After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of (A)the temple of the Lord. 10 She was (B)deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she (C)vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed (D)look on the affliction of your servant and (E)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, (F)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 (G)I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not regard your servant as (H)a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 17 Then Eli answered, (I)“Go in peace, and the God of Israel (J)grant your petition that you have made to him.” 18 And she said, (K)“Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman (L)went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

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Then Hannah got up after eating and drinking at Shiloh. (Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the temple[a] of Yahweh.) 10 She was deeply troubled,[b] so she prayed to Yahweh and wept bitterly. 11 She made a vow[c] and said: “O Yahweh of hosts, if you will look with compassion on the misery of your female servant, and will remember me, and not forget your female servant, and will give to your female servant a male child[d] then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and a razor will never pass over his head.”[e] 12 While[f] she continued to pray before Yahweh, Eli was observing her mouth. 13 Now Hannah had been speaking in her heart; her lips were moving, but her voice could not be heard, so Eli considered her to be drunk. 14 Then Eli said to her, “How long will you behave like someone who is drunk? Put away your wine!” 15 But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord. I am a woman deeply distressed,[g] but I have not drunk wine or strong drink. Rather, I have poured out my soul before Yahweh. 16 Do not regard your female servant as worthless,[h] but because of the extent of my worries and my provocation I have spoken all of this.” 17 Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your request that you have asked of him.” 18 And she said, “May your female slave find favor in your sight.” Then the woman went on her way and ate something, and her face did not look sad any longer.[i]

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 1:9 This is not the temple of Solomon (ca. 966 bc), but rather the tabernacle that first resided at Shiloh after the conquest of Joshua.
  2. 1 Samuel 1:10 Literally “bitter of soul”
  3. 1 Samuel 1:11 Literally “vowed a vow”
  4. 1 Samuel 1:11 Literally “an offspring of men”
  5. 1 Samuel 1:11 “A razor will never pass over his head” indicates that Hannah promised to dedicate her son to Yahweh as a Nazirite, according to the terms of Num 6:1–21
  6. 1 Samuel 1:12 Literally “And it happened that when”
  7. 1 Samuel 1:15 Literally “difficult of spirit”
  8. 1 Samuel 1:16 Literally “as a daughter of Belial/daughter of worthlessness”
  9. 1 Samuel 1:18 Literally “her faces were not for her any longer”