1 Samuel 1
1
A woman that was called Hannah asked God for a baby boy of her own
1There was a man called Elkanah. He was from Ephraim’s tribe, and he lived in a town called Ramah in the hill country. His father was Jeroham, his grand-father was Elihu, and his great grand-father was Tohu. He belonged to the Zuf family. 2He had 2 wives called Hannah and Penninah. Penninah had some kids, but Hannah had none.
3Every year Elkanah used to go with his family from Ramah to Shiloh. They went to Shiloh to show respect to God, the boss of everything, and to burn meat for him. At that time, God’s ceremony house was in Shiloh. An old man was there called Eli. He was the leader of God’s ceremonies. His 2 sons, Hofni and Finiyas, also worked in God’s house. They looked after God’s ceremonies too.
4When Elkanah was in Shiloh, he used to burn meat to give it to God, and he gave some of it to his family to eat. He gave meat to Penninah and her kids. 5His other wife, Hannah, had no kids. You see, before this time, God stopped her from having kids. But Elkanah loved her very much, so he used to give lots of meat to her. 6But Penninah used to make fun of her because she had no kids. So Hannah got upset. 7Every year it was like that. Whenever they went up to God’s house at Shiloh, Penninah used to make fun of Hannah until she cried. She felt so sad she couldn’t eat. 8Her husband used to ask her, “Why are you crying? You have to eat. Don’t be sad. Don’t keep on worrying that you have no sons. I love you very much anyway.”
9One time at Shiloh, after they finished eating and drinking, Hannah got up and went to God’s house to talk to God. The old man Eli sat on a chair at the door of God’s house. 10Hannah was so sad. She cried and prayed to God like this, 11“God, you are the boss of everything. I am just your worker. I’m sad. Please help me. Don’t forget about me. I want to ask you this. Let me have a little boy. If you do that, I’ll give him back to you, so he can work for you until he gets old. Nobody will cut his hair, so that other people will see that he belongs to you.”#Numbers 6:5
12-13She talked quietly to God for a long time. Eli saw her mouth moving, but couldn’t hear anything, so he thought she was drunk. 14He said, “Why did you come here drunk? Throw that wine away.”
15Hannah answered, “No, old man. I’m not drunk. I haven’t drunk any wine at all. I’m a sad woman. I talked to God, and I told him my story. 16Please don’t call me no good. I am properly sad. I want God to help me.”
17Eli said, “Don’t worry. Go now. We Israel mob follow a good God. He will do whatever you ask him.”
18Hannah said to him, “Thank you, old man. You have made me feel happy now.” And she left God’s house, and she went and ate some food. Her face was not sad any more.
19The next day, Elkanah got up and went with his family to show respect and pray to God once again. Then they went home to Ramah. Then Elkanah slept with his wife, Hannah, like married people do together.
But God didn’t forget that Hannah asked for a boy. 20Some time later, she really did have a little boy, and she named him Samuel. That name means God heard. She said, “I asked God for him, and he heard me, so I’ll name him Samuel.”
Hannah promised to give the boy Samuel to God
21A year later Elkanah went with his family to Shiloh as usual, to show respect to God, and to burn meat and give it to him. You see, long before Elkanah promised to do that, so he wanted to keep on doing it. 22But his wife Hannah stayed at home. She said, “My baby is still drinking my milk. After he stops drinking my milk, I will take him to Shiloh to give him to God. Then he will stay at that place all the time.”
23Elkanah said, “All right, if you like, stay here until your baby stops drinking your milk. After that, God will help you to keep your promise.” So Hannah stayed home with her little boy while he was still drinking her milk.
24Some time later, when the boy was bigger, he stopped drinking her milk. Elkanah went with his family as usual to God’s ceremony house at Shiloh. Hannah and her son went too. They took a big bull, a bag of flour and a big leather water bag full of wine. 25Elkanah and Hannah killed the bull and burned it for God. Then they took the boy to Eli, the old man that looked after God’s ceremonies. 26Hannah said to him, “Old man, do you remember me? A long time ago, I stood here with you. You heard the way I cried and prayed to God. 27I wanted a little boy, and God heard me. He let me have this one, just like I asked. 28Now I want to give him to God. He will work for God until he gets old.” After she told him that, they showed respect to God.
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1 Samuel 1: PEV
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1 Samuel 1
1
1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2He had two wives. The name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD#1:3 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “Lord” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name. of Hosts in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to the LORD, were there. 4When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters; 5but he gave a double portion to Hannah, for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had shut up her womb. 6Her rival provoked her severely, to irritate her, because the LORD had shut up her womb. 7So year by year, when she went up to the LORD’s house, her rival provoked her. Therefore she wept, and didn’t eat. 8Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why don’t you eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
9 So Hannah rose up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the LORD’s temple. 10She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly. 11She vowed a vow, and said, “LORD of Hosts, if you will indeed look at the affliction of your servant and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a boy, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head.”
12 As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli saw her mouth. 13Now Hannah spoke in her heart. Only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 14Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Get rid of your wine!”
15 Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have not been drinking wine or strong drink, but I poured out my soul before the LORD. 16Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman; for I have been speaking out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation.”
17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; and may the God#1:17 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim). of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him.”
18 She said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate; and her facial expression wasn’t sad any more.
19 They rose up in the morning early and worshiped the LORD, then returned and came to their house to Ramah. Then Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
20 When the time had come, Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she named him Samuel,#1:20 Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for “heard by God.” saying, “Because I have asked him of the LORD.”
21 The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow. 22But Hannah didn’t go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and stay there forever.”
23Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only may the LORD establish his word.”
So the woman waited and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, and one efah#1:24 1 efah is about 22 liters or about 2/3 of a bushel of meal, and a container of wine, and brought him to the LORD’s house in Shiloh. The child was young. 25They killed the bull, and brought the child to Eli. 26She said, “Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD. 27I prayed for this child, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of him. 28Therefore I have also given him to the LORD. As long as he lives he is given to the LORD.” He worshiped the LORD there.
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