1 Samuel 1

(Psalm 113:1–9)

1Now there wasH1961 aH259 manH376 namedH8034 ElkanahH511 who was fromH4480 Ramathaim-zophimH74361 in the hill countryH2022 of EphraimH669. He was the sonH1121 of JerohamH3395, the sonH1121 of ElihuH453,2 the sonH1121 of TohuH8459, the sonH1121 of ZuphH6689, an EphraimiteH673. 2He had twoH8147 wivesH802, oneH259 namedH8034 HannahH2584H8034 and the otherH8145 PeninnahH6444. And PeninnahH6444 hadH1961 childrenH3206, but HannahH2584 had noneH369H3206.

3Year after yearH3117 Elkanah would go upH5927 from his cityH5892 to worshipH7812 and sacrificeH2076 to the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635 at ShilohH7887, whereH8033 Eli’sH5941 twoH8147 sonsH1121, HophniH2652 and PhinehasH6372, were priestsH3548 to the LORDH3068. 4And whenever the dayH3117 cameH1961 for ElkanahH511 to present his sacrificeH2076, he would giveH5414 portionsH4490 to his wifeH802 PeninnahH6444 and to allH3605 her sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323. 5But to HannahH2584 he would giveH5414 aH259 doubleH639 portionH4490,3 forH3588 he lovedH157 herH2584 even though the LORDH3068 had closedH5462 her wombH7358.

6BecauseH3588 the LORDH3068 had closedH5462 Hannah’s wombH1157H7358, her rivalH6869H1571 would provoke herH7481 viciouslyH3708 to taunt herH3707. 7And this went onH3651H6213 yearH8141 after yearH8141. WheneverH1767 Hannah went upH5927 to the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, her rival taunted herH3707 until she weptH1058 and would notH3808 eatH398.

8“HannahH2584, whyH4100 are you cryingH1058?” her husbandH376 ElkanahH511 askedH559. “WhyH4100 won’t youH3808 eatH398? WhyH4100 is your heartH3824 so grievedH3415? Am IH595 notH3808 betterH2896 to you than tenH6235 sonsH1121?”

Hannah Prays for a Son

9So afterH310 they had finished eatingH398 and drinkingH8354 in ShilohH7887, HannahH2584 stood upH6965H310. Now EliH5941 the priestH3548 was sittingH3427 onH5921 a chairH3678 byH5921 the doorpostH4201 of the templeH1964 of the LORDH3068.

10

In her bitter distressH4751H5315, Hannah prayedH6419 toH5921 the LORDH3068 and wept with many tearsH1058. 11And she madeH5087 a vowH5088, sayingH559, “O LORDH3068 of HostsH6635, ifH518 only You will lookH7200 upon the afflictionH6040 of Your maidservantH519 and remember meH2142, notH3808 forgettingH7911 Your maidservant but givingH5414H519 her a sonH2233H582, then I will dedicate himH5414 to the LORDH3068 allH3605 the daysH3117 of his lifeH2416, and noH3808 razorH4177 shall ever touchH5927H5921 his headH7218.”

12

AsH3588 Hannah kept onH7235 prayingH6419 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068, EliH5941 watchedH8104 her mouthH6310. 13HannahH2584H1931 was prayingH1696 inH5921 her heartH3820, and thoughH7535 her lipsH8193 were movingH5128, her voiceH6963 could notH3808 be heardH8085.

So EliH5941 thoughtH2803 she was drunkH7910 14and saidH559 to herH413H5941, “HowH5704 longH4970 will you be drunkH7937? Put awayH5493 your wineH3196H5921!”

15“NoH3808, my lordH113,” HannahH2584H559 repliedH6030. “IH595 am a womanH802 troubledH7186 in spiritH7307. I have notH3808 hadH8354 any wineH3196 or strong drinkH7941, but I have poured outH8210 my soulH5315 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068. 16Do notH408 takeH5414 your servantH519 for a wickedH1100H3588 womanH1323, for all this timeH5704H2008 I have been prayingH1696 out of the depthH7230 of my anguishH7879 and griefH3708.”

17“GoH1980 in peaceH7965,” EliH5941H559 repliedH6030, “and may the GodH430 of IsraelH3478 grantH5414 the petitionH7596 you have askedH7592 of HimH5973.”

18“May your maidservantH8198 findH4672 favorH2580 with youH5869,” said HannahH559. ThenH802 she wentH1980 on her wayH1870, and she began to eatH398, and her faceH6440 was noH3808 longerH5750 downcastH1961.

The Birth of Samuel

19The next morningH1242 they got up earlyH7925 to bow in worshipH7812 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068, and then they returnedH7725H935H413 homeH1004 to RamahH7414.

And ElkanahH511 had relations withH3045 his wifeH802 HannahH2584, and the LORDH3068 remembered herH2142. 20SoH1961 in the courseH8622 of timeH3117, HannahH2584 conceivedH2029 and gave birth toH3205 a sonH1121. She namedH7121 himH8034 SamuelH8050,4 saying, “BecauseH3588 I have asked for himH7592 from the LORDH3068.”

21Then ElkanahH511 and allH3605 his houseH1004 went upH5927H376 to makeH2076 the annualH3117 sacrificeH2077 to the LORDH3068 andH853 to fulfill his vowH5088, 22but HannahH2584 did notH3808 goH5927. “AfterH5704 the boyH5288 is weanedH1580,” she saidH559 to her husbandH376, “I will take himH935 to appearH7200H854 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 and to stayH3427 thereH8033 permanentlyH5704H5769.”5

23“DoH6213 what you thinkH5869 is bestH2896,” her husbandH376 ElkanahH511 repliedH559, “and stayH3427 here untilH5704 you have weaned himH1580. OnlyH389 may the LORDH3068 confirmH6965 His wordH1697.”6

So HannahH802 stayedH3427 and nursedH3243 her sonH1121 untilH5704 she had weanedH1580 himH853.

24OnceH834 she had weaned himH1580, Hannah tookH5927 the boy with herH5973, along with a three-year-oldH7969 bullH6499,7 an ephahH374H259 of flourH7058,8 and a skinH5035 of wineH3196. Though the boyH5288 was still youngH5288, she brought himH935 to the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 at ShilohH7887. 25And when they had slaughteredH7819 the bullH6499, they broughtH935 the boyH5288 toH413 EliH5941.

26“PleaseH994, my lordH113,” saidH559 Hannah, “as surely as youH5315 liveH2416, my lordH113, IH589 am the womanH802 who stoodH5324 hereH2088 besideH5973 you prayingH6419 toH413 the LORDH3068. 27I prayedH6419 forH413 thisH2088 boyH5288, and since the LORDH3068 has grantedH5414 me whatH834 I askedH7592 of HimH5973, 28IH595 nowH1571 dedicate the boyH7592 to the LORDH3068. For asH3605H3117 long as he livesH1961, heH1931 is dedicatedH7592 to the LORDH3068.”

So they worshipedH78129 the LORDH3068 thereH8033.