1 Samuel 1
English Standard Version
The Birth of Samuel
1 There was a certain man of (A)Ramathaim-zophim of (B)the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, (C)an Ephrathite. 2 He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 Now this man used to go up (D)year by year from his city (E)to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts (F)at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. 4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, (G)he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.[a] 6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. 8 And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? (H)Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
9 After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of (I)the temple of the Lord. 10 She was (J)deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she (K)vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed (L)look on the affliction of your servant and (M)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, (N)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 (O)I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not regard your servant as (P)a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 17 Then Eli answered, (Q)“Go in peace, and the God of Israel (R)grant your petition that you have made to him.” 18 And she said, (S)“Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman (T)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 (U)Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord (V)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.”[b]
Samuel Given to the Lord
21 The man Elkanah and all his house (W)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 (X)and dwell there forever.” 23 (Y)Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; (Z)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, (AA)she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull,[c] an ephah[d] of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to (AB)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! (AC)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, (AD)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.”
(AE)And he worshiped the Lord there.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 1:5 Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. Septuagint And, although he loved Hannah, he would give Hannah only one portion, because the Lord had closed her womb
- 1 Samuel 1:20 Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for heard of God
- 1 Samuel 1:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint, Syriac; Masoretic Text three bulls
- 1 Samuel 1:24 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
1 Samuel 1
Holman Christian Standard Bible
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]
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 1:1 Or from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from
- 1 Samuel 1:5 Or gave only one; Hb obscure
- 1 Samuel 1:9 LXX adds and presented herself before the Lord
- 1 Samuel 1:11 Lit a seed of men
- 1 Samuel 1:11 Lit and no razor will go up on his head
- 1 Samuel 1:13 Lit praying to her heart
- 1 Samuel 1:18 Lit and her face was not to her again
- 1 Samuel 1:20 Lit In the turning of the days
- 1 Samuel 1:20 In Hb, the name Samuel sounds like the phrase “requested from God.”
- 1 Samuel 1:23 Lit what is good in your eyes
- 1 Samuel 1:23 DSS, LXX, Syr; MT reads His
- 1 Samuel 1:24 DSS, LXX, Syr; MT reads Shiloh with three bulls
- 1 Samuel 1:24 Lit bull and an ephah
- 1 Samuel 1:24 Lit And the youth was a youth
- 1 Samuel 1:28 DSS read she; some Hb mss, Syr, Vg read they
- 1 Samuel 1:28 LXX reads Then she left him there before the Lord
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.