Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version

1There was a man from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

1There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite.

2He had two wives, the first named Hannah and the second Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.

2He 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.

3This man would go up from his town every year to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of Armies at Shiloh, where Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were the LORD's priests.

3Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the LORD.

4Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he always gave portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to each of her sons and daughters.

4On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.

5But he gave a double portion to Hannah, for he loved her even though the LORD had kept her from conceiving.

5But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the LORD had closed her womb.

6Her rival would taunt her severely just to provoke her, because the LORD had kept Hannah from conceiving.

6And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb.

7Year after year, when she went up to the LORD's house, her rival taunted her in this way. Hannah would weep and would not eat.

7So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat.

8"Hannah, why are you crying?" her husband Elkanah would ask. "Why won't you eat? Why are you troubled? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"

8And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”

9On one occasion, Hannah got up after they ate and drank at Shiloh. The priest Eli was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the LORD's temple.

9After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.

10Deeply hurt, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears.

10She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.

11Making a vow, she pleaded, "LORD of Armies, if you will take notice of your servant's affliction, remember and not forget me, and give your servant a son, I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut."

11And she vowed a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”

12While she continued praying in the LORD's presence, Eli watched her mouth.

12As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli observed her mouth.

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

13Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman.

14and said to her, "How long are you going to be drunk? Get rid of your wine!"

14And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.”

15"No, my lord," Hannah replied. "I am a woman with a broken heart. I haven't had any wine or beer; I've been pouring out my heart before the LORD.

15But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD.

16Don't think of me as a wicked woman; I've been praying from the depth of my anguish and resentment."

16Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.”

17Eli responded, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request you've made of him."

17Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.”

18"May your servant find favor with you," she replied. Then Hannah went on her way; she ate and no longer looked despondent.

18And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

19The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to worship before the LORD. Afterward, they returned home to Ramah. Then Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her.

19They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her.

20After some time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, because she said, "I requested him from the LORD."

20And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the LORD.”

21When Elkanah and all his household went up to make the annual sacrifice and his vow offering to the LORD,

21The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow.

22Hannah did not go and explained to her husband, "After the child is weaned, I'll take him to appear in the LORD's presence and to stay there permanently."

22But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the LORD and dwell there forever.”

23Her husband Elkanah replied, "Do what you think is best, and stay here until you've weaned him. May the LORD confirm your word." So Hannah stayed there and nursed her son until she weaned him.

23Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only, may the LORD establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him.

24When she had weaned him, she took him with her to Shiloh, as well as a three-year-old bull, half a bushel of flour, and a clay jar of wine. Though the boy was still young, she took him to the LORD's house at Shiloh.

24And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. And the child was young.

25Then they slaughtered the bull and brought the boy to Eli.

25Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli.

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

26And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the LORD.

27I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD gave me what I asked him for,

27For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him.

28I now give the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is given to the LORD." Then he worshiped the LORD there.

28Therefore I have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.