Now that man would go up from his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to Yahweh there.

but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but Yahweh had closed her womb.

Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her because Yahweh had closed her womb.

And so it would happen year after year, as often as she went up to the house of Yahweh, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat.

Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of Yahweh.

And she, bitter of soul, prayed to Yahweh and wept despondently.

And she made a vow and said, “O Yahweh of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a seed amongst men, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.”

Now it happened, as she multiplied her praying before Yahweh, that Eli was watching her mouth.

But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before Yahweh.

The Birth of Samuel

Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before Yahweh and turned back and came to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and Yahweh remembered her.

Now it happened in due time that Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of Yahweh.”

Then the man Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow.

But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “I will not go up until the young boy is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before Yahweh and stay there forever.”

And Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what is good in your eyes. Remain until you have weaned him; only may Yahweh establish His word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him.

Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull and one ephah of flour and a jug of wine and brought him to the house of Yahweh in Shiloh, although the boy was young.

And she said, “Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to Yahweh.

For this young boy I prayed, and Yahweh has given me my petition which I asked of Him.

So I have also dedicated him to Yahweh; as long as he lives, he is dedicated to Yahweh.” So he worshiped Yahweh there.

Hannah’s Song of Thanksgiving

Then Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in Yahweh; My horn is exalted in Yahweh; My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, Because I am glad in Your salvation.

There is no one holy like Yahweh; Indeed, there is no one besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.

Do not multiply speaking so very proudly; Let arrogance not come out of your mouth; For Yahweh is a God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed.

Yahweh puts to death and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.

Yahweh makes poor and rich; He brings low; He also exalts.

He raises the poor from the dust; He exalts the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of glory; For the pillars of the earth are Yahweh’s, And He set the world on them.

Those who contend with Yahweh will be dismayed; Against them He will thunder in the heavens; Yahweh will render justice to the ends of the earth, And He will give strength to His king, And He will exalt the horn of His anointed.”