The Birth of Samuel

1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim,a a Zuphitea b from the hill countryc of Ephraim,d whose name was Elkanahe son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives;f one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

3 Year after yearg this man went up from his town to worshiph and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh,i where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli,j were priests of the Lord. 4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice,k he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.l 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portionm because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb.n 6 Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.o 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.p 8 Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?q”

9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house.r 10 In her deep anguishs Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11 And she made a vow,t saying, “Lord Almightyu, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and rememberv me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life,w and no razorx will ever be used on his head.”

12 As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”

15 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled.y I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouringz out my soul to the Lord. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”a

17 Eli answered, “Go in peace,b and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.c”

18 She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.d” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.e

19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah.f Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord rememberedg her. 20 So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.h She namedi him Samuel,b j saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”

Hannah Dedicates Samuel

21 When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annualk sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow,l 22 Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and presentm him before the Lord, and he will live there always.”c

23 “Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make goodn hisd word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weanedo him.

24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,e p an ephahf of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27 I prayedq for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole lifer he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

Hannah’s Prayer

2 Then Hannah prayed and said:s

“My heart rejoicest in the Lord;

in the Lord my horna u is lifted high.

My mouth boastsv over my enemies,w

for I delight in your deliverance.

2 “There is no one holyx likey the Lord;

there is no one besides you;

there is no Rockz like our God.

3 “Do not keep talking so proudly

or let your mouth speak such arrogance,a

for the Lord is a God who knows,b

and by him deedsc are weighed.d

4 “The bows of the warriors are broken,e

but those who stumbled are armed with strength.f

5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food,

but those who were hungryg are hungry no more.

She who was barrenh has borne seven children,

but she who has had many sons pines away.

6 “The Lord brings death and makes alive;i

he brings down to the grave and raises up.j

7 The Lord sends poverty and wealth;k

he humbles and he exalts.l

8 He raisesm the poorn from the dusto

and lifts the needyp from the ash heap;

he seats them with princes

and has them inherit a throne of honor.q

“For the foundationsr of the earth are the Lord’s;

on them he has set the world.

9 He will guard the feets of his faithful servants,t

but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.u

“It is not by strengthv that one prevails;

10 those who oppose the Lord will be broken.w

The Most High will thunderx from heaven;

the Lord will judgey the ends of the earth.

“He will give strengthz to his king

and exalt the horna of his anointed.”

11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah,b but the boy ministeredc before the Lord under Eli the priest.