1 Samuel 1

1 And there was a certain man, of Ramathaim-zuphi, of the hill country of Ephraim, —whose name, was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite;

Once there was a man from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, from the tribe of Ephraim.

2 and, he, had two wives, the name of the one, Hannah, and, the name of the other, Peninnah, —and Peninnah had children, but, Hannah, had no children.

He had two wives. The name of the first wife was Hannah, and the name of the second, Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

3 So then that man went up, out of his city, from time to time, to worship and to sacrifice unto Yahweh of hosts, in Shiloh, —and, there, were the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests unto Yahweh.

Every year Elkanah would leave his town and go to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were the Lord's priests.

4 And, when the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he used to give, to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions;

Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he would give portions of it to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.

5 and, unto Hannah, used he to give one portion, —howbeit, Hannah, he loved, although, Yahweh, had restrained her from having children.

He would give an extra portion to Hannah, to show his love for her even though the Lord hadn't given her any children.

6 And her rival used even to cause her great vexation, for the sake of provoking her, —because Yahweh had restrained her from having children.

Her rival—the other wife—would taunt her badly to upset her because the Lord hadn't given her any children.

7 And, thus, used she to do, year by year, whenever she went up to the house of Yahweh, thus, used she to vex her, —and she wept, and would not eat.

This went on for years. Whenever Hannah went to the Lord's Temple, Peninnah would taunt her until she cried and couldn't eat.

8 So Elkanah her husband said to her—Hannah! wherefore shouldst thou weep? and wherefore wilt thou not eat? and wherefore should thy heart be sad? Am, I, not better to thee, than ten sons?

“Hannah, what are you crying for?” her husband Elkanah would ask. “Why don't you eat? Why are you so upset? Aren't I better to you than ten sons?”

9 And Hannah rose up, after she had eaten in Shiloh, and after she had drunk, —and, Eli the priest, was sitting upon his chair, by the door-post of the temple of Yahweh;

One time when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to the Temple. Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the entrance to the Lord's Temple.

10 and, she being in bitterness of soul, prayed unto Yahweh, and, wept sore.

She was terribly upset, and prayed to the Lord as she cried and cried.

11 And she vowed a vow, and said—Yahweh of hosts! If thou wilt, look, upon the humiliation of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a man-child, then will I give him unto Yahweh, all the days of his life, and no, razor, shall come upon his head.

She made a vow, asking, “Lord Almighty, if only you would pay attention to the suffering of your servant and remember me, and not forget me but give me a son, then I will dedicate him to the Lord for his whole life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.”

12 And so it was, as she continued praying before Yahweh, that Eli was watching her mouth.

As Hannah went on praying before the Lord, Eli watched her mouth.

13 But as for, Hannah, she, was speaking in her heart, only her lips, were moving, but, her voice, could not be heard, —so Eli thought she had been drunken.

Hannah was praying in her head, and though her lips were moving, her voice made no sound. Eli thought she must be drunk.

14 And Eli said unto her, How long, wilt thou be, drunken? Put away thy wine from thee.

“Do you have to come here drunk?” he asked. “Get rid of your wine!”

15 And Hannah responded and said—Nay! my lord; A woman depressed in spirit, am I: neither wine nor strong drink, have I drunk, —but I poured out my soul, before Yahweh.

“It's not that, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I'm a very miserable woman. I haven't been drinking wine or beer; I'm just pouring my heart out to the Lord.

16 Do not count thy handmaid for an abandoned woman, —for, out of the abundance of my grief and my vexation, have I spoken, hitherto.

Please don't think I'm a bad woman! I have been praying because of all my troubles and grief.”

17 Then responded Eli, and said—Go and prosper! And the, God of Israel, grant thy petition which thou hast asked of him!

“Go in peace, and may the God of Israel give you what you have asked him for,” Eli replied.

18 And she said: Let thy serving-woman find favour, in thine eyes. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and, her countenance, was sad no longer.

“Thank you for your kindness to your servant,” she said. Then she went on her way, had something to eat, and she didn't look sad any more.

19 And they rose up early in the morning, and worshipped before Yahweh, and returned, and entered their own house, in Ramah, —and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and Yahweh remembered her.

Elkanah and Hannah got up early the next morning to worship the Lord and then they went home to Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord honored her request.

20 And so it was, when the days had come round during which Hannah was with child, that she bare a son, —and called his name Samuel ["Heard of God"], Because, of Yahweh, I asked him.

In due course she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”

21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up, to offer unto Yahweh the yearly sacrifice, and [each] his own vow.

Elkanah and all his family went to make the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow.

22 But, Hannah, went not up, —for she said to her husband—[Not] till the boy is weaned, then will I take him, and he shall appear before Yahweh, and abide there evermore.

But Hannah did not go. She told her husband, “Once the boy is weaned I will take him to be presented to the Lord and to remain there forever.”

23 And Elkanah her husband said to her—Do what is good in thine own eyes, tarry until thou have weaned him, only may Yahweh establish his word! So the woman tarried, and nursed her son, until she weaned him.

“Do as you see fit,” her husband Elkanah replied. “Stay here until you have weaned him. May the Lord fulfill what he has said.” So Hannah stayed behind and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

24 Then took she him up with her, when she had weaned him, with a bullock of three years old, and one ephah of meal, and a skin of wine, and took him to the house of Yahweh, at Shiloh, —the boy yet being young.

When she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a wineskin containing wine. Even though the boy was young, she brought him to the Lord's Temple at Shiloh.

25 So they slew the bullock, —and took the boy in, unto Eli.

After they had slaughtered the bull, they presented the boy to Eli.

26 And she said—Pardon, my lord! By the life of thy soul, my lord, —I, am the woman who was standing near thee here, praying unto Yahweh:

“Please, my lord,” said Hannah, “as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here with you praying to the Lord.

27 For this boy, I prayed, —And Yahweh hath given me my petition which I asked of him.

I prayed for this boy, and since the Lord has given me what I asked him for,

28 Hence, I also, have loaned him unto Yahweh, all the days that he liveth. He, is lent unto Yahweh. And he bowed down there, unto Yahweh.

now I'm giving him to the Lord. As long as he lives he will be dedicated to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.