| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1There was a man from Ramathaim Zophim, from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. | 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. |
| 2He had two wives; the name of the first was Hannah and the name of the second was Peninnah. Now Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless. | 2Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not. |
| 3Year after year this man would go up from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts at Shiloh. It was there that the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, served as the LORD's priests. | 3Each 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. |
| 4Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he used to give meat portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. | 4On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children. |
| 5But he would give a double portion to Hannah, because he especially loved her. Now the LORD had not enabled her to have children. | 5And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the LORD had given her no children. |
| 6Her rival wife used to upset her and make her worry, for the LORD had not enabled her to have children. | 6So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the LORD had kept her from having children. |
| 7Peninnah would behave this way year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the LORD's house, Peninnah would upset her so that she would weep and refuse to eat. | 7Year 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. |
| 8Finally her husband Elkanah said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep and not eat? Why are you so sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?" | 8“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?” Hannah’s Prayer for a Son |
| 9On one occasion in Shiloh, after they had finished eating and drinking, Hannah got up. (Now at the time Eli the priest was sitting in his chair by the doorpost of the LORD's temple.) | 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. |
| 10She was very upset as she prayed to the LORD, and she was weeping uncontrollably. | 10Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the LORD. |
| 11She made a vow saying, "O LORD of hosts, if you will look with compassion on the suffering of your female servant, remembering me and not forgetting your servant, and give a male child to your servant, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life. His hair will never be cut." | 11And 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. ” |
| 12As she continued praying to the LORD, Eli was watching her mouth. | 12As she was praying to the LORD, Eli watched her. |
| 13Now Hannah was speaking from her heart. Although her lips were moving, her voice was inaudible. Eli therefore thought she was drunk. | 13Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. |
| 14So he said to her, "How often do you intend to get drunk? Put away your wine!" | 14“Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!” |
| 15But Hannah replied, "That's not the way it is, my lord! I am under a great deal of stress. I have drunk neither wine nor beer. Rather, I have poured out my soul to the LORD. | 15“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. |
| 16Don't consider your servant a wicked woman, for until now I have spoken from my deep pain and anguish." | 16Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.” |
| 17Eli replied, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked of him." | 17“In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.” |
| 18She said, "May I, your servant, find favor in your sight." So the woman went her way and got something to eat. Her face no longer looked sad. | 18“Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad. Samuel’s Birth and Dedication |
| 19They got up early the next morning and after worshiping the LORD, they returned to their home at Ramah. Elkanah had marital relations with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. | 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, |
| 20After some time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, thinking, "I asked the LORD for him. | 20and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the LORD for him.” |
| 21This man Elkanah went up with all his family to make the yearly sacrifice to the LORD and to keep his vow, | 21The next year Elkanah and his family went on their annual trip to offer a sacrifice to the LORD and to keep his vow. |
| 22but Hannah did not go up with them. Instead she told her husband, "Once the boy is weaned, I will bring him and appear before the LORD, and he will remain there from then on." | 22But 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. ” |
| 23So her husband Elkanah said to her, "Do what you think best. Stay until you have weaned him. May the LORD fulfill his promise." So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him. | 23“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. |
| 24Once she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with three bulls, an ephah of flour, and a container of wine. She brought him to the LORD's house at Shiloh, even though he was young. | 24When 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. |
| 25Once the bull had been slaughtered, they brought the boy to Eli. | 25After sacrificing the bull, they brought the boy to Eli. |
| 26She said, "Just as surely as you are alive, my lord, I am the woman who previously stood here with you in order to pray to the LORD. | 26“Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked. “I am the very woman who stood here several years ago praying to the LORD. |
| 27I prayed for this boy, and the LORD has given me the request that I asked of him. | 27I asked the LORD to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. |
| 28Now I dedicate him to the LORD. From this time on he is dedicated to the LORD." Then they worshiped the LORD there. | 28Now I am giving him to the LORD, and he will belong to the LORD his whole life.” And they worshiped the LORD there. |
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