New International Version | NET Bible |
1There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. | 1There was a man from Ramathaim Zophim, from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. |
2He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. | 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 was childless. |
3Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the LORD Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the LORD. | 3Year after year this man would go up from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts at Shiloh. It was there that the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, served as the LORD's priests. |
4Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. | 4Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he used to give meat portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. |
5But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb. | 5But he would give a double portion to Hannah, because he especially loved her. Now the LORD had not enabled her to have children. |
6Because the LORD had closed Hannah's womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. | 6Her rival wife used to upset her and make her worry, for the LORD had not enabled her to have children. |
7This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. | 7Peninnah would behave this way year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the LORD's house, Peninnah would upset her so that she would weep and refuse to eat. |
8Her husband Elkanah would say to her, "Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?" | 8Finally her husband Elkanah said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep and not eat? Why are you so sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?" |
9Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the LORD's house. | 9On one occasion in Shiloh, after they had finished eating and drinking, Hannah got up. (Now at the time Eli the priest was sitting in his chair by the doorpost of the LORD's temple.) |
10In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly. | 10She was very upset as she prayed to the LORD, and she was weeping uncontrollably. |
11And she made a vow, saying, "LORD Almighty, if you will only look on your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head." | 11She made a vow saying, "O LORD of hosts, if you will look with compassion on the suffering of your female servant, remembering me and not forgetting your servant, and give a male child to your servant, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life. His hair will never be cut." |
12As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. | 12As she continued praying to the LORD, Eli was watching her mouth. |
13Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk | 13Now Hannah was speaking from her heart. Although her lips were moving, her voice was inaudible. Eli therefore thought she was drunk. |
14and said to her, "How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine." | 14So he said to her, "How often do you intend to get drunk? Put away your wine!" |
15"Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. | 15But Hannah replied, "That's not the way it is, my lord! I am under a great deal of stress. I have drunk neither wine nor beer. Rather, I have poured out my soul to the LORD. |
16Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief." | 16Don't consider your servant a wicked woman, for until now I have spoken from my deep pain and anguish." |
17Eli answered, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him." | 17Eli replied, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked of him." |
18She said, "May your servant find favor in your eyes." Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast. | 18She said, "May I, your servant, find favor in your sight." So the woman went her way and got something to eat. Her face no longer looked sad. |
19Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the LORD and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. | 19They got up early the next morning and after worshiping the LORD, they returned to their home at Ramah. Elkanah had marital relations with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. |
20So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, "Because I asked the LORD for him." | 20After some time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, thinking, "I asked the LORD for him. |
21When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow, | 21This man Elkanah went up with all his family to make the yearly sacrifice to the LORD and to keep his vow, |
22Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, "After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the LORD, and he will live there always." | 22but Hannah did not go up with them. Instead she told her husband, "Once the boy is weaned, I will bring him and appear before the LORD, and he will remain there from then on." |
23"Do what seems best to you," her husband Elkanah told her. "Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the LORD make good his word." So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him. | 23So her husband Elkanah said to her, "Do what you think best. Stay until you have weaned him. May the LORD fulfill his promise." So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him. |
24After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. | 24Once she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with three bulls, an ephah of flour, and a container of wine. She brought him to the LORD's house at Shiloh, even though he was young. |
25When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, | 25Once the bull had been slaughtered, they brought the boy to Eli. |
26and she said to him, "Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. | 26She said, "Just as surely as you are alive, my lord, I am the woman who previously stood here with you in order to pray to the LORD. |
27I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. | 27I prayed for this boy, and the LORD has given me the request that I asked of him. |
28So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD." And he worshiped the LORD there. | 28Now I dedicate him to the LORD. From this time on he is dedicated to the LORD." Then they worshiped the LORD there. |
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