1 Samuel 1:6
New International Version
Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.

New Living Translation
So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the LORD had kept her from having children.

English Standard Version
And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb.

Berean Standard Bible
Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her and taunt her viciously.

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

New King James Version
And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the LORD had closed her womb.

New American Standard Bible
Her rival, moreover, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb.

NASB 1995
Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb.

NASB 1977
Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb.

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

Amplified Bible
Hannah’s rival provoked her bitterly, to irritate and embarrass her, because the LORD had left her childless.

Christian Standard Bible
Her rival would taunt her severely just to provoke her, because the LORD had kept Hannah from conceiving.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Her rival would taunt her severely just to provoke her, because the LORD had kept Hannah from conceiving.

American Standard Version
And her rival provoked her sore, to make her fret, because Jehovah had shut up her womb.

Contemporary English Version
Peninnah liked to make Hannah feel miserable about not having any children,

English Revised Version
And her rival provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Because the LORD had made her unable to have children, her rival [Peninnah] tormented her endlessly in order to make her miserable.

Good News Translation
Peninnah, her rival, would torment and humiliate her, because the LORD had kept her childless.

International Standard Version
Her rival would provoke her severely so that she complained loudly because the LORD had closed her womb.

Majority Standard Bible
Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her and taunt her viciously.

NET Bible
Her rival wife used to upset her and make her worry, for the LORD had not enabled her to have children.

New Heart English Bible
And because the LORD kept her from conceiving, her rival used to taunt her severely, to irritate her.

Webster's Bible Translation
And her adversary also provoked her greatly, to make her fret, because the LORD had made her barren.

World English Bible
Her rival provoked her severely, to irritate her, because Yahweh had shut up her womb.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and her rival has also provoked her greatly, so as to make her tremble, for YHWH has shut up her womb.

Young's Literal Translation
and her adversity hath also provoked her greatly, so as to make her tremble, for Jehovah hath shut up her womb.

Smith's Literal Translation
Being grieved, her distress grieved her so that she was moved because Jehovah shut up about her womb.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Her rival also afflicted her, and troubled her exceedingly, insomuch that she upbraided her, that the Lord had shut up her womb:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And her rival afflicted her and vehemently distressed her, to a great extent, for she rebuked her that the Lord had closed her womb.

New American Bible
Her rival, to upset her, would torment her constantly, since the LORD had closed her womb.

New Revised Standard Version
Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And her rival also taunted her sorely to make her fret because the LORD had shut up her womb.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And his rival wife was provoking her also to anger, so that she would grieve her because LORD JEHOVAH had shut in the face of her womb
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And her rival vexed her sore, to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For the Lord gave her no child in her affliction, and according to the despondency of her affliction; and she was dispirited on this account, that the Lord shut up her womb so as not to give her a child.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Elkanah and His Wives
5But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved her even though the LORD had closed her womb. 6Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her and taunt her viciously. 7And 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.…

Cross References
Genesis 30:1
When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob.

Genesis 16:4-5
And he slept with Hagar, and she conceived. But when Hagar realized that she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. / Then Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be upon you! I delivered my servant into your arms, and ever since she saw that she was pregnant, she has treated me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me.”

Genesis 29:31
When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.

Genesis 30:22-23
Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb, / and she conceived and gave birth to a son. “God has taken away my shame,” she said.

Deuteronomy 7:14
You will be blessed above all peoples; among you there will be no barren man or woman or livestock.

Judges 13:2-3
Now there was a man from Zorah named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, whose wife was barren and had no children. / The angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “It is true that you are barren and have no children; but you will conceive and give birth to a son.

Psalm 113:9
He settles the barren woman in her home as a joyful mother to her children. Hallelujah!

Psalm 127:3
Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward.

Psalm 128:3
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine flourishing within your house, your sons like olive shoots sitting around your table.

Isaiah 54:1
“Shout for joy, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth in song and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD.

Luke 1:7
But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.

Luke 1:25
“The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

Luke 1:36
Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month.

Luke 1:46-48
Then Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, / and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! / For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed.

Romans 9:9
For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”


Treasury of Scripture

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

adversary

Leviticus 18:18
Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time.

Job 6:14
To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

provoked her [heb] angered her

Jump to Previous
Adversary Adversity Barren Bitterly Closed However Irritate Kept Order Possible Provoke Provoked Provoking Rival Shut Sore Sorely Tremble Used Vexed Wife Womb
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Adversary Adversity Barren Bitterly Closed However Irritate Kept Order Possible Provoke Provoked Provoking Rival Shut Sore Sorely Tremble Used Vexed Wife Womb
1 Samuel 1
1. Elkanah, a Levite, having two wives, worships yearly at Shiloh
4. He cherishes Hannah, though barren, and provoked by Peninnah
9. Hannah in grief prays for a child
12. Eli first rebuking her, afterwards blesses her
19. Hannah, having born Samuel, stays at home till he is weaned
24. She presents him, according to her vow, to the Lord














Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb
This phrase highlights the sovereignty of God in the lives of His people. The Hebrew word for "closed" is "סָגַר" (sagar), which means to shut or close. In the ancient Near Eastern context, fertility was often seen as a direct blessing from God, and barrenness was viewed as a divine withholding. This phrase underscores the belief that God is in control of all aspects of life, including fertility. It also sets the stage for understanding Hannah's deep anguish and her fervent prayers to God, as she recognizes that only He can change her situation.

her rival
The term "rival" refers to Peninnah, Elkanah's other wife. In the Hebrew culture, polygamy was practiced, and it often led to familial strife and jealousy. The word used here is "צָרָה" (tsarah), which can mean adversary or co-wife. This highlights the tension and competition that existed between Hannah and Peninnah, a common issue in polygamous households where one wife was favored over another.

would provoke her
The Hebrew word for "provoke" is "כָּעַס" (kaas), which means to irritate or vex. This indicates that Peninnah's actions were intentional and aimed at causing emotional distress to Hannah. The provoking was not just a one-time event but a continual action, suggesting a persistent and deliberate attempt to upset Hannah.

and taunt her viciously
The phrase "taunt her viciously" conveys the intensity and cruelty of Peninnah's actions. The Hebrew root "רָעַם" (raam) implies a loud, thunderous noise, suggesting that Peninnah's taunts were not only hurtful but also public and humiliating. This public shaming would have added to Hannah's distress, as her barrenness was already a source of personal shame and societal stigma.

(6) And her adversary also provoked her sore.--Jealousy, grief, anger, malice, the many bitter fruits of this way of living, so different to God's original appointment, here show themselves. The one sin of polygamy poisons the whole home life of the family, in all other respects apparently a quiet, Godfearing, orderly household.

Verses 6, 7, 8. - Her adversary also provoked her sore. The pleasure of this domestic festival was spoiled by the discord of the wives. Peninnah, triumphant in her fruitfulness, is yet Hannah's adversary, because, in spite of her barrenness, she has the larger portion of the husband's love; while Hannah is so sorely vexed at the taunts of her rival, that she weeps from sheer vexation. In vain Elkanah tries to give her comfort. The husband really is not "better than ten sons," for the joy of motherhood is quite distinct from that of conjugal affection, and especially to a Hebrew woman, who had special hopes from which she was cut off by barrenness. In ver. 7 there is a strange confusion of subject, owing to the first verb having been read as an active instead of a passive. It should be, "And so it happened year by year: when she (Hannah) went up to the house of Jehovah she (Peninnah) thus provoked her, and she wept and did not eat." It must be remembered that the Hebrews had no written vowels, but only consonants; the vowels were added in Christian times, many centuries after the coming of our Lord, and represent the traditional manner of reading of one great Jewish school. They are to be treated with the greatest respect, because as a rule they give us a sense confirmed by the best authorities; but they are human, and form no part of Holy Scripture. The ancient versions, the Septuagint, the Syriac, and the Vulgate, which are all three older than the Masoretic vowels, translate, "And so she (Peninnah) did year by year;" but this requires a slight change of the consonants.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Because
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

had closed
סָגַ֥ר (sā·ḡar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5462: To shut up, to surrender

[Hannah's] womb,
רַחְמָֽהּ׃ (raḥ·māh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7358: The womb

her rival
צָֽרָתָהּ֙ (ṣā·rā·ṯāh)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 6869: Tightness, a female rival

would provoke her
הַרְּעִמָ֑הּ (har·rə·‘i·māh)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7481: To tumble, be violently agitated, to crash, to irritate

and taunt her
וְכִֽעֲסַ֤תָּה (wə·ḵi·‘ă·sat·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3707: To trouble, to grieve, rage, be indignant

severely.
כַּ֔עַס (ka·‘as)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3708: Vexation, anger


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OT History: 1 Samuel 1:6 Her rival provoked her sore to make (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 1:5
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