| New Living Translation | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah in the region of Zuph in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, of Ephraim. | 1Now there was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim from the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. |
| 2Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not. | 2He had two wives: the name of one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. |
| 3Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle. The priests of the LORD at that time were the two sons of Eli—Hophni and Phinehas. | 3Now this man would go up from his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD there. |
| 4On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children. | 4When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters; |
| 5And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the LORD had given her no children. | 5but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had closed her womb. |
| 6So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the LORD had kept her from having children. | 6Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb. |
| 7Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat. | 7It happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat. |
| 8“Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?” Hannah’s Prayer for a Son | 8Then 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 better to you than ten sons?" |
| 9Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the Tabernacle. | 9Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. |
| 10Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the LORD. | 10She, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. |
| 11And she made this vow: “O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the LORD, his hair will never be cut. ” | 11She made a vow and said, "O LORD 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 son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head." |
| 12As she was praying to the LORD, Eli watched her. | 12Now it came about, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli was watching her mouth. |
| 13Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. | 13As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. |
| 14“Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!” | 14Then Eli said to her, "How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you." |
| 15“Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the LORD. | 15But Hannah replied, "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 the LORD. |
| 16Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.” | 16"Do not consider your maidservant as a worthless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation." |
| 17“In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.” | 17Then Eli answered and said, "Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him." |
| 18“Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad. Samuel’s Birth and Dedication | 18She said, "Let your maidservant find favor in your sight." So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. |
| 19The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the LORD once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the LORD remembered her plea, | 19Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD, and returned again to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. |
| 20and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the LORD for him.” | 20It came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked him of the LORD." |
| 21The next year Elkanah and his family went on their annual trip to offer a sacrifice to the LORD and to keep his vow. | 21Then the man Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow. |
| 22But Hannah did not go. She told her husband, “Wait until the boy is weaned. Then I will take him to the Tabernacle and leave him there with the LORD permanently. ” | 22But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, "I will not go up until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD and stay there forever." |
| 23“Whatever you think is best,” Elkanah agreed. “Stay here for now, and may the LORD help you keep your promise. ” So she stayed home and nursed the boy until he was weaned. | 23Elkanah her husband said to her, "Do what seems best to you. Remain until you have weaned him; only may the LORD confirm His word." So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. |
| 24When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh. They brought along a three-year-old bull for the sacrifice and a basket of flour and some wine. | 24Now 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 the LORD in Shiloh, although the child was young. |
| 25After sacrificing the bull, they brought the boy to Eli. | 25Then they slaughtered the bull, and brought the boy to Eli. |
| 26“Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked. “I am the very woman who stood here several years ago praying to the LORD. | 26She said, "Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the LORD. |
| 27I asked the LORD to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. | 27"For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him. |
| 28Now I am giving him to the LORD, and he will belong to the LORD his whole life.” And they worshiped the LORD there. | 28"So I have also dedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the LORD." And he worshiped the LORD there. |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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