23 yElkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; zonly, may the Lord establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 And when she had weaned him, ashe took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull,3 an ephah4 of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to bthe house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! cAs you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. 27 For this child I prayed, dand the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.”

eAnd he worshiped the Lord there.

Hannah’s Prayer

2 And Hannah prayed and said,

f“My heart exults in the Lord;

gmy horn is exalted in the Lord.

My mouth derides my enemies,

because hI rejoice in your salvation.

2  i“There is none holy like the Lord:

for there is none besides you;

there is jno rock like our God.

3  Talk no more so very proudly,

let not arrogance come from your mouth;

for the Lord is a God of knowledge,

and by him actions are weighed.

4  kThe bows of the mighty are broken,

but the feeble bind on strength.

5  Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,

but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.

lThe barren has borne seven,

mbut she who has many children is forlorn.

6  nThe Lord kills and brings to life;

he brings down to Sheol and raises up.

7  oThe Lord makes poor and makes rich;

phe brings low and he exalts.

8  qHe raises up the poor from the dust;

he lifts the needy from the ash heap

rto make them sit with princes

and inherit a seat of honor.

sFor the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,

and on them he has set the world.

9  t“He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,

but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,

for not by might shall a man prevail.

10  uThe adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces;

vagainst them he will thunder in heaven.

wThe Lord will judge the ends of the earth;

he will give strength to his king

xand exalt the horn of his anointed.”

11 Then Elkanah went home yto Ramah. zAnd the boy1 was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest.