1 Samuel 1
1
The Family of Elkanah
1There was a certain man from Ramathaim Zophim, from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.#Or “Ephrathite” 2He had two wives; the name of the first was Hannah, and the name of the second was Peninnah. Now Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3Now this man used to go up from his town year by year#Literally “from days to days” to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of hosts in Shiloh, where#Literally “and there” the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to Yahweh. 4On#Literally “And it happened on” the day Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5But to Hannah he would give a double portion,#Literally “a portion of two faces” because he loved Hannah, though Yahweh had closed her womb. 6(Now her rival wife would provoke her severely in order to upset her because Yahweh had closed her womb.) 7And so he used to do#So Hebrew; because of the abrupt change of subject some revocalize the verb to read “it used to be” year after year; whenever#Or “as often as”; literally “from enough” she went up to the house of Yahweh, she#That is, Penninah would provoke her so that she#That is, Hannah would weep and would not eat. 8So Elkanah her husband would say to her: “Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat? And why are you heartsick?#Literally “why is your heart evil” Am I not better to you than ten sons?” 9Then Hannah got up after eating and drinking at Shiloh. (Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the temple#This is not the temple of Solomon (ca. 966 bc), but rather the tabernacle that first resided at Shiloh after the conquest of Joshua. of Yahweh.) 10She was deeply troubled,#Literally “bitter of soul” so she prayed to Yahweh and wept bitterly. 11She made a vow#Literally “vowed a vow” and said: “O Yahweh of hosts, if you will look with compassion on the misery of your female servant, and will remember me, and not forget your female servant, and will give to your female servant a male child#Literally “an offspring of men” then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and a razor will never pass over his head.”#“A razor will never pass over his head” indicates that Hannah promised to dedicate her son to Yahweh as a Nazirite, according to the terms of Num 6:1–21 12While#Literally “And it happened that when” she continued to pray before Yahweh, Eli was observing her mouth. 13Now Hannah had been speaking in her heart; her lips were moving, but her voice could not be heard, so Eli considered her to be drunk. 14Then Eli said to her, “How long will you behave like someone who is drunk? Put away your wine!” 15But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord. I am a woman deeply distressed,#Literally “difficult of spirit” but I have not drunk wine or strong drink. Rather, I have poured out my soul before Yahweh. 16Do not regard your female servant as worthless,#Literally “as a daughter of Belial/daughter of worthlessness” but because of the extent of my worries and my provocation I have spoken all of this.” 17Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your request that you have asked of him.” 18And she said, “May your female slave find favor in your sight.” Then the woman went on her way and ate something, and her face did not look sad any longer.#Literally “her faces were not for her any longer”
The Birth of Samuel
19Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before Yahweh and returned#Literally “and they returned and went” to their house at Ramah. Then Elkanah had sexual relations with#Literally “knew” Hannah his wife, and Yahweh remembered her. 20In due time,#Literally “At the turning of the days” Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She called his name Samuel, for she said, “I requested him from Yahweh.”
21So the man Elkanah went up with all his household to make the annual sacrifice#Literally “to sacrifice the sacrifice of days” to Yahweh and to pay his vow. 22But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “Once the boy is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear before Yahweh; and he will remain there forever.” 23So her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do what seems right to you;#Literally “do what is good in your eyes” stay until you wean him. Only may Yahweh fulfill his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24Then she brought him up with her when she had weaned him, along with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin#Or “a clay jar” of wine. She brought him to the house of Yahweh at Shiloh while the boy was still young. 25They slaughtered the bull, and they brought the boy to Eli. 26She said, “Excuse me, my lord. As you live,#Literally “your soul lives” my lord, I am the woman who stood with you in this place to pray to Yahweh. 27I prayed for this boy, and Yahweh has given me my request that I asked from him. 28I in turn have lent him to Yahweh. As long as he lives#Literally “All the days that he lives” he is lent to Yahweh.” Then they worshiped Yahweh there.
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1 Samuel 1: LEB
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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.