1 Samuel 1:1-21 ▼

1 Now 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.

2 Now he 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.

3 Now that man would go up from his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to Yahweh there.

4 And the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, and he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters;

5 but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but Yahweh had closed her womb.

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

7 And so it would happen year after year, as often as she went up to the house of Yahweh, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat.

8 Then 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?”

9 Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of Yahweh.

10 And she, bitter of soul, prayed to Yahweh and wept despondently.

11 And she made a vow and said, “O Yahweh 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 seed amongst men, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.”

12 Now it happened, as she multiplied her praying before Yahweh, that Eli was watching her mouth.

13 As 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 Then Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you.”

15 But Hannah answered and said, “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 Yahweh.

16 Do not consider your maidservant as a vile woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great complaint and provocation.”

17 Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.”

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

19 Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before Yahweh and turned back and came to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and Yahweh remembered her.

20 Now it happened in due time that Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of Yahweh.”

21 Then the man Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow.