1 Samuel, 1

1. There was a man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the highlands of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

1. There was a certain man of Ramatha'im-zo'phim of the hill country of E'phraim, whose name was Elka'nah the son of Jero'ham, son of Eli'hu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an E'phraimite.

2. He had two wives, one called Hannah, the other Peninnah; Peninnah had children but Hannah had none.

2. He had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Penin'nah. And Penin'nah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3. Every year this man used to go up from his town to worship, and to sacrifice to Yahweh Sabaoth at Shiloh. (The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there as priests of Yahweh.)

3. Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phin'ehas, were priests of the LORD.

4. One day Elkanah offered a sacrifice. Now he used to give portions to Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters;

4. On the day when Elka'nah sacrificed, he would give portions to Penin'nah his wife and to all her sons and daughters;

5. to Hannah, however, he would give only one portion: for, although he loved Hannah more, Yahweh had made her barren.

5. and, although he loved Hannah, he would give Hannah only one portion, because the LORD had closed her womb.

6. Furthermore, her rival would taunt and provoke her, because Yahweh had made her womb barren.

6. And her rival used to provoke her sorely, to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb.

7. And this went on year after year; every time they went up to the temple of Yahweh she used to taunt her. On that day she wept and would not eat anything;

7. So it went on year by year; as often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat.

8. so her husband Elkanah said, 'Hannah, why are you crying? Why are you not eating anything? Why are you so sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?'

8. And Elka'nah, her husband, said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?"

9. When they had finished eating in the room, Hannah got up and stood before Yahweh. Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the temple of Yahweh.

9. After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.

10. In the bitterness of her soul she prayed to Yahweh with many tears,

10. She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD, and wept bitterly.

11. and she made this vow, 'Yahweh Sabaoth! Should you condescend to notice the humiliation of your servant and keep her in mind instead of disregarding your servant, and give her a boy, I will give him to Yahweh for the whole of his life and no razor shall ever touch his head.'

11. And she vowed a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy maidservant, and remember me, and not forget thy maidservant, but wilt give to thy maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head."

12. While she went on praying to Yahweh, Eli was watching her mouth,

12. As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli observed her mouth.

13. for Hannah was speaking under her breath; her lips were moving but her voice could not be heard, and Eli thought that she was drunk.

13. Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard; therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman.

14. Eli said, 'How much longer are you going to stay drunk? Get rid of your wine.'

14. And Eli said to her, "How long will you be drunken? Put away your wine from you."

15. 'No, my lord,' Hannah replied, 'I am a woman in great trouble; I have not been drinking wine or strong drink -- I am pouring out my soul before Yahweh.

15. But Hannah answered, "No, my lord, I am a woman sorely troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD.

16. Do not take your servant for a worthless woman; all this time I have been speaking from the depth of my grief and my resentment.'

16. Do not regard your maidservant as a base woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation."

17. Eli then replied, 'Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant what you have asked of him.'

17. Then Eli answered, "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have made to him."

18. To which she said, 'May your servant find favour in your sight.' With that, the woman went away; she began eating and was dejected no longer.

18. And she said, "Let your maidservant find favor in your eyes." Then the woman went her way and ate, and her countenance was no longer sad.

19. They got up early in the morning and, after worshipping Yahweh, set out and went home to Ramah. Elkanah lay with his wife Hannah, and Yahweh remembered her.

19. They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elka'nah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her;

20. Hannah conceived and, in due course, gave birth to a son, whom she named Samuel, 'since', she said, 'I asked Yahweh for him.'

20. and in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, "I have asked him of the LORD."

21. Elkanah, the husband, went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to Yahweh and to fulfil his vow.

21. And the man Elka'nah and all his house went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and to pay his vow.

22. However, Hannah did not go up, having said to her husband, 'Not before the child has been weaned. Then I shall bring him and present him before Yahweh and he will stay there for ever.'

22. But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, "As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, that he may appear in the presence of the LORD, and abide there for ever."

23. Elkanah her husband then said to her, 'Do what you think fit; wait until you have weaned him. May Yahweh bring about what he has said.' So the woman stayed behind and nursed her child until she weaned him.

23. Elka'nah her husband said to her, "Do what seems best to you, wait until you have weaned him; only, may the LORD establish his word." So the woman remained and nursed her son, until she weaned him.

24. When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, as well as a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and took him into the temple of Yahweh at Shiloh; the child was very young.

24. And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine; and she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh; and the child was young.

25. They sacrificed the bull and led the child to Eli.

25. Then they slew the bull, and they brought the child to Eli.

26. She said, 'If you please, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood beside you here, praying to Yahweh.

26. And she said, "Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the LORD.

27. This is the child for which I was praying, and Yahweh has granted me what I asked of him.

27. For this child I prayed; and the LORD has granted me my petition which I made to him.

28. Now I make him over to Yahweh for the whole of his life. He is made over to Yahweh.' They then worshipped Yahweh there.

28. Therefore I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD." And they worshiped the LORD there.