The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Samuel 01
1 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 He had two wives. The name of one
was Hannah, and the name of the other
Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but
Hannah had no children.
3 This man went up out of his city from
year to year to worship and to sacrifice
to Yahweh† of Armies in Shiloh. The two
sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to
Yahweh, were there.
4 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave portions to Peninnah his
wife and to all her sons and her daughters;
5 but he gave a double portion to Hannah, for he loved Hannah, but Yahweh had
shut up her womb.
6 Her rival provoked her severely, to irritate her, because Yahweh had shut up her
womb.
7 So year by year, when she went up to
Yahweh’s house, her rival provoked her.
Therefore she wept, and didn’t eat.
8 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why don’t you eat?
Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better
to you than ten sons?”
9 So Hannah rose up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now
Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the
doorpost of Yahweh’s temple.
10 She was in bitterness of soul, and
prayed to Yahweh, weeping bitterly.
11 She vowed a vow, and said, “Yahweh
of Armies, if you will indeed look at the
affliction of your servant and remember
me, and not forget your servant, but will
give to your servant a boy, then I will give
him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and
no razor shall come on his head.”
12 As she continued praying before Yahweh, Eli saw her mouth.
13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart. Only
her lips moved, but her voice was not
heard. Therefore Eli thought she was
drunk.
14 Eli said to her, “How long will you be
drunk? Get rid of your wine!”
15 Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am
a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have not
been drinking wine or strong drink, but I
poured out my soul before Yahweh.
16 Don’t consider your servant a wicked
woman; for I have been speaking out of
the abundance of my complaint and my
provocation.”
17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; and
may the God‡ of Israel grant your petition
that you have asked of him.”
18 She said, “Let your servant find favor
in your sight.” So the woman went her way
and ate; and her facial expression wasn’t
sad any more.
19 They rose up in the morning early and
worshiped Yahweh, then returned and
came to their house to Ramah. Then Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and Yahweh
remembered her.
20 When the timehadcome, Hannahconceived, and bore a son; and she named him
Samuel,§ saying, “Because I have asked
him of Yahweh.”
21 The man Elkanah, and all his house,
went up to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice and his vow.
22 But Hannah didn’t go up, for she said
to her husband, “Not until the child is
weaned; then I will bring him, that he
may appear before Yahweh, and stay there
forever.”
23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do
what seems good to you. Wait until you
have weaned him; only may Yahweh establish his word.”
So the woman waited and nursed her
son until she weaned him.
24 When she had weaned him, she took
him up with her, with three bulls, and
one ephah† of meal, and a container of
wine, and brought him to Yahweh’s house
in Shiloh. The child was young.
25 They killed the bull, and brought the
child to Eli.
26 She said, “Oh, my lord, as your soul
lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood
by you here, praying to Yahweh.
27 I prayed for this child, and Yahweh has
given me my petition which I asked of him.
28 Therefore I have also given him to
Yahweh. As long as he lives he is given to
Yahweh.” He worshiped Yahweh there.