The Family of Elkanah

1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the amountains of Ephraim, and his name was bElkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of 1Elihu, the son of 2Tohu, the son of Zuph, can Ephraimite. 2 And he had dtwo wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 This man went up from his city eyearly fto worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in gShiloh. Also the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there. 4 And whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an hoffering, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, ialthough the Lord had closed her womb. 6 And her rival also jprovoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat.

Hannah’s Vow

8 Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not kbetter to you than ten sons?”