1 Samuel 1
Good News Translation
Elkanah and His Family at Shiloh
1 There was a man named Elkanah, from the tribe of Ephraim, who lived in the town of Ramah in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham and grandson of Elihu, and belonged to the family of Tohu, a part of the clan of Zuph. 2 Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not. 3 Every year Elkanah went from Ramah to worship and offer sacrifices to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. 4 Each time Elkanah offered his sacrifice, he would give one share of the meat to Peninnah and one share to each of her children. 5 And even though he loved Hannah very much he would give her only one share, because[a] the Lord had kept her from having children. 6 Peninnah, her rival, would torment and humiliate her, because the Lord had kept her childless. 7 This went on year after year; whenever they went to the house of the Lord, Peninnah would upset Hannah so much that she would cry and refuse to eat anything. 8 Her husband Elkanah would ask her, “Hannah, why are you crying? Why won't you eat? Why are you always so sad? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?”
Hannah and Eli
9-10 One time, after they had finished their meal in the house of the Lord at Shiloh, Hannah got up. She was deeply distressed, and she cried bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. Meanwhile, Eli the priest was sitting in his place by the door. 11 (A)Hannah made a solemn promise: “Lord Almighty, look at me, your servant! See my trouble and remember me! Don't forget me! If you give me a son, I promise that I will dedicate him to you for his whole life and that he will never have his hair cut.”[b]
12 Hannah continued to pray to the Lord for a long time, and Eli watched her lips. 13 She was praying silently; her lips were moving, but she made no sound. So Eli thought that she was drunk, 14 and he said to her, “Stop making a drunken show of yourself Stop your drinking and sober up!”
15 “No, I'm not drunk, sir,” she answered. “I haven't been drinking! I am desperate, and I have been praying, pouring out my troubles to the Lord. 16 Don't think I am a worthless woman. I have been praying like this because I'm so miserable.”
17 “Go in peace,” Eli said, “and may the God of Israel give you what you have asked him for.”
18 “May you always think kindly of me,” she replied. Then she went away, ate some food, and was no longer sad.
Samuel's Birth and Dedication
19 The next morning Elkanah and his family got up early, and after worshiping the Lord, they went back home to Ramah. Elkanah had intercourse with his wife Hannah, and the Lord answered her prayer. 20 So it was that she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,[c] and explained, “I asked the Lord for him.”
21 The time came again for Elkanah and his family to go to Shiloh and offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and the special sacrifice he had promised. 22 But this time Hannah did not go. She told her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will take him to the house of the Lord, where he will stay all his life.”
23 Elkanah answered, “All right, do whatever you think best; stay at home until you have weaned him. And may the Lord make your[d] promise come true.” So Hannah stayed at home and nursed her child.
24 After she had weaned him, she took him to Shiloh, taking along a three-year-old bull,[e] a bushel of flour, and a leather bag full of wine. She took Samuel, young as he was, to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 After they had killed the bull, they took the child to Eli. 26 Hannah said to him, “Excuse me, sir. Do you remember me? I am the woman you saw standing here, praying to the Lord. 27 I asked him for this child, and he gave me what I asked for. 28 So I am dedicating him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he will belong to the Lord.”
Then they[f] worshiped the Lord there.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 1:5 And even … because; or To Hannah, however, he would give a special share, because he loved her very much, even though.
- 1 Samuel 1:11 A sign of dedication to the Lord (see Nu 6.5).
- 1 Samuel 1:20 This name, which in Hebrew means “name of God,” is here related to the Hebrew verb for “ask.”
- 1 Samuel 1:23 Some ancient translations your; Hebrew his.
- 1 Samuel 1:24 Some ancient translations a three-year-old bull; Hebrew three bulls.
- 1 Samuel 1:28 Some ancient translations they; Hebrew he.
Shmuel Alef 1
Orthodox Jewish Bible
1 Now there was a certain man of Ramatayim Tzophim, of the hill country of Ephrayim, and his name was Elkanah ben Yerocham ben Elihu ben Tochu ben Tzuph, from Ephrat;
2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Channah, and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Channah had no children.
3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto Hashem Tzva’os in Shiloh. And the two banim of Eli, Chophni and Pinchas, the kohanim of Hashem, were there.
4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered sacrifice, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her banim and her banot, portions;
5 But unto Channah he gave a double portion; for he loved Channah; but Hashem had shut up her womb.
6 And her tzarah (adversary) also provoked her greatly, for to make her fret, because Hashem had shut up her womb.
7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the Bais Hashem, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Channah, why weepest thou? And why eatest thou not? And why is thy lev bitter? Am not I better to thee than asarah banim?
9 So Channah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli HaKohen sat upon a chair by mezuzat Heikhal Hashem.
10 And she was in bitterness of nefesh, and davened unto Hashem, and wept greatly.
11 And she vowed a neder (vow), and said, O Hashem Tzva’os, if thou wilt indeed look on the misery of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid zera anashim, then I will give him unto Hashem kol yamei of his chayyah, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
12 And it came to pass, as she continued davening before Hashem, that Eli observed her mouth.
13 Now Channah, she davened in her lev; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought her to be shikkorah.
14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunk? Put away thy yayin from thee.
15 And Channah answered and said, No, adoni, I am an isha of a keshat ruach (oppressed spirit); I have drunk neither yayin nor strong drink, but have poured out my nefesh before Hashem.
16 Take not thine amah (handmaid, servant) for a bat Beliyaal; for out of the abundance of my anguish and ka’as (grief) have I davened hitherto.
17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in shalom; and Elohei Yisroel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of Him.
18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find chen (grace, favor) in thy sight. So the isha went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
19 And they rose up in the boker early, and worshiped before Hashem and returned, and came to their bais in Ramah; and Elkanah knew Channah his wife; and Hashem remembered her.
20 And it came to pass in due time, after Channah had conceived, that she bore a ben, and called his name Shmuel (Heard of G-d) saying, Because from Hashem I have asked for him.
21 And the man Elkanah, and all his bais, went up to offer unto Hashem the zevach hayamim (sacrifice of the days), and his neder (vow).
22 But Channah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before Hashem, and there abide forever.
23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only Hashem make good (establish) His devar. So the isha stayed, and nursed her ben until she weaned him.
24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, and one ephah of flour, and a skin of yayin, and brought him unto the Bais Hashem in Shiloh; and the child was young.
25 And they slaughtered a bull, and brought the child to Eli.
26 And she said, Oh adoni, as thy nefesh liveth, adoni, I am the isha that stood by thee here, davening unto Hashem.
27 For this child I davened; and Hashem hath given me my petition which I asked of Him;
28 Therefore also I make him one lent to Hashem; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to Hashem. And he worshiped Hashem there.
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