⁹One time when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. The priest Eli was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. ¹⁰Hannah was very bitter. She sobbed and sobbed. She prayed to the Lord. ¹¹She made a promise to him. She said, “Lord, you rule over all. Please see how I’m suffering! Show concern for me! Don’t forget about me! Please give me a son! If you do, I’ll give him back to you. Then he will serve you all the days of his life. He’ll never use a razor on his head. He’ll never cut his hair.”

¹²As Hannah kept on praying to the Lord, Eli watched her lips. ¹³She was praying in her heart. Her lips were moving. But she wasn’t making a sound.

Eli thought Hannah was drunk. ¹⁴He said to her, “How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine.”

¹⁵“That’s not true, sir,” Hannah replied. “I’m a woman who is deeply troubled. I haven’t been drinking wine or beer. I was telling the Lord all of my troubles. ¹⁶Don’t think of me as an evil woman. I’ve been praying here because I’m very sad. My pain is so great.”

¹⁷Eli answered, “Go in peace. May the God of Israel give you what you have asked him for.”

¹⁸She said, “May you be pleased with me.” Then she left and had something to eat. Her face wasn’t sad anymore.

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