1 Samuel 1:11-2:8

English Standard Version

¹¹And she ^(A)vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed ^(B)look on the affliction of your servant and ^(C)remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, ^(D)and no razor shall touch his head.”

¹²As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. ¹³Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. ¹⁴And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” ¹⁵But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but ^(E)I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. ¹⁶Do not regard your servant as ^(F)a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” ¹⁷Then Eli answered, ^(G)“Go in peace, and the God of Israel ^(H)grant your petition that you have made to him.” ¹⁸And she said, ^(I)“Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman ^(J)went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

¹⁹They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at ^(K)Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord ^(L)remembered her. ²⁰And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.”^[a]

Samuel Given to the Lord

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

^(U)And he worshiped the Lord there.

Hannah's Prayer

2 And Hannah prayed and said,

^(V)“My heart exults in the Lord;
^(W)my horn is exalted in the Lord.
My mouth derides my enemies,
because ^(X)I rejoice in your salvation.

²^(Y)“There is none holy like the Lord:
    for there is none besides you;
    there is ^(Z)no rock like our God.
³Talk no more so very proudly,
    let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
    and by him actions are weighed.
⁴^(AA)The bows of the mighty are broken,
    but the feeble bind on strength.
⁵Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
    but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
^(AB)The barren has borne seven,
    ^(AC)but she who has many children is forlorn.
⁶^(AD)The Lord kills and brings to life;
    he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
⁷^(AE)The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
    ^(AF)he brings low and he exalts.
⁸^(AG)He raises up the poor from the dust;
    he lifts the needy from the ash heap
^(AH)to make them sit with princes
    and inherit a seat of honor.
^(AI)For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's,
    and on them he has set the world.