1 Samuel 1
1
Samuel’s Birth
1There was a man named Elkanah from Ramathaim Zophim in the mountains of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, grandson of Elihu, great-grandson of Tohu, whose father was Zuph from the tribe of Ephraim. 2Elkanah had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. 3Every year this man would go from his own city to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Armies at Shiloh. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, served there as priests of the Lord.
4Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he would give portions of it to his wife Peninnah and all her sons and daughters. 5He would also give one portion to Hannah because he loved her, even though the Lord had kept her from having children. 6Because the Lord had made her unable to have children, her rival ⌞Peninnah⌟ tormented her endlessly in order to make her miserable. 7This happened year after year. Whenever Hannah went to the Lord’s house, Peninnah would make her miserable, and Hannah would cry and not eat. 8Her husband Elkanah would ask her, “Hannah, why are you crying? Why haven’t you eaten? Why are you so downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”
9One day, after Hannah had something to eat and drink in Shiloh, she got up. (The priest Eli was sitting on a chair by the door of the Lord’s temple.) 10Though she was resentful, she prayed to the Lord while she cried. 11She made this vow, “Lord of Armies, if you will look at my misery, remember me, and give me a boy, then I will give him to you for as long as he lives. A razor will never be used on his head.” 12While Hannah was praying a long time in front of the Lord, Eli was watching her mouth. 13She was praying silently. Her voice couldn’t be heard; only her lips were moving. Eli thought she was drunk.
14“How long are you going to stay drunk?” Eli asked her. “Get rid of your wine.”
15Hannah responded, “No sir. I’m not drunk. I’m depressed. I’m pouring out my heart to the Lord. 16Don’t take me to be a good-for-nothing woman. I was praying like this because I’ve been troubled and tormented.”
17Eli replied, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your request.”
18“May you continue to be kind to me,” she said. Then the woman went her way and ate. She was no longer sad.
19Early in the morning Elkanah and his family got up and worshiped in front of the Lord. Then they returned home to Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 20Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel [God Hears], because she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”
Samuel’s Childhood
21To keep his vow, Elkanah and his entire household again went to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord. 22But Hannah didn’t go. She told her husband, “I’ll wait until the boy is weaned. Then I’ll bring him and present him to the Lord, and he’ll stay there permanently.”
23“Do what you think is best,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Wait until you’ve weaned him. May the Lord keep his word.” The woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.
24As soon as she had weaned Samuel, she took him with her. She also brought a three-year-old bull,#1:24 Dead Sea Scrolls, Greek, Latin, Syriac; Masoretic Text “three bulls.” (See verse 25.) half a bushel of flour, and a full wineskin. She brought him to the Lord’s house at Shiloh while the boy was ⌞still⌟ a child.
25Then the parents butchered the bull and brought the child to Eli. 26“Sir,” Hannah said, “as sure as you live, I’m the woman who stood here next to you and prayed to the Lord. 27I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted my request. 28In return, I am giving him to the Lord. He will be dedicated to the Lord for his whole life.”
And they worshiped the Lord there.
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1 Samuel 1: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. 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.