1Samuel 1:4 - Prayer Tents

1Samuel 1

Elkanah and His Family

1There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah in the region of Zuph

in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, of Ephraim.H259H376H7436H2022H669H8034H511H1121H3395H1121H453H1121H8459H1121H6689H6732Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.H8147H802H8034H259H2584H8034H8145H6444H6444H3206H2584H32063Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Heaven's Armies at the Tabernacle. The priests of the LORD at that time were the two sons of Eli—Hophni and Phinehas.H1931H376H5927H5892H3117H3117H7812H2076H3068H6635H7887H8147H1121H5941H2652H6372H3548H30684On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children.H3117H511H2076H5414H6444H802H1121H1323H44905And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion

because the LORD had given her no children.H2584H5414H259H639H4490H157H2584H3068H5462H73586So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the LORD had kept her from having children.H6869H3707H3708H7481H3068H5462H1157H73587Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle

. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat.H6213H8141H8141H1767H5927H1004H3068H3707H1058H3988"Why are you crying, Hannah?" Elkanah would ask. "Why aren't you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn't that better than having ten sons?"H559H511H376H2584H1058H398H3824H3415H2896H6235H1121

Hannah’s Prayer for a Son

9Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the Tabernacle

.H2584H6965H310H398H7887H310H8354H5941H3548H3427H3678H4201H1964H306810Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the LORD.H4751H5315H6419H3068H1058H105811And she made this vow: "O LORD of Heaven's Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the LORD, his hair will never be cut

."H5087H5088H559H3068H6635H7200H7200H6040H519H2142H7911H519H5414H519H582H2233H5414H3068H3117H2416H4177H5927H721812As she was praying to the LORD, Eli watched her.H7235H6419H6440H3068H5941H8104H631013Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking.H2584H1696H3820H8193H5128H6963H8085H5941H2803H791014"Must you come here drunk?" he demanded. "Throw away your wine!"H5941H559H7937H5493H319615"Oh no, sir!" she replied. "I haven't been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the LORD.H2584H6030H559H113H802H7186H7307H8354H3196H7941H8210H5315H6440H306816Don't think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow."H5414H519H6440H1323H1100H7230H7879H3708H169617"In that case," Eli said, "go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him."H5941H6030H559H3212H7965H430H3478H5414H7596H759218"Oh, thank you, sir!" she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.H559H8198H4672H2580H5869H802H3212H1870H398H6440

Samuel’s Birth and Dedication

19The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the LORD once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the LORD remembered her plea,H7925H1242H7925H7812H6440H3068H7725H935H1004H7414H511H3045H2584H802H3068H214220and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel

, for she said, "I asked the LORD for him."H3117H8622H2584H2029H3205H1121H7121H8034H8050H7592H306821The next year Elkanah and his family went on their annual trip to offer a sacrifice to the LORD.H376H511H1004H5927H2076H3068H3117H2077H508822But Hannah did not go. She told her husband, "Wait until the boy is weaned. Then I will take him to the Tabernacle and leave him there with the LORD permanently

."H2584H5927H559H376H5288H1580H935H7200H6440H3068H3427H5704H576923"Whatever you think is best," Elkanah agreed. "Stay here for now, and may the LORD help you keep your promise." So she stayed home and nursed the boy until he was weaned.H511H376H559H6213H5869H2896H3427H1580H3068H6965H1697H802H3427H1121H3243H158024When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh. They brought along a three-year-old bull

for the sacrifice and a basket of flour and some wine.H1580H5927H7969H6499H259H374H7058H5035H3196H935H1004H3068H7887H5288H528825After sacrificing the bull, they brought the boy to Eli.H7819H6499H935H5288H594126"Sir, do you remember me?" Hannah asked. "I am the woman who stood here several years ago praying to the LORD.H559H994H113H5315H2416H113H802H5324H6419H306827I asked the LORD to give me this boy, and he has granted my request.H5288H6419H3068H5414H7596H759228Now I am giving him to the LORD, and he will belong to the LORD his whole life." And they

worshiped the LORD there.H7592H3068H3117H7592H3068H7812H3068