Elkanah and His Two Wives
1There was a man from Ramathaim-zophim, in the hill country of Ephraim, named Elkanah son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2He had two wives: one was named Hannah, the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. 3Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to Yahweh of Hosts at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of Yahweh. 4Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters, 5but to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved Hannah — though Yahweh had closed her womb. 6And her rival provoked her bitterly, to make her fret, because Yahweh had closed her womb. 7Year after year, as often as she went up to the house of Yahweh, Peninnah provoked her in this way, so that Hannah would weep and would not eat. 8Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why won’t you eat? Why is your heart so sad? Am I not worth more to you than ten sons?”
Hannah’s Vow at Shiloh
9After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah got up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat beside the doorpost of the temple of Yahweh. 10In bitterness of soul she prayed to Yahweh, weeping without restraint. 11And she made a vow, saying, “Yahweh of Hosts, if you will indeed look on the misery of your servant, remember me and not forget your servant, but give your servant a son, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.” 12As she kept on praying before Yahweh, Eli watched her mouth. 13Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice could not be heard, so Eli thought she was drunk. 14Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Get rid of your wine.” 15“No, my lord,” Hannah answered. “I am a woman with a heavy spirit. I have drunk no wine or strong drink — I have been pouring out my soul before Yahweh. 16Do not take your servant for a worthless woman; it is because of my great anguish and grief that I have been speaking all this time.” 17Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.” 18She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went on her way; she ate, and her face was no longer downcast.
The Birth of Samuel
19Early the next morning they bowed down before Yahweh, and then went back home to Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and Yahweh remembered her. 20So in the course of time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked him of Yahweh.” 21When the man Elkanah, with all his household, went up to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice and to fulfill his vow, 22Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “Once the boy is weaned, I will bring him myself, so that he may appear before Yahweh and remain there forever.” 23Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you. Stay until you have weaned him. Only may Yahweh make good his word.” So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.
Samuel Given to Yahweh
24As soon as she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with three bulls, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of Yahweh at Shiloh — though the boy was still just a boy. 25They slaughtered the bull and brought the boy to Eli. 26She said, “Please, my lord — as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to Yahweh. 27I prayed for this boy, and Yahweh has granted me the request I asked of him. 28So now I in turn give him to Yahweh. For as long as he lives, he is given to Yahweh.” And he worshiped Yahweh there.
