1 Samuel 1:10-28

Christian Standard Bible

¹⁰ Deeply hurt, Hannah prayed to the Lord and wept with many tears.^{(A) 11} Making a vow,^(B) she pleaded, “Lord of Armies, if you will take notice of your servant’s affliction,^(C) remember and not forget me, and give your servant a son, I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut.”^[a](D)

¹² While she continued praying in the Lord’s presence, Eli watched her mouth. ¹³ Hannah was praying silently,^(E) and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli thought she was drunk ¹⁴ and said to her, “How long are you going to be drunk?^(F) 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.^{(G) 16} Don’t think of me as a wicked woman;^(H) I’ve been praying from the depth of my anguish and resentment.”^(I)

¹⁷ Eli responded, “Go in peace,^(J) and may the God of Israel grant the request you’ve made of him.”^(K)

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

Samuel’s Birth and Dedication

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

²¹ When Elkanah and all his household went up to make the annual sacrifice^(P) 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^(Q) and to stay there permanently.”^(R)

²³ Her husband, Elkanah, replied, “Do what you think is best,^(S) and stay here until you’ve weaned him. May the Lord confirm your^[e] word.”^(T) 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,^[f] half a bushel^[g] of flour, and a clay jar of wine.^(U) Though the boy was still young,^[h] she took him to the Lord’s house at Shiloh.^{(V) 25} Then they slaughtered the bull and brought the boy to Eli.

²⁶ “Please, my lord,” she said, “as surely as you live,^(W) my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. ²⁷ I prayed for this boy,^(X) and since the Lord gave me what I asked him for,^{(Y) 28} I now give the boy to the Lord. For as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.”^(Z) Then he^[i] worshiped the Lord there.^[j]