| New Living Translation | Holman Christian Standard 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. | 1There was a man from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. |
| 2Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not. | 2He had two wives, the first named Hannah and the second Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless. |
| 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. | 3This man would go up from his town every year to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts at Shiloh, where Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were the LORD's priests. |
| 4On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children. | 4Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he always gave portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to each of 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 he gave a double portion to Hannah, for he loved her even though the LORD had kept her from conceiving. |
| 6So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the LORD had kept her from having children. | 6Her rival would taunt her severely just to provoke her, because the LORD had kept Hannah from conceiving. |
| 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. | 7Whenever she went up to the LORD's house, her rival taunted her in this way every year. Hannah 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 are you troubled? Am I not better to you than 10 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. | 9Hannah got up after they ate and drank at Shiloh. Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the LORD's tabernacle. |
| 10Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the LORD. | 10Deeply hurt, 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. ” | 11Making a vow, she pleaded, " LORD of Hosts, if You will take notice of Your servant's affliction, remember and not forget me, and give Your servant a son, I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut." |
| 12As she was praying to the LORD, Eli watched her. | 12While she continued praying in the LORD's presence, Eli watched her lips. |
| 13Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. | 13Hannah was praying silently, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli thought she was drunk |
| 14“Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!” | 14and scolded her, "How long are you going to be drunk? Get rid of 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 with a broken heart. I haven't had any wine or beer; I've been pouring out my heart before the LORD. |
| 16Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.” | 16Don't think of me as a wicked woman; I've been praying from the depth of my anguish and resentment." |
| 17“In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.” | 17Eli responded, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the petition you've requested from 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 servant find favor with you," she replied. Then Hannah went on her way; she ate and no longer looked despondent. |
| 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. Afterward, they returned home to Ramah. Then Elkanah was intimate 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.” | 20After some time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, because she said, "I requested 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. | 21When Elkanah and all his household went up to make the annual sacrifice and his vow offering to the LORD, |
| 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. ” | 22Hannah did not go and explained to her husband, "After the child is weaned, I'll take him to appear in the LORD's presence 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. | 23Her husband Elkanah replied, "Do what you think is best, and stay here until you've weaned him. May the LORD confirm your word." So Hannah stayed there and nursed her son until she 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. | 24When she had weaned him, she took him with her to Shiloh, as well as a three-year-old bull, half a bushel of flour, and a jar of wine. Though the boy was still young, she took him to the LORD's house at Shiloh. |
| 25After sacrificing the bull, they brought the boy to Eli. | 25Then they slaughtered the bull and 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," she said, "as sure 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 gave me what I asked Him for, |
| 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 give the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is given to the LORD." Then he bowed in worship to the LORD there. |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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