God's New Revelations

The First Book of Samuel

Unlocked Dynamic Bible :: World English Bible Catholic

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- Chapter 1 -

(Psalm 113:1–9)
1
There was a man named Elkanah, a descendant of Zuph, who lived in the city of Ramah in the hill country, where the people of the tribe of Ephraim lived. His father was Jeroham, his grandfather was Elihu, and his great-grandfather was Tohu. He belonged to the clan of Zuph.
2
He had two wives: Hannah and Peninnah. Now Peninnah had several children, but Hannah had no children.
3
Once every year Elkanah went up with his family from Ramah to the city of Shiloh. He would go there to worship Yahweh, Commander of the angel armies, and offer sacrifices to him. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, helped their father to do the work as priests of Yahweh there.
4
Each time Elkanah offered sacrifices there, he would give some of the meat to Peninnah and some to each of her sons and daughters.
5
But he gave a larger amount of meat to Hannah because he loved her very much, even though Yahweh had not permitted her to give birth to any children.
6
But his other wife, Peninnah, would mock Hannah to make her feel miserable, reminding her Yahweh had not allowed her to bear children.
7
This happened every year. When they went up to the temple of Yahweh at Shiloh, Peninnah always ridiculed Hannah so much that Hannah cried and would not eat.
8
Then Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you crying? Why are you eating nothing? You are so sad! Surely it is better for you to have me as your husband than to have even ten sons!”

Hannah Prays for a Son

9
One year, after they had finished eating and drinking at Shiloh, Hannah stood up to pray. Eli the priest was nearby, sitting on a chair by the doorway of the sacred tent of Yahweh.
10
Hannah was very distressed, and she cried very sorrowfully as she prayed to Yahweh.
11
She made a solemn promise, saying, “O Yahweh, Commander of the angel armies, if you will look at me and see how miserable I am, and think kindly about me and allow me to give birth to a son, then I will dedicate him to you for the rest of his life. And to show that he is dedicated to you, no one will ever be allowed to cut his hair.”
12
As she was praying like that to Yahweh, Eli the priest saw Hannah’s lips moving as she was praying.
13
But Hannah was only praying silently; she was not making any sound. So Eli thought that she was drunk.
14
He said to her, “How long will you continue to get drunk? Get rid of your wine!”
15
Hannah replied, “Sir, I am not drunk! I have not been drinking wine or any other alcoholic drink. I feel very miserable and I have been telling Yahweh about how I feel.
16
Do not think that I am a worthless woman. I have been praying like this because I am so ashamed and upset.”
17
Eli replied, “I wish that things may go well for you. I desire that God, the one we Israelite people worship, may give you what you asked of him.”
18
She replied, “I want you to think highly about me.” Then she returned to her family and after she ate something, she was sad no more.

The Birth of Samuel

19
Early the next morning, Elkanah and his family got up and worshiped Yahweh again, and then they returned to their home at Ramah. Then Elkanah slept with Hannah, and Yahweh answered her prayer.
20
She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, which sounds like the words in the Hebrew language that mean “heard by God,” because she said, “Yahweh heard me when I requested a son from him.”
21
The following year, Elkanah went up to Shiloh with his family to make the kind of sacrifice he made each year, and also to give a special offering to God that he had promised to give him previously.
22
But Hannah did not go with them. She said to her husband, “After I have weaned the baby, I will take him to Shiloh and present him to Yahweh, and he will stay there for the rest of his life.”
23
Elkanah said, “Do what you think is best. Stay here until you have weaned him. What I desire is that Yahweh may enable you to do what you have promised.” So Hannah stayed at home and nursed her son until she weaned him.
24
After she weaned him, even though Samuel was very young, she took him to the house of Yahweh that was at Shiloh. She took along with her and her son a three year old bull, about twenty liters of flour, and a container of wine.
25
After Hannah and Elkanah had slaughtered the bull and offered it to Yahweh on the altar, they brought the boy to Eli.
26
Then Hannah said to him, “Sir, do you remember me? I am the woman who prayed as I stood here beside you several years ago.
27
I prayed that Yahweh would enable me to give birth to a child, and this is that child!
28
So now I am presenting him to Yahweh. He will belong to Yahweh as long as he lives.” Then Elkanah and his family worshiped Yahweh there.
(Psalm 113:1–9)
1
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.
2
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.
3
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.
4
When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters;
5
but he gave a double portion to Hannah, for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had shut up her womb.
6
Her rival provoked her severely, to irritate her, because the LORD had shut up her womb.
7
So year by year, when she went up to the LORD’s house, her rival provoked her. Therefore she wept, and didn’t eat.
8
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

9
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.
10
She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly.
11
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.”
12
As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli saw her mouth.
13
Now Hannah spoke in her heart. Only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.
14
Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Get rid of your wine!”
15
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.
16
Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman; for I have been speaking out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation.”
17
Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; and may the God (b) of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him.”
18
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

19
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.
20
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.”
21
The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow.
22
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.”
23
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.
24
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.
25
They killed the bull, and brought the child to Eli.
26
She said, “Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD.
27
I prayed for this child, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of him.
28
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).
(c)1:20 Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for “heard by God.”
(d)1:24 1 ephah is about 22 liters or about 2/3 of a bushel