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¹ Now there was a certain man from Ramathaim of the Zuphites, of the hill-country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite:² and he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.³ And this man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahweh, were there.⁴ And when the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:⁵ but to Hannah he gave a special portion; for he loved Hannah, but Yahweh had shut up her womb.⁶ And her rival provoked her intensely, to make her fret, because Yahweh had shut up her womb.⁷ And [as] he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of Yahweh, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.⁸ And Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why do you weep? and why don't you eat? and why is your heart grieved? am I not better to you than ten sons?

⁹ So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drank. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the door-post of the temple of Yahweh.¹⁰ And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to Yahweh, and wept intensely.¹¹ And she vowed a vow, and said, O Yahweh of hosts, if you will indeed look at the affliction of your slave, and remember me, and not forget your slave, but will give to your slave a man-child, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head.¹² And it came to pass, as she continued praying before Yahweh, that Eli was watching her mouth.¹³ Now Hannah, she spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice wasn't heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunk.¹⁴ And Eli said to her, How long will you be drunk? put your wine away from you.¹⁵ And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drank neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Yahweh.¹⁶ Don't count your slave for a wicked woman; for out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation I have spoken until now.¹⁷ Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him.¹⁸ And she said, Let your slave find favor in your sight. So the woman went her way, and ate; and her countenance was no more [sad].

¹⁹ And they rose up early in the morning, and worshiped before Yahweh, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah had sex with Hannah his wife; and Yahweh remembered her.²⁰ And it came to pass, when the time came about, that Hannah became pregnant, and gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, [saying], Because I have asked him of Yahweh.²¹ And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.²² But Hannah didn't go up; for she said to her husband, [I will not go up] until the lad is weaned; and then I will bring him, that he may appear before Yahweh, and abide there forever.²³ And Elkanah her husband said to her, Do what seems good to you; tarry until you have weaned him; only Yahweh establish his word. So the woman tarried 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 bull, and one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him to the house of Yahweh in Shiloh: and the lad was young.²⁵ And they slew the bull, and brought the lad to Eli.²⁶ And she said, Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman that stood here by you, praying to Yahweh.²⁷ I prayed for this lad; and Yahweh has given me my petition which I asked of him:²⁸ therefore I also have granted him to Yahweh; as long as he lives he is granted to Yahweh. And he worshiped Yahweh there.