1 Samuel 1:9-16
Amplified Bible
9 So Hannah got up after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat beside the doorpost of the temple (tabernacle) of the Lord. 10 Hannah was [a]greatly distressed, and she prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. 11 She made a vow, saying, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction (suffering) of Your maidservant and remember, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life; a [b]razor shall never touch his head.”
12 Now it happened as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking in her heart (mind); only her lips were moving, and her voice was not heard, so Eli [c]thought she was drunk. 14 Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk? Get rid of your wine.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman with a despairing spirit. I have not been drinking wine or any intoxicating drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord.(A) 16 Do not regard your maidservant as a wicked and worthless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and [bitter] provocation.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 1:10 Lit bitter of soul.
- 1 Samuel 1:11 Lit shearing knife. This was a requirement of a Nazirite vow which would apply to Samuel all of his life (see Num 6:2 ff).
- 1 Samuel 1:13 This implies that the custom at that time was to pray aloud; the outcome (vv 19, 20) shows that God hears prayer, whether it is spoken or silent.
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