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Elkanah and His Wives

¹ Now there was a certain man from ^(C1)Ramathaim-zophim from the ^(C2)hill country of Ephraim, and his name was ^(C3)Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.² He had ^(C1)two wives: the name of one was ^(C2)Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

³ Now this man would go up from his city ^(C1)yearly ^(C2)to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in ^(C3)Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD there.⁴ When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he ^(C1)would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters;⁵ but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, ^(C1)but the LORD had closed her womb.⁶ Her rival, however, ^(C1)would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb.⁷ It happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat.⁸ Then Elkanah her husband said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat and why is your heart sad? ^(C1)Am I not better to you than ten sons?"

⁹ Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of ^(C1)the temple of the LORD.¹⁰ She, ^(F1)greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.¹¹ She ^(C1)made a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed ^(C2)look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a ^(F1)son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and ^(C3)a razor shall never come on his head."

¹² Now it came about, as she ^(F1)continued praying before the LORD, that Eli was watching her mouth.¹³ As for Hannah, ^(C1)she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk.¹⁴ Then Eli said to her, "^(C1)How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you."¹⁵ But Hannah replied, "No, my lord, I am a woman ^(F1)oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I ^(C1)have poured out my soul before the LORD.¹⁶ "Do not ^(F1)consider your maidservant as a worthless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and ^(F2)provocation."¹⁷ Then Eli answered and said, "^(C1)Go in peace; and may the God of Israel ^(C2)grant your petition that you have asked of Him."¹⁸ She said, "^(C1)Let your maidservant find favor in your sight." So the woman went her way and ate, and ^(C2)her face was no longer sad.

Samuel Is Born to Hannah

¹⁹ Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD, and returned again to their house in ^(C1)Ramah. And Elkanah ^(F1)had relations with Hannah his wife, and ^(C2)the LORD remembered her.²⁰ It came about ^(F1)in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, "^(C1)Because I have asked him of the LORD."

²¹ Then the man Elkanah ^(C1)went up with all his household to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow.²² But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, "I will not go up until the child is weaned; then I will ^(C1)bring him, that he may appear before the LORD and ^(C2)stay there forever."^23 (C1)Elkanah her husband said to her, "Do what seems best ^(F1)to you. Remain until you have weaned him; only ^(C2)may the LORD confirm His word." So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him.²⁴ Now when she had weaned him, ^(C1)she took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull and one ephah of flour and a jug of wine, and brought him to ^(C2)the house of the LORD in Shiloh, although the child was young.²⁵ Then ^(C1)they slaughtered the bull, and ^(C2)brought the boy to Eli.²⁶ She said, "Oh, my lord! ^(C1)As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the LORD.²⁷ "^(C1)For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him.²⁸ "^(C1)So I have also ^(F1)dedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is ^(F1)dedicated to the LORD." And ^(C2)he worshiped the LORD there.