Old Testament · 1 Samuel

1 Samuel 1

Elkanah and His Wives

(Psalm 113:1–9)

1And there was a certain man^a from Ramathaim-zophim, from the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2And he had two wives^b: the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the second Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3And this man would go up from his city from days to days to bow down and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts^c in Shiloh; and there the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD. 4And it came to pass on the day, and Elkanah sacrificed, and he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions; 5but to Hannah he would give one portion, a double one, for he loved Hannah; but the LORD had shut up her womb.

6And her rival provoked her, even with provocation, in order to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb. 7And so he did year by year, as often as she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; and she wept and would not eat.

8And Elkanah her husband said to her: "Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"

Hannah Prays for a Son

9And Hannah rose up after eating in Shiloh and after drinking; now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.

10And she was bitter of soul^d, and she prayed to the LORD and wept much. 11And she vowed a vow and said: "The LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your maidservant, and remember me, and not forget your maidservant, but give to your maidservant seed of men, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life^e, and a razor shall not come up upon his head."

12And it came to pass, as she multiplied to pray before the LORD, that Eli was watching her mouth. 13Now Hannah, she was speaking in her heart; only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard; and Eli thought her to be drunken. 14And Eli said to her: "How long will you be drunken? Put away your wine from upon you."

15And Hannah answered and said: "No, my lord; I am a woman hard of spirit^f; and wine and strong drink I have not drunk, but I poured out my soul before the LORD. 16Do not set your maidservant before a daughter of belial, for out of the abundance of my complaint and my vexation I have spoken until now."

17And Eli answered and said: "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of him."

18And she said: "Let your servant find favor in your eyes." And the woman went on her way, and she ate, and her face was no longer hers.

The Birth of Samuel

19And they rose early in the morning and bowed down before the LORD, and they returned and came to their house, to Ramah; and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. 20And it came to pass at the turning of the days, that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel: "because from the LORD I have asked him."

21And the man Elkanah went up, and all his house, to sacrifice to the LORD the sacrifice of the days and his vow. 22But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband: "Until the boy is weaned, then I will bring him, that he may appear before the face of the LORD and dwell there forever."

23And Elkanah her husband said to her: "Do the good in your eyes; stay until you have weaned him; only may the LORD establish his word." And the woman stayed and nursed her son until she weaned him.

24And she brought him up with her when she had weaned him, with three bulls, and one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh; and the boy was a boy. 25And they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the boy to Eli.

26And she said: "Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood with you here, to pray to the LORD. 27For this boy I prayed, and the LORD gave me my petition which I asked of him. 28And also I, I have lent him to the LORD; all the days that he exists, he is lent to the LORD." And he bowed down there to the LORD.