1 Samuel 1

Revised Geneva Translation

1 There was a man of one of the two Ramathaim Zophim, of Mount Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

² And he had two wives. The name of one was Hannah and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children. But Hannah had no children.

³ And this man went up out of his city every year to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts in Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli were, Hophni and Phinehas, priests of the LORD.

⁴ And on a day when Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah, his wife, and to all her sons and daughters, portions.

⁵ But to Hannah he gave a worthy portion, for he loved Hannah and the LORD had made her barren.

⁶ And her adversary severely provoked her, trying to make her rage because the LORD had made her barren.

⁷ And so it was, as often as she went up to the House of the LORD, thus she provoked her, so that she wept and did not eat.

⁸ Then her husband, Elkanah, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart troubled? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

⁹ So Hannah rose up after they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh. And Eli the Priest sat upon a stool by one of the posts of the Temple of the LORD.

¹⁰ And she was troubled in her mind and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.

¹¹ Also she vowed a vow, and said, “O LORD of Hosts, if You will, look on the trouble of Your handmaid and remember me. And do not forget Your handmaid but give to Your handmaid a male child. Then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life. And no razor shall come upon his head.”

¹² And as she continued praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth.

¹³ For Hannah spoke in her heart. Her lips only moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore, Eli thought she was drunk.

¹⁴ And Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put away your drunkenness from you.”

¹⁵ Then Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

¹⁶ “Do not count your handmaid as a wicked woman, for of the abundance of my complaint and my grief I have spoken as of now.”

¹⁷ Then Eli answered, and said, “Go in peace. And the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.”

¹⁸ She said again, “Let your handmaid find grace in your sight.” So, the woman went her way and ate and no longer looked sad.

¹⁹ Then they rose up early and worshipped before the LORD and returned and came to their house, to Ramah. Now Elkanah knew Hannah, his wife. And the LORD remembered her.

²⁰ For in process of time, Hannah conceived and bore a son. And she called his name, Samuel, saying, “Because, I have asked for him from the LORD.”

²¹ So, the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow.

²² But Hannah did not go up; for she said to her husband, “I will wait until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, so that he may appear before the LORD and stay there forever.

²³ And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Do what seems best to you. Wait until you have weaned him. Only, may the LORD accomplish His Word.” So, the woman waited and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

²⁴ And when she had weaned him, she took him with her with three bullocks and an ephah of flour and a bottle of wine and brought him to the House of the LORD in Shiloh. And the child was young.

²⁵ And they killed a bull and brought the child to Eli.

²⁶ And she said, “Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood with you here praying to the LORD!

²⁷ “I prayed for this child; and the LORD has given me my desire which I asked of Him.

²⁸ “Therefore, I also have given him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he shall be given to the LORD.” And he worshipped the LORD there.