1 Samuel 1

1 Now there was a man named Elkanah who was from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

2 He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

3 Year after year Elkanah would go up from his city to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD.

4 And whenever the day came for Elkanah to present his sacrifice, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.

5 But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved her even though the LORD had closed her womb.

6 Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her viciously to taunt her.

7 And this went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival taunted her until she wept and would not eat.

8 “Hannah, why are you crying?” her husband Elkanah asked. “Why won’t you eat? Why is your heart so grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

9 So after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.

10 In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears.

11 And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.”

12 As Hannah kept on praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth.

13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk

14 and said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put away your wine!”

15 “No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have not had any wine or strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD.

16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman, for all this time I have been praying out of the depth of my anguish and grief.”

17 “Go in peace,” Eli replied, “and may the God of Israel grant the petition you have asked of Him.”

18 “May your maidservant find favor with you,” said Hannah. Then she went on her way, and she began to eat, and her face was no longer downcast.

19 The next morning they got up early to bow in worship before the LORD, and then they returned home to Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her.

20 So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.”

21 Then Elkanah and all his house went up to make the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow,

22 but Hannah did not go. “After the boy is weaned,” she said to her husband, “I will take him to appear before the LORD and to stay there permanently.”

23 “Do what you think is best,” her husband Elkanah replied, “and stay here until you have weaned him. Only may the LORD confirm His word.” So Hannah stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

24 Once she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. Though the boy was still young, she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh.

25 And when they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli.

26 “Please, my lord,” said Hannah, “as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD.

27 I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him,

28 I now dedicate the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD there.

1 ¶ Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name [was] Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:

2 And 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 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, [were] there.

4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:

5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.

6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.

7 And [as] he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? [am] not I better to thee than ten sons?

9 ¶ So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.

10 And she [was] in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.

13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I [am] a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant [thee] thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more [sad].

19 ¶ And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.

20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, [saying], Because I have asked him of the LORD.

21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, [I will not go up] until the child be weaned, and [then] I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.

23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child [was] young.

25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.

26 And she said, Oh my lord, [as] thy soul liveth, my lord, I [am] the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.

27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

28 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.

1 There was a man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Thohu, the son of Zuph, which was of Ephrath.

2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, and Hannah had no children.

3 And the same man went up from his city in his own time, and worshipped, and offered sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And there were there priests unto the LORD Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli.

4 And it came to pass one day, when Elkanah offered, that he gave pieces to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters.

5 But unto Hannah he gave a piece sorrowful: for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.

6 And her adversaries afflicted her, and greatly defied her, that the LORD had closed up her womb.

7 So it was every year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, that she was grieved, and wept, and did not eat.

8 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Hannah, why weepest thou, and why eatest thou nothing, and why is thy heart evil? am I not better unto thee than ten sons?

9 And Hannah arose after she had eaten in Shiloh, and after she had drunk. (And Eli the priest sat on a seat by the side of the temple of the LORD.)

10 And she was sorrowful in her heart, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept.

11 And he vowed a vow, saying, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt look upon the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and wilt not forget thine handmaid, and wilt give thy handmaid a son, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

12 And when she had prayed long before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth.

13 For Hannah spake in her heart; but her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. And Eli thought that she was drunken,

14 And said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? Let the wine come from thee, which thou hast with thee.

15 And Hannah answered and said, Nay, my lord, I am a sorrowful woman. I have not drunk wine or strong drink, but have poured out my heart before the LORD.

16 Thou shalt not regard thine handmaid as a loose woman: for out of my great grief and sadness have I spoken hitherto.

17 And Eli answered and said, Go in peace. The God of Israel will give thee thy request, which thou hast asked of him.

18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thine eyes. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and saw no more sorrow.

19 And they rose up early in the morning, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came home to Ramath. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife: and the LORD remembered her.

20 And when some days were expired, she conceived, and bare a son, and called his name Samuel: for I asked him of the LORD.

21 And when the man Elkanah went up, he and all his household, to offer the sacrifice to the LORD in due season, and his vows,

22 But Hannah went not up with them, but said unto her husband, Till the child be weaned, then will I bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and dwell there for ever.

23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do as thou wilt; tarry till thou wean him: and let the LORD confirm that which he hath spoken. So the woman stayed and suckled her son until she weaned him.

24 And she brought him up with her, after she had weaned him, with three bullocks, with an ephah of flour, and a flagon of wine, and brought him into the house of the LORD in Shiloh: but the lad was yet young.

25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the lad to Eli.

26 And she said, O my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood here with thee, and besought the LORD,

27 Since I asked for this boy. Now the Lord has given my request, which I asked of him.

28 Therefore I give him again unto the LORD all the days of his life, because he is desired of the LORD. And there they worshipped the Lord.