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1 Samuel 1:1-2:11
International Standard Version

The Birth of Samuel

1 A certain man lived in Ramathaim-zophim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim. He was Jeroham’s son Elkanah, the grandson of Elihu and grandson of Tohu, who was the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives; the name of one was Hannah and the name of the other was Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 That man would go up from his town each year to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of the Heavenly Armies at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons Hophni and Phineas served as priests of the Lord. 4 On the day when Elkanah offered sacrifices, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters, 5 but he would give twice as much to Hannah because he loved her.

Now the Lord had closed her womb. 6 Her rival would provoke her severely so that she complained loudly[a] because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 Elkanah[b] would do this year after year, as often as Hannah[c] went up to the house of the Lord. Likewise, Peninnah[d] would provoke her, and Hannah[e] would cry and would not eat. 8 Elkanah her husband told her, “Hannah, why are you crying and why don’t you eat? Why are you upset?[f] Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

9 Hannah got up after she had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the chair by the doorpost of the tent[g] of the Lord. 10 Deeply distressed, she prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 Hannah[h] made a vow: “Lord of the Heavenly Armies, if you just look at the misery of your maid servant, remember me, and don’t forget your maid servant. If you give your maid servant a son,[i] then I’ll give him to the Lord[j] for all the days of his life,[k] and a razor is never to touch[l] his head.”

12 As she continued to pray in the Lord’s presence, Eli was watching her mouth. 13 Hannah[m] was praying inwardly.[n] Her lips were quivering, and her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. 14 Eli told her, “How long will you stay drunk? Put away your wine!”

15 “No, sir!”[o] Hannah replied. “I’m a deeply troubled[p] woman. I’ve drunk neither wine nor beer. I’ve been pouring out my soul in the Lord’s presence. 16 Don’t consider your maid servant a worthless woman. Rather, all this time I’ve been speaking because I’m very anxious and distressed.”

17 “Go in peace,” Eli answered. “May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”

18 She said, “Let your servant[q] find favor in your eyes.” Then she[r] went on her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.[s]

19 They got up early the next morning and worshipped in the Lord’s presence, and then they returned and came to their house at Ramah. Elkanah had marital relations with[t] his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 20 By the time of the next year’s sacrifice,[u] Hannah had become pregnant and had borne a son. She named him Samuel[v] because she said,[w] “I asked the Lord for him.”

Hannah Dedicates Samuel to the Lord

21 Then Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and pay his vow. 22 Hannah did not go up because she had told her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I’ll take him to appear in the Lord’s presence and remain there[x] forever.”[y]

23 “Do what you want,”[z] Elkanah told her. “Stay until you have weaned him, only may the Lord bring about what you’ve said.”[aa] So Hannah[ab] stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him. 24 Then, when she had weaned him, she brought him[ac] up with her to Shiloh,[ad] along with a three-year-old bull,[ae] an ephah[af] of flour, and a skin of wine. She brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh, and the boy[ag] was young.[ah] 25 They slaughtered the bull and brought the boy[ai] to Eli.

26 Hannah[aj] said, “Sir,[ak] as surely as you are alive, I’m the woman who stood before you here praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed for this boy, and the Lord granted me the request I asked of him. 28 Now[al] I’m dedicating[am] him to the Lord, and as long as he lives,[an] he will be dedicated[ao] to the Lord.” Then they worshipped[ap] the Lord there.

Hannah’s Thanksgiving Psalm

2 Then Hannah prayed:

“My heart exults in the Lord;
    my strength[aq] is increased by the Lord.
I will open my mouth to speak[ar] against my enemies,
    because I rejoice in your deliverance.

2 Indeed,[as] there is no one holy like the Lord,
    indeed, there is no one besides you,
there is no rock like our God.

3 Don’t continue to talk proudly,
    and don’t speak arrogantly,
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
    and by him actions are weighed.

4 The bows of warriors are shattered,[at]
    but those who stumble are equipped with[au] strength.
5 Those who had an abundance of bread
    now hire themselves out,
and those who were hungry
    hunger no more.[av]
While the barren woman gives birth to seven children,[aw]
    she who had many children languishes.

6 The Lord kills and gives life,
    he brings people down to where the dead are[ax]
        and he raises them up.
7 The Lord makes people poor
    and he makes people rich,
he brings them low,
    and he also exalts them.
8 He raises the poor up from the dust,
    he lifts up the needy from the trash heap
to make them sit with princes
    and inherit a seat of honor.
Indeed the pillars of the earth belong to the Lord,
    and he has set the world on them.
9 He guards the steps[ay] of his faithful ones,
    while the wicked are made silent[az] in darkness.
He grants the request of the one who prays.[ba]
    He blesses the year of the righteous.[bb]
Indeed it’s not by strength that a person prevails.

10 The Lord will shatter his enemies[bc]
    —those who contend against him.
Who is holy?[bd]
    The one who will thunder[be] against them in the heavens.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth,
    he will give strength to his king,
        and he will increase the strength of His anointed one.”

11 Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah, while the boy was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 1:6 Or severely to irritate her
  2. 1 Samuel 1:7 Lit. He
  3. 1 Samuel 1:7 Lit. she
  4. 1 Samuel 1:7 Lit. she
  5. 1 Samuel 1:7 Lit. she
  6. 1 Samuel 1:8 Lit. is your heart troubled
  7. 1 Samuel 1:9 Or temple
  8. 1 Samuel 1:11 Lit. She
  9. 1 Samuel 1:11 Lit. seed of men
  10. 1 Samuel 1:11 So MT; LXX reads him to your presence as a gift until the day of his death
  11. 1 Samuel 1:11 So MT; LXX and DSS read life, and wine or strong drink he won’t drink; Cf. 4QSama
  12. 1 Samuel 1:11 Or cross; MT reads to go over; 4QSama reads to come upon
  13. 1 Samuel 1:13 So MT; 4QSama LXX read She
  14. 1 Samuel 1:13 Lit. in her heart
  15. 1 Samuel 1:15 Lit. No, my lord
  16. 1 Samuel 1:15 Lit. harsh of spirit; i.e. one whose life is hard
  17. 1 Samuel 1:18 Lit. maid servant
  18. 1 Samuel 1:18 Lit. Then the woman
  19. 1 Samuel 1:18 So LXX; The meaning of MT is uncertain.
  20. 1 Samuel 1:19 Lit. Elkanah knew
  21. 1 Samuel 1:20 Or in due time
  22. 1 Samuel 1:20 The Heb. name Samuel means God has heard
  23. 1 Samuel 1:20 The Heb. lacks she said
  24. 1 Samuel 1:22 So MT; 4QSama reads before there
  25. 1 Samuel 1:22 So MT LXX; 4QSama reads there, and I’ll dedicate him as a Nazirite forever, all his days
  26. 1 Samuel 1:23 Lit. is good in your eye
  27. 1 Samuel 1:23 So LXX and DSS; lit. about what comes out of your mouth; MT reads about his word
  28. 1 Samuel 1:23 Lit. So the woman
  29. 1 Samuel 1:24 So 4QSama; MT employs a Heb. suffix
  30. 1 Samuel 1:24 The Heb. lacks to Shiloh; LXX and DSS add to Shiloh
  31. 1 Samuel 1:24 4QSama LXX read three bulls; meaning of MT is uncertain.
  32. 1 Samuel 1:24 I.e. about a half-bushel; an ephah was a measure of dry capacity equal to about one half of a bushel
  33. 1 Samuel 1:24 So MT LXX; 4QSama reads child
  34. 1 Samuel 1:24 The meaning of MT is uncertain; lit. the lad was a lad; LXX and DSS read and the boy was with them.
  35. 1 Samuel 1:25 So MT; Cf. 4QSama; LXX reads was with them. When they brought him into the presence of the Lord, his father slaughtered the sacrifice, as he did annually for the Lord. Then he brought the child, 25 and he slaughtered the calf. And Hannah his mother brought him
  36. 1 Samuel 1:26 Lit. she
  37. 1 Samuel 1:26 Lit. My lord
  38. 1 Samuel 1:28 Lit. Also
  39. 1 Samuel 1:28 Or lending
  40. 1 Samuel 1:28 So LXX and other Heb. MSS; MT reads is
  41. 1 Samuel 1:28 Or lent
  42. 1 Samuel 1:28 So 4QSama; MT LXXmss read So he worshipped; LXX lacks Then they worshipped the Lord there
  43. 1 Samuel 2:1 Lit. horn; i.e. a symbol of strength and well-being
  44. 1 Samuel 2:1 The Heb. lacks to speak
  45. 1 Samuel 2:2 So 4QSama LXX; MT lacks Indeed
  46. 1 Samuel 2:4 Lit. are shattering; 4QSama reads warriors shatter
  47. 1 Samuel 2:4 Lit. stumble gird on
  48. 1 Samuel 2:5 Lit. cease
  49. 1 Samuel 2:5 The Heb. lacks children
  50. 1 Samuel 2:6 Lit. Sheol; i.e. the realm of the dead
  51. 1 Samuel 2:9 Lit. feet; cf. 4QSama
  52. 1 Samuel 2:9 Or are destroyed
  53. 1 Samuel 2:9 So 4QSama LXX; MT lacks this line
  54. 1 Samuel 2:9 So 4QSama LXX; MT lacks this line
  55. 1 Samuel 2:10 So 4QSama LXX; MT lacks his enemies
  56. 1 Samuel 2:10 So 4QSama; MT lacks this line; LXX reads The Lord is holy
  57. 1 Samuel 2:10 So MT; or He thundered; 4QSama reads And he thundered
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Ruth 4
1 Samuel 3
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