1 Samuel 1:3–18

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