1 Samuel 1:1-13 ▼

1 NOW there was a certain man of Ramath-dokey, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Hilkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite;

2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Pannah; and Pannah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 And this man used to go up out of his town yearly to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.

4 And when the time came, Hilkanah sacrificed, and he gave to Pannah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions;

5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion; for he loved Hannah; but the LORD had shut up her womb.

6 And her rival also taunted her sorely to make her fret because the LORD had shut up her womb.

7 And Pannah did this year by year when she went up to the house of the LORD, and thus she provoked her; therefore Hannah wept and did not eat.

8 Then Hilkanah her husband said to her, Why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Behold, am I not better to you than ten sons?

9 So Hannah rose up after she had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, and she went up to the house of the LORD. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon a seat by the post of the temple of the LORD.

10 And she was bitter of soul, and she prayed before the LORD and wept bitterly.

11 And she made a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look upon the affliction of thy maidservant, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give to thy maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli watched her mouth.

13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart only, and her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought her to be drunk.