1 Samuel 1
1
The Birth of Samuel
1There was a certain man of #[ver. 19] Ramathaim-zophim of #See Josh. 24:33 the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, #[1 Kgs. 11:26]an Ephrathite. 2He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3Now this man used to go up #ver. 21; Ex. 23:14; Deut. 16:16; [Luke 2:41] year by year from his city #See Deut. 12:5-7 to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts #[Josh. 18:1]at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. 4On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, #Deut. 12:17, 18; 16:11; [Neh. 8:10, 12]he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 5But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.#1:5 Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. Septuagint And, although he loved Hannah, he would give Hannah only one portion, because the Lord had closed her womb 6And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah 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 sad? #Ruth 4:15Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
9After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of #ch. 3:3the temple of the Lord. 10She was #Job 7:11; 10:1deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11And she #Gen. 28:20; Judg. 11:30 vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed #Gen. 29:32 look on the affliction of your servant and #ver. 19; [Gen. 30:22] remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, #Judg. 13:5; [Num. 6:5]and no razor shall touch his head.”
12As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 14And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 15But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but #Job 30:16; Ps. 42:4; Lam. 2:19; [Ps. 62:8]I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 16Do not regard your servant as #ch. 2:12; Judg. 19:22a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 17Then Eli answered, #ch. 20:42; Judg. 18:6; 2 Kgs. 5:19; Mark 5:34 “Go in peace, and the God of Israel #Ps. 20:4, 5grant your petition that you have made to him.” 18And she said, #Gen. 33:15; Ruth 2:13 “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman #[Eccles. 9:7]went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
19They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at #ch. 2:11; [ver. 1] Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord #ver. 11remembered her. 20And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.”#1:20 Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for heard of God
Samuel Given to the Lord
21The man Elkanah and all his house #ver. 3went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. 22But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the Lord #ver. 11, 28; [ch. 2:11, 18; 3:1]and dwell there forever.” 23#[Num. 30:7] Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; #2 Sam. 7:25only, may the Lord establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24And when she had weaned him, #Deut. 12:5, 6, 11 she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull,#1:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint, Syriac; Masoretic Text three bulls an ephah#1:24 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to #ver. 3, 9; [Josh. 18:1]the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young. 25Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. 26And she said, “Oh, my lord! #ch. 17:55; 20:3; 2 Sam. 11:11; 2 Kgs. 2:2, 4, 6; 4:30As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. 27For this child I prayed, #ver. 17; [Ps. 6:9]and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.”
#
Gen. 24:26, 52 And he worshiped the Lord there.
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1 Samuel 1: ESV
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1 Samuel 1
1
Hannah Asks the Lord for a Child
1Elkanah lived in Ramah,#1.1 Ramah: The Hebrew has “Ramathaim,” a longer form of “Ramah” (see verse 19). a town in the hill country of Ephraim. His great-great-grandfather was Zuph, so Elkanah was a member of the Zuph clan of the Ephraim tribe. Elkanah's father was Jeroham, his grandfather was Elihu, and his great-grandfather was Tohu.
2Elkanah had two wives,#1.2 two wives: Having more than one wife was allowed in those times. Hannah and Peninnah. Although Peninnah had children, Hannah did not have any.
3Once a year Elkanah traveled from his hometown to Shiloh, where he worshiped the Lord All-Powerful and offered sacrifices. Eli was the Lord's priest there, and his two sons Hophni and Phinehas served with him as priests.#1.3 Eli … priests: One ancient translation; Hebrew “Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, served the Lord as priests.”
4Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he gave some of the meat#1.4 meat: For some sacrifices, like this one, only part of the meat was burned. Some was given to the priest, and the rest was eaten by the family and guests of the worshiper (see Leviticus 3.1-17; 7.11-18). to Peninnah and some to each of her sons and daughters. 5But he gave Hannah even more, because#1.5 even more, because: One ancient translation; Hebrew “only one; he.” he loved Hannah very much, even though the Lord had kept her from having children of her own.
6Peninnah liked to make Hannah feel miserable about not having any children, 7especially when the family went to the house of the Lord#1.7 house of the Lord: Another name for the place of worship at Shiloh, which still may have been the sacred tent at this time. each year.
One day, Elkanah was there offering a sacrifice, when Hannah began crying and refused to eat. 8So Elkanah asked, “Hannah, why are you crying? Why won't you eat? Why do you feel so bad? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?”
9When the sacrifice had been offered, and they had eaten the meal, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli was sitting in his chair near the door to the place of worship. 10Hannah was heartbroken and was crying as she prayed, 11#Nu 6.5. “Lord All-Powerful, I am your servant, but I am so miserable! Please let me have a son. I promise to give him to you for as long as he lives, and his hair will never be cut.”#1.11 his hair … cut: Never cutting the child's hair would be a sign that he would belong to the Lord (see Numbers 6.1,21, especially verse 5).
12-13Hannah prayed silently to the Lord for a long time. But her lips were moving, and Eli thought she was drunk. 14“How long are you going to stay drunk?” he asked. “Sober up!”
15-16“Sir, please don't think I'm no good!” Hannah answered. “I'm not drunk, and I haven't been drinking. But I do feel miserable and terribly upset. I've been praying all this time, telling the Lord about my problems.”
17Eli replied, “Go home. Everything will be fine. The God of Israel will answer your prayer.”
18“Sir, thank you for being so kind to me,” Hannah said. Then she left, and after eating something, she felt much better.
Samuel Is Born
19Elkanah and his family got up early the next morning and worshiped the Lord. Then they went back home to Ramah. Later the Lord blessed Elkanah and Hannah 20with a son. She named him Samuel because she had asked the Lord for him.#1.20 him: In Hebrew “Samuel” sounds something like “Someone from God” or “The name of God” or “His name is God.”
Hannah Gives Samuel to the Lord
21The next time Elkanah and his family went to offer their yearly sacrifice, he took along a gift that he had promised to give to the Lord. 22But Hannah stayed home, because she had told Elkanah, “Samuel and I won't go until he's old enough for me to stop nursing him. Then I'll give him to the Lord, and he can stay there at Shiloh for the rest of his life.”
23“You know what's best,” Elkanah said. “Stay here until it's time to stop nursing him. I'm sure the Lord will help you do what you have promised.”#1.23 the Lord … promised: The Dead Sea Scrolls and two ancient translations; the Standard Hebrew Text “the Lord will do what he said.” Hannah did not go to Shiloh until she stopped nursing Samuel.
24-25When it was the time of year to go to Shiloh again, Hannah and Elkanah#1.24,25 When it was the time of year to go to Shiloh again, Hannah and Elkanah: The Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation; the Standard Hebrew Text “she.” took Samuel to the Lord's house. They brought along a three-year-old bull,#1.24,25 a three-year-old bull: The Dead Sea Scrolls and two ancient translations; the Standard Hebrew Text “three bulls.” a sack containing about nine kilograms of flour, and a clay jar full of wine. Hannah and Elkanah offered the bull as a sacrifice, then brought the little boy to Eli.
26“Sir,” Hannah said, “a few years ago I stood here beside you and asked the Lord 27to give me a child. Here he is! The Lord gave me just what I asked for. 28Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will be the Lord's servant for as long as he lives.”
Hannah Prays
Elkanah#1.28 Elkanah: Or “They” or “Samuel.” worshiped the Lord there at Shiloh, and
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