1 Samuel 1:1-2:10

New King James Version

The Family of Elkanah

1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the ^(A)mountains of Ephraim, and his name was ^(B)Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of ^[a]Elihu, the son of ^[b]Tohu, the son of Zuph, ^(C)an Ephraimite. ²And he had ^(D)two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. ³This man went up from his city ^(E)yearly ^(F)to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in ^(G)Shiloh. Also the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there. ⁴And whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an ^(H)offering, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. ⁵But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, ^(I)although the Lord had closed her womb. ⁶And her rival also ^(J)provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb. ⁷So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat.

Hannah’s Vow

⁸Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not ^(K)better to you than ten sons?”

⁹So Hannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of ^(L)the ^[c]tabernacle of the Lord. ¹⁰^(M)And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and ^[d]wept in anguish. ¹¹Then she ^(N)made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed ^(O)look on the affliction of Your maidservant and ^(P)remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and ^(Q)no razor shall come upon his head.”

¹²And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth. ¹³Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. ¹⁴So Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!”

¹⁵But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have ^(R)poured out my soul before the Lord. ¹⁶Do not consider your maidservant a ^(S)wicked^[e] woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.”

¹⁷Then Eli answered and said, ^(T)“Go in peace, and ^(U)the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.”

¹⁸And she said, ^(V)“Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman ^(W)went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

Samuel Is Born and Dedicated

¹⁹Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah ^(X)knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord ^(Y)remembered her. ²⁰So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name ^[f]Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the Lord.”

²¹Now the man Elkanah and all his house ^(Z)went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and his vow. ²²But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will ^(AA)take him, that he may appear before the Lord and ^(AB)remain there ^(AC)forever.”

²³So ^(AD)Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him. Only let the Lord ^[g]establish ^[h]His word.” Then the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

²⁴Now when she had weaned him, she ^(AE)took him up with her, with ^[i]three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to ^(AF)the house of the Lord in Shiloh. And the child was young. ²⁵Then they slaughtered a bull, and ^(AG)brought the child to Eli. ²⁶And she said, “O my lord! ^(AH)As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord. ²⁷^(AI)For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. ²⁸Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be ^[j]lent to the Lord.” So they ^(AJ)worshiped the Lord there.

Hannah’s Prayer^(AK)

2 And Hannah ^(AL)prayed and said:

^(AM)“My heart rejoices in the Lord;
^(AN)My ^[k]horn is exalted in the Lord.
^[l]I smile at my enemies,
Because I ^(AO)rejoice in Your salvation.

²“No^(AP) one is holy like the Lord,
For there is ^(AQ)none besides You,
Nor is there any ^(AR)rock like our God.

³“Talk no more so very proudly;
^(AS)Let no arrogance come from your mouth,
For the Lord is the God of ^(AT)knowledge;
And by Him actions are weighed.

⁴“The^(AU) bows of the mighty men are broken,
And those who stumbled are girded with strength.
⁵Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
And the hungry have ceased to hunger.
Even ^(AV)the barren has borne seven,
And ^(AW)she who has many children has become feeble.

⁶“The^(AX) Lord kills and makes alive;
He brings down to the grave and brings up.
⁷The Lord ^(AY)makes poor and makes rich;
^(AZ)He brings low and lifts up.
⁸^(BA)He raises the poor from the dust
And lifts the beggar from the ash heap,
^(BB)To set them among princes
And make them inherit the throne of glory.

^(BC)“For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
And He has set the world upon them.
⁹^(BD)He will guard the feet of His saints,
But the ^(BE)wicked shall be silent in darkness.

“For by strength no man shall prevail.
¹⁰The adversaries of the Lord shall be ^(BF)broken in pieces;
^(BG)From heaven He will thunder against them.
^(BH)The Lord will judge the ends of the earth.