So Hannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of (A)the [a]tabernacle of the Lord. 10 (B)And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and [b]wept in anguish. 11 Then she (C)made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed (D)look on the affliction of Your maidservant and (E)remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and (F)no razor shall come upon his head.”

12 And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth. 13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 14 So Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!”

15 But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have (G)poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not consider your maidservant a (H)wicked[c] woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.”

17 Then Eli answered and said, (I)“Go in peace, and (J)the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.”

18 And she said, (K)“Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman (L)went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 1:9 palace or temple, Heb. heykal
  2. 1 Samuel 1:10 Lit. wept greatly
  3. 1 Samuel 1:16 Lit. daughter of Belial

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”