Read the Bible

¹ NOW there was a certain man of Ramath-dokey, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Hilkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite;² And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Pannah; and Pannah had children, but Hannah had no children.³ And this man used to go up out of his town yearly to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.⁴ And when the time came, Hilkanah sacrificed, and he gave to Pannah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions;⁵ But to Hannah he gave a double portion; for he loved Hannah; but the LORD had shut up her womb.⁶ And her rival also taunted her sorely to make her fret because the LORD had shut up her womb.⁷ And Pannah did this year by year when she went up to the house of the LORD, and thus she provoked her; therefore Hannah wept and did not eat.⁸ Then Hilkanah her husband said to her, Why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Behold, am I not better to you than ten sons?

⁹ So Hannah rose up after she had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, and she went up to the house of the LORD. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon a seat by the post of the temple of the LORD.¹⁰ And she was bitter of soul, and she prayed before the LORD and wept bitterly.¹¹ And she made a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look upon the affliction of thy maidservant, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give to thy maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.¹² And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli watched her mouth.¹³ Now Hannah spoke in her heart only, and her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought her to be drunk.¹⁴ And Eli said to her, How long will you be drunk? Put away your wine from you.¹⁵ Hannah answered and said to him, No, my lord, I am a woman full of grief; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.¹⁶ Count not your maidservant in your presence a wicked woman; for out of the abundance of my sorrow and grief have I spoken hitherto.¹⁷ Then Eli answered and said to her, Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant you the petition that you have asked of him.¹⁸ And she said, Let your maidservant find grace in your sight. So the woman went her way, and her countenance was no more sad.

¹⁹ And they rose up early in the morning and worshipped before the LORD, and returned and came to their house at Ramtha; and Hilkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.²⁰ And it came to pass, in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD,²¹ And the man Hilkanah and all his household went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifices of his vow.²² But Hannah did not go up; for she said to her husband, I will wait until the child is weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide forever.²³ And Hilkanah her husband said to her, Do what seems good to you; wait until you have weaned him; may the LORD establish your word. So the woman waited, and nursed her son until she weaned him.²⁴ And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with a three-year old bullock and an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh; and the boy was very young.²⁵ And they slew the bullock, and brought the child to Eli.²⁶ Then Hannah said to Eli, I beseech you, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman that stood by you here, praying to the LORD for this boy.²⁷ I prayed and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of him;²⁸ Therefore also I have promised him to the LORD as long as he lives; for I petitioned him of the LORD. And they worshipped the LORD there.