1Samuel 1
1A certain man lived in Ramathaim Zophim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim. He was Jeroham's son Elkanah, the grandson of Jeroham, Elihu's son and grandson of Tohu, who was the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.H259H376H7436H2022H669H8034H511H1121H3395H1121H453H1121H8459H1121H6689H6732He had two wives; the name of one was Hannah and the name of the other was Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.H8147H802H8034H259H2584H8034H8145H6444H6444H3206H2584H32063That man would go up from his town each year to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of the Heavenly Armies at Shiloh, where Eli's two sons Hophni and Phineas served as priests of the Lord.H1931H376H5927H5892H3117H3117H7812H2076H3068H6635H7887H8147H1121H5941H2652H6372H3548H30684On the day when Elkanah offered sacrifices, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters,H3117H511H2076H5414H6444H802H1121H1323H44905but he would give twice as much to Hannah because he loved her. Now the Lord had closed her womb.H2584H5414H259H639H4490H157H2584H3068H5462H73586Her rival would provoke her severely so that she complained loudly because the Lord had closed her womb.H6869H3707H3708H7481H3068H5462H1157H73587Elkanah would do this year after year, as often as Hannah went up to the house of the Lord. Likewise, Peninnah would provoke her, and Hannah would cry and would not eat.H6213H8141H8141H1767H5927H1004H3068H3707H1058H3988Elkanah her husband said to her, "Hannah, why are you crying and why don't you eat?Why are you upset?Am I not better to you than ten sons?"H559H511H376H2584H1058H398H3824H3415H2896H6235H11219Hannah got up after she had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the chair by the doorpost of the tabernacle of the Lord.H2584H6965H310H398H7887H310H8354H5941H3548H3427H3678H4201H1964H306810Deeply distressed, she prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly.H4751H5315H6419H3068H1058H105811Hannah made a vow: "Lord of the Heavenly Armies, if you just look at the misery of your maid servant, remember me, and don't forget your maid servant. If you give your maid servant a son, then I'll give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and a razor shall never touch his head."H5087H5088H559H3068H6635H7200H7200H6040H519H2142H7911H519H5414H519H582H2233H5414H3068H3117H2416H4177H5927H721812As she continued to pray in the Lord's presence, Eli was watching her mouth.H7235H6419H6440H3068H5941H8104H631013Hannah was praying inwardly. Her lips were quivering, and her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk.H2584H1696H3820H8193H5128H6963H8085H5941H2803H791014Eli said to her, "How long will you stay drunk?Put away your wine!"H5941H559H7937H5493H319615"No, sir!" Hannah replied. "I'm a deeply troubled woman. I've drunk neither wine nor beer. I've been pouring out my soul in the Lord's presence.H2584H6030H559H113H802H7186H7307H8354H3196H7941H8210H5315H6440H306816Don't consider your maid servant a worthless woman. Rather, all this time I've been speaking because I'm very anxious and distressed."H5414H519H6440H1323H1100H7230H7879H3708H169617"Go in peace," Eli answered. "May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him."H5941H6030H559H3212H7965H430H3478H5414H7596H759218She said, "Let your servant find favor in your eyes." Then she went on her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.H559H8198H4672H2580H5869H802H3212H1870H398H644019They got up early the next morning and worshipped in the Lord's presence, and then they returned and came to their house at Ramah. Elkanah had marital relations with his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.H7925H1242H7925H7812H6440H3068H7725H935H1004H7414H511H3045H2584H802H3068H214220By the time of the next year's sacrifice, Hannah had become pregnant and had borne a son. She named him Samuel because she said, "I asked the Lord for him."H3117H8622H2584H2029H3205H1121H7121H8034H8050H7592H306821Then Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and pay his vow.H376H511H1004H5927H2076H3068H3117H2077H508822Hannah did not go up because she had said to her husband, "As soon as the child is weaned, I'll take him to appear in the Lord's presence and remain there forever.H2584H5927H559H376H5288H1580H935H7200H6440H3068H3427H5704H576923"Do what you want," Elkanah said to her. "Stay until you have weaned him, only may the Lord bring about what you have said." So Hannah stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.H511H376H559H6213H5869H2896H3427H1580H3068H6965H1697H802H3427H1121H3243H158024Then, when she had weaned him, she brought him up with her to Shiloh, along with a three-year-old bull, a half-bushel of flour, and a skin of wine. She brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh, and the boy was young.H1580H5927H7969H6499H259H374H7058H5035H3196H935H1004H3068H7887H5288H528825They slaughtered the bull and brought the boy to Eli.123H7819H6499H935H5288H594126Hannah said, "Sir, as surely as you are alive, I'm the woman who stood before you here praying to the Lord.H559H994H113H5315H2416H113H802H5324H6419H306827I prayed for this boy, and the Lord granted me the request I asked of him.H5288H6419H3068H5414H7596H759228Now I'm dedicating him to the Lord, and as long as he lives, he will be dedicated to the Lord." Then they worshipped the Lord there.H7592H3068H3117H7592H3068H7812H3068
Columbus, OH
