1 Samuel 1:4-20

New International Version

⁴Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice,^(A) he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.^(B) ⁵But to Hannah he gave a double portion^(C) because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb.^(D) ⁶Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.^(E) ⁷This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.^(F) ⁸Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?^(G)”

⁹Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house.^(H) ¹⁰In her deep anguish^(I) Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. ¹¹And she made a vow,^(J) saying, “Lord Almighty^(K), if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember^(L) me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life,^(M) and no razor^(N) will ever be used on his head.”

¹²As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. ¹³Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk ¹⁴and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”

¹⁵“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled.^(O) I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring^(P) out my soul to the Lord. ¹⁶Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”^(Q)

¹⁷Eli answered, “Go in peace,^(R) and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.^(S)”

¹⁸She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.^(T)” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.^(U)

¹⁹Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah.^(V) Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered^(W) her. ²⁰So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.^(X) She named^(Y) him Samuel,^[a]^(Z) saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”

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Footnotes

1 Samuel 1:20 Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for heard by God.

Isaiah 42:1-9

New International Version

The Servant of the Lord

42 “Here is my servant,^(A) whom I uphold,
    my chosen one^(B) in whom I delight;^(C)
I will put my Spirit^(D) on him,
    and he will bring justice^(E) to the nations.^(F)
²He will not shout or cry out,^(G)
    or raise his voice in the streets.
³A bruised reed^(H) he will not break,^(I)
    and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.^(J)
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;^(K)
⁴    he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice^(L) on earth.
    In his teaching^(M) the islands^(N) will put their hope.”^(O)

⁵This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens,^(P) who stretches them out,
    who spreads out the earth^(Q) with all that springs from it,^(R)
    who gives breath^(S) to its people,
    and life to those who walk on it:
⁶“I, the Lord, have called^(T) you in righteousness;^(U)
    I will take hold of your hand.^(V)
I will keep^(W) you and will make you
    to be a covenant^(X) for the people
    and a light^(Y) for the Gentiles,^(Z)
⁷to open eyes that are blind,^(AA)
    to free^(AB) captives from prison^(AC)
    and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.^(AD)

⁸“I am the Lord;^(AE) that is my name!^(AF)
    I will not yield my glory to another^(AG)
    or my praise to idols.^(AH)
⁹See, the former things^(AI) have taken place,
    and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
    I announce^(AJ) them to you.”