1 Samuel 1:4-20

New King James Version

⁴And whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an ^(A)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, ^(B)although the Lord had closed her womb. ⁶And her rival also ^(C)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 ^(D)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 ^(E)the ^[a]tabernacle of the Lord. ¹⁰^(F)And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and ^[b]wept in anguish. ¹¹Then she ^(G)made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed ^(H)look on the affliction of Your maidservant and ^(I)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 ^(J)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 ^(K)poured out my soul before the Lord. ¹⁶Do not consider your maidservant a ^(L)wicked^[c] woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.”

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

¹⁸And she said, ^(O)“Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman ^(P)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 ^(Q)knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord ^(R)remembered her. ²⁰So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name ^[d]Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the Lord.”