1 Samuel 1

¹There was a man from Ramathaim-zophim, from the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

²And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the second was Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

³That man used to go up from his city year by year to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the LORD.

⁴And it came to pass on a certain day that Elkanah sacrificed, and he gave to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters portions.

⁵But to Hannah he gave a double portion, for Hannah he loved; but the LORD had closed her womb.

⁶Her rival also vexed her greatly in order to irritate her, because the LORD had shut her womb.

⁷So it would happen year after year; whenever she went up to the house of the LORD, Peninnah would provoke her, so she wept and would not eat.

⁸And Elkanah her husband said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart downcast? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"

⁹Then Hannah arose after the eating at Shiloh and after the drinking. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the sanctuary of the LORD.

¹⁰And she was bitter of soul, and she prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.

¹¹And she made a vow and said, 'O LORD of hosts, if you will truly look upon the affliction of your servant and remember me and not neglect your servant, but will give your servant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.'

¹²And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli was watching her mouth.

¹³Now Hannah was speaking to her heart; only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli took her for a drunkard.

¹⁴And Eli said to her, "How long will you be drunk? Put away your wine from you."

¹⁵But Hannah answered and said, 'No, my lord; I am a woman deeply troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD.

¹⁶Do not reckon your maidservant as a worthless woman, for out of the greatness of my complaint and my vexation I have spoken until now.

¹⁷Then Eli answered and said, 'Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him.'

¹⁸And she said, "May your maidservant find favor in your eyes." And the woman went on her way and ate, and her countenance was no longer the same.

¹⁹They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD, and then they returned and came to their home at Ramah. Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her.

²⁰And in due course of time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, 'I have asked him of the LORD.'

²¹And the man Elkanah went up, and all his household, to sacrifice to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow.

²²But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, 'Not until the boy is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD and remain there forever.'

²³And Elkanah her husband said to her, "Do what seems good to you; stay until you wean him. Only may the LORD establish his word." And the woman stayed and nursed her son until she weaned him.

²⁴And she brought him up with her, after she had weaned him, with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh; and the boy was young.

²⁵And they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the boy to Eli.

²⁶And she said, "O, my lord! By your life, my lord, I am the woman who stood beside you here, praying to the LORD."

²⁷For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I asked of him.

²⁸"And I also have lent him to the LORD; all the days that he lives he is lent to the LORD." And he bowed down there to the LORD.