28} I now give the boy to the Lord. For as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.”^(AM) Then he^[o] bowed in worship to the Lord there.^[p]

Samuel’s Call

3 The boy Samuel served the Lord in Eli’s presence.^(A) In those days the word of the Lord was rare and prophetic visions were not widespread.^(B)

² One day Eli, whose eyesight was failing,^(C) was lying in his room. ³ Before the lamp of God had gone out,^(D) Samuel was lying down in the tabernacle of the Lord, where the ark of God was located.

⁴ Then the Lord called Samuel,^[a] and he answered, “Here I am.” ⁵ He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“I didn’t call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

⁶ Once again the Lord called, “Samuel!”

Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“I didn’t call, my son,” he replied. “Go back and lie down.”

⁷ Now Samuel had not yet experienced the Lord, because the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. ⁸ Once again, for the third time, the Lord called Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the boy. ⁹ He told Samuel, “Go and lie down. If He calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

¹⁰ The Lord came, stood there, and called as before, “Samuel, Samuel!”

Samuel responded, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”

¹¹ The Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do something in Israel that everyone who hears about it will shudder.^(E)