1 Samuel 1

Hannah’s Vow

1There was a man from Ramathaim-zophim ^ain ^bthe hill country of Ephraim. ^cHis name was Elkanah ^dson of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. ²He had two wives, ^ethe first named Hannah ^fand the second Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless. ³This man would go up from his town every year ^gto worship and to sacrifice ^hto the Lord of Hosts at Shiloh, ⁱwhere Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were the Lord’s priests.

⁴Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he always gave portions of the meat ^jto his wife Peninnah and to each of her sons and daughters. ⁵But he gave a double ^kportion ^lto Hannah, for he loved her even though the Lord had kept her from conceiving. ⁶Her rival would taunt her severely just to provoke her, because the Lord had kept Hannah from conceiving. ⁷Whenever she went up to the Lord’s house, ^mher rival taunted her in this way every year. Hannah wept and would not eat. ⁸“Hannah, why are you crying?” her husband Elkanah asked. “Why won’t you eat? Why are you troubled? Am I not better to you than 10 sons?” ⁿ

⁹Hannah got up after they ate and drank at Shiloh. ^oEli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s tabernacle. ^p10Deeply hurt, Hannah prayed to the Lord and wept with many tears. ^q11Making a vow, ^rshe pleaded, “Lord of Hosts, if You will take notice of Your servant’s affliction, ^sremember and not forget me, and give Your servant a son, ^tI will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut.” ^uv

¹²While she continued praying in the Lord’s presence, Eli watched her lips. ¹³Hannah was praying silently, ^wxand though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli thought she was drunk ¹⁴and scolded her, “How long are you going to be drunk? ^yGet 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. ^z16Don’t think of me as a wicked woman; ^aI’ve been praying from the depth of my anguish and resentment.” ^b

¹⁷Eli responded, “Go in peace, ^cand may the God of Israel grant the petition you’ve requested from Him.” ^d

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

Samuel’s Birth and Dedication

¹⁹The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before the Lord. Afterward, they returned home to Ramah. ^hThen Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. ⁱ²⁰After some time, ^jHannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, ^kbecause she said, “I requested him from the Lord.”

²¹When Elkanah and all his household went up to make the annual sacrifice ^land 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 ^mand to stay there permanently.” ⁿ

²³Her husband Elkanah replied, “Do what you think is best, ^opand stay here until you’ve weaned him. May the Lord confirm your ^qword.” ^rSo 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, ^shalf a bushel ^tof flour, and a jar of wine. ^uThough the boy was still young, ^vshe took him to the Lord’s house at Shiloh. ^w25Then they slaughtered the bull and brought the boy to Eli.

²⁶“Please, my lord,” she said, “as sure as you live, ^xmy lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. ²⁷I prayed for this boy, ^yand since the Lord gave me what I asked Him for, ^z28I now give the boy to the Lord. For as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.” ^aThen he ^bbowed in worship to the Lord there. ^c