1 T here was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of the hill-country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite:

2 H e had two wives. The name of one was Hannah. The name of the other was Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

and he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 T his man would go from his city each year to worship and to give gifts on the altar in Shiloh to the Lord of All. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were the Lord’s religious leaders there.

And this man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice unto Jehovah of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests unto Jehovah, were there.

4 O n the day when Elkanah killed animals on the altar in worship, he would give part of the gift to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.

And when the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:

5 B ut he would give twice as much to Hannah, for he loved Hannah. But the Lord had made it so she could not have children.

but unto Hannah he gave a double portion; for he loved Hannah, but Jehovah had shut up her womb.

6 P eninnah would try to make her very angry, because the Lord would not let her have children.

And her rival provoked her sore, to make her fret, because Jehovah had shut up her womb.

7 S o it happened, year after year, each time Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, Peninnah would make her angry. Hannah cried and would not eat.

And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of Jehovah, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

8 T hen her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why are you crying? Why are you not eating, and why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” Hannah and Eli

And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

9 T hen Hannah stood up after they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh. Eli the religious leader was sitting on the seat by the door of the house of the Lord.

So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by the door-post of the temple of Jehovah.

10 H annah was very troubled. She prayed to the Lord and cried with sorrow.

And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto Jehovah, and wept sore.

11 T hen she made a promise and said, “O Lord of All, be sure to look on the trouble of Your woman servant, and remember me. Do not forget Your woman servant, but give me a son. If You will, then I will give him to the Lord all his life. And no hair will ever be cut from his head.”

And she vowed a vow, and said, O Jehovah of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a man-child, then I will give him unto Jehovah all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

12 W hile she kept praying to the Lord, Eli was watching her mouth.

And it came to pass, as she continued praying before Jehovah, that Eli marked her mouth.

13 H annah was speaking in her heart. Her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she had drunk too much.

Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

14 E li said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put wine away from you.”

And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

15 B ut Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have not drunk wine or strong drink, but I was pouring out my soul to the Lord.

And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Jehovah.

16 D o not think of your woman servant as a woman of no worth. For I have been speaking out of much trouble and pain in my spirit.”

Count not thy handmaid for a wicked woman; for out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation have I spoken hitherto.

17 T hen Eli answered, “Go in peace. May the God of Israel do what you have asked of Him.”

Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

18 A nd Hannah said, “Let your woman servant find favor in your eyes.” So she went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. Samuel Is Born

And she said, Let thy handmaid find favor in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat; and her countenance was no more sad.

19 T he family got up early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord. Then they returned to their house in Ramah. Elkanah lay with his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.

And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before Jehovah, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and Jehovah remembered her.

20 T he Lord made it possible for her to have a child, and when the time came she gave birth to a son. She gave him the name Samuel, saying, “I have asked the Lord for him.”

And it came to pass, when the time was come about, that Hannah conceived, and bare a son; and she called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of Jehovah.

21 T hen Elkanah went up with all those of his house to give the Lord the gift on the altar in worship as he did each year, and to pay what he had promised.

And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto Jehovah the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

22 B ut Hannah did not go. For she said to her husband, “I will not go up until the child no longer needs to be nursed. Then I will bring him before the Lord, to stay there forever.”

But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned; and then I will bring him, that he may appear before Jehovah, and there abide for ever.

23 E lkanah her husband said to her, “Do what you think is best. Stay here until he no longer needs to be nursed. Only may the Lord do as He has said.” So Hannah stayed and nursed her son until he no longer needed to be nursed.

And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only Jehovah establish his word. So the woman tarried and gave her son suck, until she weaned him.

24 W hen she had finished nursing him, she took him with her to the house of the Lord in Shiloh, and the child was young.

And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of Jehovah in Shiloh: and the child was young.

25 S he brought a three year old bull, one basket of flour and a jar of wine also. Then they killed the bull, and brought the boy to Eli.

And they slew the bullock, and brought the child to Eli.

26 H annah said, “O, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord.

And she said, Oh, my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto Jehovah.

27 I prayed for this boy, and the Lord has given me what I asked of Him.

For this child I prayed; and Jehovah hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

28 S o I have given him to the Lord. He is given to the Lord as long as he lives.” And they worshiped the Lord there.

therefore also I have granted him to Jehovah; as long as he liveth he is granted to Jehovah. And he worshipped Jehovah there.