1 Samuel 1
1
Samuel’s birth
1Now there was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite#1.1 LXX; MT Ramathaim-zophim from the highlands of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah. He was from the tribe of Ephraim, and he was the son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph. 2Elkanah had two wives, one named Hannah and the other named Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah didn’t.
3Every year this man would leave his town to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of heavenly forces in Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons Hophni and Phinehas were the LORD’s priests. 4Whenever he sacrificed, Elkanah would give parts of the sacrifice to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5But he would give only one part of it to Hannah, though he loved her, because the LORD had kept her from conceiving.#1.5 Heb uncertain; Syr But he would give a double portion to Hannah, because he loved her, though the LORD had kept her from conceiving. 6And because the LORD had kept Hannah from conceiving, her rival would make fun of her mercilessly, just to bother her. 7So that is what took place year after year. Whenever Hannah went to the Lord’s house, Peninnah would make fun of her. Then she would cry and wouldn’t eat anything.
8“Hannah, why are you crying?” her husband Elkanah would say to her. “Why won’t you eat? Why are you#1.8 Or your heart so sad? Aren’t I worth more to you than ten sons?”
9One time, after eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah got up and presented herself before the LORD.#1.9 LXX; MT lacks presented herself before the LORD. (Now Eli the priest was sitting in the chair by the doorpost of the LORD’s temple.) 10Hannah was very upset and couldn’t stop crying as she prayed to the LORD. 11Then she made this promise: “LORD of heavenly forces, just look at your servant’s pain and remember me! Don’t forget your servant! Give her a boy! Then I’ll give him to the LORD for his entire life. No razor will ever touch his head.”
12As she kept praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth. 13Now Hannah was praying in her heart; her lips were moving, but her voice was silent, so Eli thought she was drunk.
14“How long will you act like a drunk? Sober up!” Eli told her.
15“No sir!” Hannah replied. “I’m just a very sad woman. I haven’t had any wine or beer but have been pouring out my heart to the LORD. 16Don’t think your servant is some good-for-nothing woman. This whole time I’ve been praying out of my great worry and trouble!”
17Eli responded, “Then go in peace. And may the God of Israel give you what you’ve asked from him.”
18“Please think well of me, your servant,” Hannah said. Then the woman went on her way, ate some food, and wasn’t sad any longer.#1.18 LXX; MT lacks sad.
19They got up early the next morning and worshipped the LORD. Then they went back home to Ramah. Elkanah had sex with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. 20So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, which means “I asked the LORD for him.”#1.20 Samuel means God has heard but here is connected to the Heb verb to ask.
Samuel’s dedication
21When Elkanah and all his household went up to make the annual sacrifice and keep his solemn promise, 22Hannah didn’t go.
“I’ll bring the boy when he is weaned,” she told her husband, “so he can be presented to the LORD and stay there permanently. I will offer him as a nazirite forever.”#1.22 DSS (4QSama); MT lacks I will offer… forever.
23“Do what seems best to you,” said her husband Elkanah. “Stay here until you’ve weaned him. But may the LORD bring to pass what you’ve#1.23 LXX, DSS (4QSama); MT he promised.” So the woman stayed home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.
24When he had been weaned and was still very young,#1.24 Or and the boy was a boy; Heb uncertain Hannah took him, along with a three-year-old bull, #1.24 LXX, DSS (4QSama), Syr; MT three bulls an ephah#1.24 An ephah was approximately twenty quarts. of flour, and a jar of wine, and brought him to the LORD’s house at Shiloh. 25They slaughtered the bull, then brought the boy to Eli.
26“Excuse me, sir!” Hannah said. “As surely as you live, sir, I am the woman who stood here next to you, praying to the LORD. 27I prayed for this boy, and the LORD gave me what I asked from him. 28So now I give this boy back to the LORD. As long as he lives, he is given to the LORD.”
Then they worshipped there before the LORD.#1.28 Some Heb manuscripts, Syr, Vulg; MT he(Eli?) worshipped; DSS (4QSama) and she (Hannah) left him there and worshipped the LORD.
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1 Samuel 1: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
1 Kings 1
1
1There was a man of Ramathaimsophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elcana, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliu, the son of Thohu, the son of Suph, an Ephraimite.
2And he had two wives, the name of one was Anna, and the name of the other Phenenna. Phenenna had children: but Anna had no children.
3And this man went up out of his city upon the appointed days, to adore and to offer sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Silo. And the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were there priests of the Lord.
4Now the day came, and Elcana offered sacrifice, and gave to Phenenna his wife, and to all her sons and daughters, portions.
5But to Anna he gave one portion with sorrow, because he loved Anna. And the Lord had shut up her womb.
6Her rival also afflicted her, and troubled her exceedingly, insomuch that she upbraided her, that the Lord had shut up her womb.
7And thus she did every year, when the time returned that they went up to the temple of the Lord; and thus she provoked her. But Anna wept, and did not eat.
8Then Elcana her husband said to her: Anna, why weepest thou? And why dost thou not eat? And why dost thou afflict thy heart? Am not I better to thee than ten children?
9So Anna arose after she had eaten and drunk in Silo. And, Heli the priest sitting upon a stool before the door of the temple of the Lord,
10As Anna had her heart full of grief, she prayed to the Lord, shedding many tears.
11And she made a vow, saying: O Lord, of hosts if thou wilt look down on the affliction of thy servant, and wilt be mindful of me, and not forget thy handmaid, and wilt give to thy servant a man child: I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.
12And it came to pass, as she multiplied prayers before the Lord, that Heli observed her mouth.
13Now Anna spoke in her heart, and only her lips moved: but her voice was not heard at all. Heli therefore thought her to be drunk,
14And said to her: How long wilt thou be drunk? Digest a little the wine, of which thou hast taken too much.
15Anna answering, said: Not so, my lord: for I am an exceeding unhappy woman, and have drunk neither wine nor any strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord.
16Count not thy handmaid for one of the daughters of Belial: for out of the abundance of my sorrow and grief have I spoken till now.
17Then Heli said to her: Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition, which thou hast asked of him.
18And she said: Would to God thy handmaid may find grace in thy eyes. So the woman went on her way, and ate, and her countenance was no more changed.
19And they rose in the morning, and worshipped before the Lord: and they returned, and came into their house at Ramatha. And Elcana knew Anna his wife: and the Lord remembered her.
20And it came to pass when the time was come about, Anna conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel: because she had asked him of the Lord.
21And Elcana her husband went up, and all his house, to offer to the Lord the solemn sacrifice, and his vow.
22But Anna went not up. For she said to her husband: I will not go till the child be weaned, and till I may carry him, that he may appear before the Lord, and may abide always there.
23And Elcana her husband said to her: Do what seemeth good to thee, and stay till thou wean him; and I pray that the Lord may fulfil his word. So the woman stayed at home, and gave her son suck, till she weaned him.
24And after she had weaned him, she carried him with her, with three calves, and three bushels of flour, and a bottle of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord in Silo. Now the child was as yet very young.
25And they immolated a calf, and offered the child to Heli.
26And Anna said: I beseech thee, my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord: I am that woman who stood before thee here praying to the Lord.
27For this child did I pray, and the Lord hath granted me my petition, which I asked of him.
28Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord. All the days of his life he shall be lent to the Lord. And they adored the Lord there. And Anna prayed, and said:
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.