1 Samuel 1:9–28

⁹On one occasion, Hannah got up after they ate and drank at Shiloh.^C The priest Eli was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s temple.^{m 10}Deeply hurt, Hannah prayed to the Lord and wept with many tears.^{n 11}Making a vow,^o she pleaded, “Lord of Armies, if you will take notice of your servant’s affliction,^p 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.”^Dq

¹²While she continued praying in the Lord’s presence, Eli watched her mouth. ¹³Hannah was praying silently,^r and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli thought she was drunk ¹⁴and said to her, “How long are you going to be drunk?^s Get rid of your wine!”

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.^{t 16}Don’t think of me as a wicked woman;^u I’ve been praying from the depth of my anguish and resentment.”^v

¹⁷Eli responded, “Go in peace,^w and may the God of Israel grant the request you’ve made of him.”^x

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

SAMUEL’S BIRTH AND DEDICATION

¹⁹The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to worship before the Lord. Afterward, they returned home to Ramah.^aa Then Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.^{ab 20}After some time,^A Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,^B because she said, “I requested him from the Lord.”

²¹When Elkanah and all his household went up to make the annual sacrifice^ac and his vow offering to the Lord, 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^ad and to stay there permanently.”^ae

²³Her husband, Elkanah, replied, “Do what you think is best,^af and stay here until you’ve weaned him. May the Lord confirm your^C word.”^ag So Hannah stayed there 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,^D half a bushel^E of flour, and a clay jar of wine.^ah Though the boy was still young,^F she took him to the Lord’s house at Shiloh.^{ai 25}Then they slaughtered the bull and brought the boy to Eli.

²⁶“Please, my lord,” she said, “as surely as you live,^aj my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. ²⁷I prayed for this boy,^ak and since the Lord gave me what I asked him for,^{a 28}I now give the boy to the Lord. For as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.”^b Then he^G worshiped the Lord there.^H