1 Samuel 1:1-2:21

The Birth of Samuel 1There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 6:26-27,33-35; or from Ramathaim Zuphim. 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.

2He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. 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 . 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. 5But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb. 6Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 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.

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?” 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. 10In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly.

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.” 12As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. 13Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk

14and said to her, “How long are you going to stay 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 .

16Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”

17Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what 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. 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.

20So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for heard by God. saying, “Because I asked the LORD for him.”

Hannah Dedicates Samuel 21When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill 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.” Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls always. I have dedicated him as a Nazirite—all the days of his life.”

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 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint and Syriac your word.” So the woman stayed at home 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, Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint and Syriac; Masoretic Text with three bulls an ephah That is, probably about 36 pounds or about 16 kilograms of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. 25When the bull had been sacrificed, 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 . 27I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what 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.

Hannah’s Prayer 1Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the LORD ; in the LORD my horn Horn here symbolizes strength; also in verse 10. is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.

2“There is no one holy like the LORD ; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

3“Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.

4“The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.

5Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry are hungry no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.

6“The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.

7The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.

8He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. “For the foundations of the earth are the LORD ’s; on them he has set the world.

9He will guard the feet of his faithful servants, but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness. “It is not by strength that one prevails;

10those who oppose the LORD will be broken. The Most High will thunder from heaven; the LORD will judge the ends of the earth. “He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

11Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy ministered before the LORD under Eli the priest.

Eli’s Wicked Sons 12Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the LORD . 13Now it was the practice of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat was being boiled 14and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot. Whatever the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh.

15But even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”

16If the person said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would answer, “No, hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.”

17This sin of the young men was very great in the LORD ’s sight, for they Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; Masoretic Text people were treating the LORD ’s offering with contempt. 18But Samuel was ministering before the LORD —a boy wearing a linen ephod. 19Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. 20Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the LORD give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text and asked from the LORD .” Then they would go home.

21And the LORD was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD .