| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 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. | 1Now there was a man named Elkanah who was from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. |
| 2Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not. | 2He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. |
| 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. | 3Year after year Elkanah would go up from his city to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD. |
| 4On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children. | 4And whenever the day came for Elkanah to present his sacrifice, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. |
| 5And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the LORD had given her no children. | 5But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved her even though the LORD had closed her womb. |
| 6So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the LORD had kept her from having children. | 6Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her and taunt her viciously. |
| 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. | 7And this went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival taunted her until she wept and would not eat. |
| 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 | 8“Hannah, why are you crying?” her husband Elkanah asked. “Why won’t you eat? Why is your heart so grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” |
| 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. | 9So after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. |
| 10Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the LORD. | 10In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears. |
| 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. ” | 11And she made a vow, pleading, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever come over his head.” |
| 12As she was praying to the LORD, Eli watched her. | 12As Hannah kept on praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth. |
| 13Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. | 13Hannah was praying in her heart, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk |
| 14“Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!” | 14and said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put away your wine!” |
| 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. | 15“No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman oppressed in spirit. I have not had any wine or strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD. |
| 16Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.” | 16Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; for all this time I have been praying out of the depth of my anguish and grief.” |
| 17“In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.” | 17“Go in peace,” Eli replied, “and may the God of Israel grant the petition you have asked of Him.” |
| 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 | 18“May your maidservant find favor with you,” said Hannah. Then she went on her way, and she began eating again, and her face was no longer downcast. |
| 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, | 19The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before the LORD, and then returned home to Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. |
| 20and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the LORD for him.” | 20So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.” |
| 21The next year Elkanah and his family went on their annual trip to offer a sacrifice to the LORD and to keep his vow. | 21Then Elkanah and all his house went up to make the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow, |
| 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. ” | 22but Hannah did not go. “After the boy is weaned,” she said to her husband, “I will take him to appear before the LORD and to stay there permanently.” |
| 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. | 23“Do what you think is best,” her husband Elkanah replied, “and stay here until you have weaned him. Only may the LORD confirm His word.” So Hannah stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him. |
| 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. | 24Once she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. Though the boy was still young, she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. |
| 25After sacrificing the bull, they brought the boy to Eli. | 25And when they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli. |
| 26“Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked. “I am the very woman who stood here several years ago praying to the LORD. | 26“Please, my lord,” said Hannah, “as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. |
| 27I asked the LORD to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. | 27I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him, |
| 28Now I am giving him to the LORD, and he will belong to the LORD his whole life.” And they worshiped the LORD there. | 28I now dedicate the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD there. |
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