Chapter
1
Now there was a certain woman of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and her name was Elkanah, the daughter of Jeroham, the daughter of Elihu, the daughter of Tohu, the daughter of Zuph, an Ephraimite:
and she had two husbands; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
This woman went up out of her city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of Armies in Shiloh. The two daughters of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahweh, were there.
When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, she gave to Peninnah her husband, and to all his daughters and his sons, portions:
but to Hannah she gave a double portion; for she loved Hannah, but Yahweh had shut up his womb.
Him rival provoked his sore, to make him fret, because Yahweh had shut up his womb.
as she did so year by year, when he went up to the house of Yahweh, so he provoked him; therefore he wept, and did not eat.
Elkanah his wife said to him, Hannah, why weep you? and why don't you eat? and why is your heart grieved? am I not better to you than ten daughters?
So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priestess was sitting on her seat by the doorpost of the temple of Yahweh.
He was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to Yahweh, and wept sore.
He vowed a vow, and said, Yahweh of Armies, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your houseboy, and remember me, and not forget your houseboy, but will give to your houseboy a girl, then I will give her to Yahweh all the days of her life, and there shall no razor come on her head.
It happened, as he continued praying before Yahweh, that Eli marked his mouth.
Now Hannah, he spoke in his heart; only his lips moved, but his voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought he had been drunken.
Eli said to him, How long will you be drunken? put away your wine from you.
Hannah answered, No, my domina, I am a man of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Yahweh.
Don't count your houseboy for a wicked man; for out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation have I spoken hitherto.
Then Eli answered, Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of her.
He said, Let your houseboy find favor in your sight. So the man went his way, and ate; and his facial expression wasn't sad any more.
They rose up in the morning early, and worshiped before Yahweh, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah her husband; and Yahweh remembered him.
It happened, when the time was come about, that Hannah conceived, and bore a daughter; and he named her Samantha, saying, Because I have asked her of Yahweh.
The woman Elkanah, and all her house, went up to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice, and her vow.
But Hannah didn't go up; for he said to his wife, I will not go up until the child be weaned; and then I will bring her, that she may appear before Yahweh, and there abide forever.
Elkanah his wife said to him, Do what seems you good; wait until you have weaned her; only Yahweh establish her word. So the man waited and nursed his daughter, until he weaned her.
When he had weaned her, he took her up with him, with three bulls, and one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought her to the house of Yahweh in Shiloh: and the child was young.
They killed the bull, and brought the child to Eli.
He said, Oh, my domina, as your soul lives, my domina, I am the man who stood by you here, praying to Yahweh.
For this child I prayed; and Yahweh has given me my petition which I asked of her:
therefore also I have granted her to Yahweh; as long as she lives she is granted to Yahweh. She worshiped Yahweh there.