1 Samuel, 1

1. There was a certain man from Rama-thaim, Elkanah by name, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

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.

2. He had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah; Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.

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

3. This man regularly went on pilgrimage from his city to worship the LORD of hosts and to sacrifice to him at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were ministering as priests of the LORD.

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.)

4. When the day came for Elkanah to offer sacrifice, he used to give a portion each to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters,

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

5. but a double portion to Hannah because he loved her, though the LORD had made her barren.

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

6. Her rival, to upset her, turned it into a constant reproach to her that the LORD had left her barren.

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

7. This went on year after year; each time they made their pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the LORD, Peninnah would approach her, and Hannah would weep and refuse to eat.

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;

8. Her husband Elkanah used to ask her: "Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you refuse to eat? Why do you grieve? Am I not more to you than ten sons?"

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?'

9. Hannah rose after one such meal at Shiloh, and presented herself before the LORD; at the time, Eli the priest was sitting on a chair near the doorpost of the LORD'S temple.

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.

10. In her bitterness she prayed to the LORD, weeping copiously,

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

11. and she made a vow, promising: "O LORD of hosts, if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid, if you remember me and do not forget me, if you give your handmaid a male child, I will give him to the LORD for as long as he lives; neither wine nor liquor shall he drink, and no razor shall ever touch his head."

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.'

12. As she remained long at prayer before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth,

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

13. for Hannah was praying silently; though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli, thinking her drunk,

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.

14. said to her, "How long will you make a drunken show of yourself? Sober up from your wine!"

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

15. "It isn't that, my lord," Hannah answered. "I am an unhappy woman. I have had neither wine nor liquor; I was only pouring out my troubles to the LORD.

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.

16. Do not think your handmaid a ne'er-do-well; my prayer has been prompted by my deep sorrow and misery."

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.'

17. Eli said, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."

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

18. She replied, "Think kindly of your maidservant," and left. She went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and no longer appeared downcast.

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.

19. Early the next morning they worshiped before the LORD, and then returned to their home in Ramah. When Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, the LORD remembered her.

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.

20. She conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son whom she called Samuel, since she had asked the LORD for him.

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

21. The next time her husband Elkanah was going up with the rest of his household to offer the customary sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vows,

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

22. Hannah did not go, explaining to her husband, "Once the child is weaned, I will take him to appear before the LORD and to remain there forever; I will offer him as a perpetual nazirite."

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.'

23. Her husband Elkanah answered her: "Do what you think best; wait until you have weaned him. Only, may the LORD bring your resolve to fulfillment!" And so she remained at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

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.

24. Once he was weaned, she brought him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and presented him at the temple of the LORD in Shiloh.

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.

25. After the boy's father had sacrificed the young bull, Hannah, his mother, approached Eli

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

26. and said: "Pardon, my lord! As you live my lord, I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the LORD.

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.

27. I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request.

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

28. Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD." She left him there;

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.