Shemu’ĕl Aleph (1 Samuel) 1

1And there was a certain man of Ramathayim Tsophim, of the mountains of Ephrayim, and his name was Elqanah son of Yeroḥam, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Tsuph, an Ephrayimite.

2And he had two wives, the name of one was Ḥannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Ḥannah had no children.

3Now this man went up from his city year by year to worship and to slaughter to יהוה of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Ěli, Ḥophni and Pineḥas, the priests of יהוה, were there.

4And when the day came for Elqanah to make a slaughtering, he gave portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters,

5but, although he loved Ḥannah, he gave only one portion to Ḥannah, because יהוה had shut up her womb.

6Moreover, her rival also provoked her greatly, to make her irritable, because יהוה had shut up her womb.

7And so he did, year by year. Whenever she went up to the House of יהוה, she was provoked, so that she wept and did not eat.

8And her husband Elqanah said to her, “Ḥannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

9And Ḥannah rose up after eating and drinking in Shiloh, while Ěli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the Hĕḵal of יהוה.

10And she was bitter in life, and prayed to יהוה and wept greatly.

11And she made a vow and said, “O יהוה of hosts, if You would indeed look on the affliction of your female servant and remember me, and not forget your female servant, but shall give your female servant a male child, then I shall give him to יהוה all the days of his life, and let no razor come upon his head.”

12And it came to be, as she kept on praying before יהוה, that Ěli was watching her mouth.

13And Ḥannah spoke in her heart, only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. So Ěli thought she was drunk.

14Then Ěli said to her, “How long are you going to be drunk? Put your wine away from you!”

15And Ḥannah answered and said, “No, my master, I am a woman pained in spirit. And I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my being before יהוה.

16“Do not take your female servant for a daughter of Beliya‛al, for it is out of my great concern and provocation that I have spoken until now.”

17And Ěli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl give you your petition which you have asked of Him.”

18And she said, “Let your female servant find favour in your eyes.” And the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no more sad.

19And they rose up early in the morning and worshipped before יהוה, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elqanah knew Ḥannah his wife, and יהוה remembered her.

20And it came to be at the turn of days, that Ḥannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Shemu’ĕl, “Because I have asked יהוה for him.”

21And the man Elqanah and all his house went up to slaughter to יהוה the yearly slaughtering and his vow.

22But Ḥannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “When the child is weaned, then I shall take him. And he shall appear before יהוה and remain forever there.”

23And her husband Elqanah said to her, “Do what is good in your eyes. Remain until you have weaned him. Only let יהוה establish His word.” And the woman remained and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

24And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls,#DSS read a ‘one three year old bull’. See also Gen. 15:9 and one ĕphah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the House of יהוה in Shiloh. And the child was young.

25And they slew a bull, and brought the child to Ěli.

26And she said, “O my master! As your being lives, my master, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to יהוה.

27“I prayed for this youth, and יהוה has granted me what I asked of Him.

28“So I have also loaned him to יהוה. All the days that he lives he shall be loaned to יהוה.” And he worshipped there before יהוה.

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Shemu’ĕl Aleph (1 Samuel) 1: TS2009

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1 Samuel 1

The birth of Samuel

1There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite#1:1 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 6:26-27,33-35; or from Ramathaim Zuphim. from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

3Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. 4Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. 6Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7This 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. 8Her 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?’

9Once 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. 10In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11And she made a vow, saying, ‘Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember 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, and no razor will ever be used on his head.’

12As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14and 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. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. 16Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.’

17Eli answered, ‘Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.’

18She said, ‘May your servant find favour in your eyes.’ Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

19Early the next morning they arose and worshipped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 20So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,#1:20 Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for heard by God. saying, ‘Because I asked the Lord for him.’

Hannah dedicates Samuel

21When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfil his vow, 22Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, ‘After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.’#1:22 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls always. I have dedicated him as a Nazirite – all the days of his life.’

23‘Do what seems best to you,’ her husband Elkanah told her. ‘Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good his#1:23 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint and Syriac your word.’ So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

24After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,#1:24 Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint and Syriac; Masoretic Text with three bulls an ephah#1:24 That is, probably about 16 kilograms of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26and 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. 27I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he shall be given over to the Lord.’ And he worshipped the Lord there.

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