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.”E,q

12 While she continued praying in the Lord’s presence, Eli watched her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying silently,r and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and 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

17 Eli 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.G,z

SAMUEL’S BIRTH AND DEDICATION

19 The 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,H Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,I because she said, “I requested him from the Lord.”

21 When Elkanah and all his household went up to make the annual sacrificeac and his vow offering to the Lord, 22 Hannah did not go and explained to her husband, “After the child is weaned, I’ll take him to appear in the Lord’s presencead and to stay there permanently.”ae

23 Her husband, Elkanah, replied, “Do what you think is best,af and stay here until you’ve weaned him. May the Lord confirm yourK word.”ag So Hannah stayed there and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 When she had weaned him, she took him with her to Shiloh, as well as a three-year-old bull,L half a bushelM of flour, and a clay jar of wine.ah Though the boy was still young,N 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. 27 I 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 heA worshiped the Lord there.B