1 Samuel 1:9-18

The Voice

^9-10One day after they ate and drank at Shiloh, Hannah got up and presented herself before the Lord. It so happened that the priest Eli was sitting in a place of honor beside the doorpost of the Eternal’s congregation tent as Hannah entered. She was heartbroken, and she began to pray to the Eternal One, weeping uncontrollably as she did.

Hannah: ¹¹Eternal One, Commander of heavenly armies, if only You will look down at the misery of Your servant and remember me—oh, don’t forget me!—and give Your servant a son, then I promise I will devote the boy to Your service as a Nazirite all the days of his life. [He will never touch wine or other strong drink,]^[a] and no razor will ever cut his hair.

¹²As she prayed silently before the Eternal One, the priest Eli watched her mouth: ¹³Hannah’s lips were moving, but since she was praying silently, he could not hear her words. So Eli thought she was drunk.

Eli: ¹⁴How long are you going to continue drinking, making a spectacle of yourself? Stop drinking wine, and sober up!

Hannah: ¹⁵My lord, I am not drunk on wine or any strong drink; I am just a woman with a wounded spirit. I have been pouring out the pain in my soul before the Eternal One. ¹⁶Please don’t consider your servant some worthless woman just because I have been speaking for so long out of worry and exasperation.

Eli: ¹⁷Go, don’t worry about this anymore, and may the True God of Israel fulfill the petition you have made to Him.

Hannah: ¹⁸May your servant be favored in your sight.

Then Hannah rose and went back to where she was staying. The sadness lifted from her, so she was able to eat.

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