The First Book of Samuel

⭑ World English Bible Catholic :: King James Version ⭑

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- Chapter 1 -

(Psalm 113:1–9)

Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

He had two wives. The name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD

(a)

of Armies in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to the LORD, were there.

When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters;

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

Her rival provoked her severely, to irritate her, because the LORD had shut up her womb.

So year by year, when she went up to the LORD’s house, her rival provoked her. Therefore she wept, and didn’t eat.

Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why don’t you eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

Hannah Prays for a Son

So Hannah rose up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the LORD’s temple.

She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly.

She vowed a vow, and said, “LORD of Armies, if you will indeed look at the affliction of your servant and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a boy, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head.”

As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli saw her mouth.

Now Hannah spoke in her heart. Only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.

Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Get rid of your wine!”

Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have not been drinking wine or strong drink, but I poured out my soul before the LORD.

Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman; for I have been speaking out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation.”

Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; and may the God

(b)

of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him.”

She said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate; and her facial expression wasn’t sad any more.

The Birth of Samuel

They rose up in the morning early and worshiped the LORD, then returned and came to their house to Ramah. Then Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.

When the time had come, Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she named him Samuel,(c) saying, “Because I have asked him of the LORD.”

The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow.

But Hannah didn’t go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and stay there forever.”

Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only may the LORD establish his word.” So the woman waited and nursed her son until she weaned him.

When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, and one ephah(d) of meal, and a container of wine, and brought him to the LORD’s house in Shiloh. The child was young.

They killed the bull, and brought the child to Eli.

She said, “Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD.

I prayed for this child, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of him.

Therefore I have also given him to the LORD. As long as he lives he is given to the LORD.” He worshiped the LORD there.

Footnotes

(a)1:3 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.

(b)1:17 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).

(d)1:24 1 ephah is about 22 liters or about 2/3 of a bushel

(Psalm 113:1–9)

Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim–zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:

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

And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord , were there.(a)

And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:

But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the Lord had shut up her womb.(b)

And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb.(c)

And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord , so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.(d)

Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

Hannah Prays for a Son

So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord .

And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord , and wept sore.(e)

And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.(f)

And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord , that Eli marked her mouth.(g)

Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord .(h)

Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.(i)

Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

The Birth of Samuel

And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the Lord , and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her.

Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord .(j)

(k)

And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord , and there abide for ever.

And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the Lord establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh: and the child was young.

And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.

And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord .

For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord ; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord . And he worshipped the Lord there.(l)

(m)

Footnotes

(a)1:3 yearly: Heb. from year to year

(b)1:5 worthy: or, double

(d)1:7 when…: or, from the time that she, etc: Heb. from her going up

(e)1:10 in…: Heb. bitter of soul

(f)1:11 a man…: Heb. seed of men

(g)1:12 continued…: Heb. multiplied to pray

(h)1:15 of a sorrowful…: Heb. hard of spirit

(i)1:16 complaint: or, meditation

(j)1:20 when…: Heb. in revolution of days

(k)1:20 Samuel: that is, Asked of God

(l)1:28 lent him: or, returned him, whom I have obtained by petition

(m)1:28 he shall…: or, he whom I have obtained by petition shall be returned