1 Samuel 1

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

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

3Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of Armies at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of Yahweh.

4On the day when 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, because he loved Hannah, though Yahweh had closed her womb.

6Her rival would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because Yahweh had closed her womb.

7So it went year after year. Whenever she went up to the house of Yahweh, the other woman provoked her, and she would weep and not eat.

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

9After she had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah got up. Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of Yahweh.

10She was deeply distressed, and she prayed to Yahweh and wept bitterly.

11She made a vow and said, “Yahweh of Armies, if you will look on the misery of your servant and remember me, and not forget your servant but give your servant a son, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and no razor will ever touch his head.”

12As she kept on praying before Yahweh, Eli was watching her mouth.

13Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips were moving, and her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk.

14Eli said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine!”

15Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled in spirit. I have not drunk wine or beer, but I have been pouring out my soul before Yahweh.

16Do not take your servant for a worthless woman. I have been speaking all this time out of my great anguish and grief.”

17Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”

18She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went on her way and ate, and her face was no longer downcast.

19They got up early in the morning and worshiped before Yahweh, and then they went back home to Ramah. Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and Yahweh remembered her.

20In due time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, because she said, “I asked Yahweh for him.”

21The man Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice and to fulfill 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 stay there for good.”

23Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do what seems best to you. Stay here until you have weaned him. Only may Yahweh confirm his word.” So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she weaned him.

24When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with three bulls, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of Yahweh at Shiloh. The boy was still young.

25They slaughtered the bull, and they brought the boy to Eli.

26She said, “Please, my lord! As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to Yahweh.

27I prayed for this boy, and Yahweh has granted me what I asked of him.

28So I in turn have lent him to Yahweh. For as long as he lives, he is lent to Yahweh.” Then he worshiped Yahweh there.