THE FIRST BOOK OF
SAMUEL,
1 Samuel 1 ©
Elkanah goes up yearly unto the feast at Shiloh, with both his wives, v. 1, etc. Whereof the one, named Hannah, was barren, 5. The other, namely Peninnah, upbraids Hannah with her barrenness, 6. Wherefore Hannah prays fervently unto the Lord for a son, whom she promises to give unto the Lord to minister unto Him, 10. Eli, the priest, thinking that she was drunk, rebukes her, 12. But being better informed by her, 15. Comforts her, 17. She returned homeward with Elkanah, 18. She conceives, 19. And bears Samuel, 20. When she had raised him, she dedicates him wholly unto the ministry of the Lord, as she had promised, 24.
NOW there was a certain man of 1Ramathaim-zophim,2 of mount 3Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah,a the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an 4Ephrathite:
And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
And thisb man went up out of his city 5yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in 6Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the 7priests of the LORD, were there.
¶And when the time was that Elkanah 8offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, 9portions:
But unto Hannah he gave a 10worthy portion; for he 11loved Hannah: 12but the LORD had shut up her womb.
And 13her adversary also provoked her sore, for 14to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.
And as 15he did 16so year by year, when 17she went up to the house of the LORD, 18so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and 19did not eat.
Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? amc not I better to thee than ten sons?
¶So Hannah rose up after 20they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post 21of the temple of the LORD.
And she was in bitterness 22of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and 23wept sore.
And she 24vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, 25if thou wilt indeed look on 26the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid 27a man child, then I will 28give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and 29there shalld no razor come upon his head.
And it came to pass, 30as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.
Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? 31put away thy wine from thee.
And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a 32sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out 33mye soul before the LORD.
34Count not thine handmaid for 35a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel 36grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
And she said, 37Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and 38did eat, and 39her countenance was no more sad.
¶And they rose up in the morning early, and 40worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house 41to Ramah: and Elkanah 42knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD 43remembered her.
Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.
And the man Elkanah, and all his house, 44went up 45to offer unto the LORD 46the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
But 47Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide 48for ever.
And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
¶Andf when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and 49one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.
And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.
And she said, Oh my lord, 50as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.
For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:
Therefore also I have 51lent him to the LORD; 52as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And 53he worshipped the LORD there.