Samuel’s Birth and Dedication

1 There was a certain man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite^[a] from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.^{(A) 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.^(B)

⁷ So it went on year by year; as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. ⁸ Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”^(A)

⁹ After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the Lord.^[a] Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord.^{(B) 10} She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. ¹¹ She made this vow: “O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants,^[b] and no razor shall touch his head.”^(C)

¹² As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. ¹³ Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk.^{(D) 14} So Eli said to her, “How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine.”^{(E) 15} But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord.^{(F) 16} Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time.” ¹⁷ Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him.”^{(G) 18} And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” Then the woman went her way and ate and drank with her husband,^[c] and her countenance was sad no longer.^[d](H)

¹⁹ They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.^{(I) 20} In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I have asked him of the Lord.”^(J)

²¹ The man Elkanah and all his household went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow.^{(K) 22} But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, that he may appear in the presence of the Lord and remain there forever; I will offer him as a nazirite for all time.”^{[e](L) 23} Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only, may the Lord establish your^[f] word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him.^{(M) 24} When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull,^[g] an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. She brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh, and the child was young.^{(N) 25} Then they slaughtered the bull and brought the child to Eli.^{(O) 26} And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence praying to the Lord.^{(P) 27} For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me the petition that I made to him.^{(Q) 28} Therefore I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.” And they worshiped the Lord there.^(R)