New International Version

New King James Version

The Birth of Samuel

There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphitea from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

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The Family of Elkanah

Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the mountains of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of [a]Elihu, the son of [b]Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

2

He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

2

And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3

Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord.

3

This man went up from his city yearly to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. Also the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.

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Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.

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And whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an offering, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.

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But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb.

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But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the Lord had closed her womb.

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Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.

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And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb.

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This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.

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So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat.

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Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”

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Hannah’s Vow

Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

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Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house.

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So Hannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the [c]tabernacle of the Lord.

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In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.

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And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and [d]wept in anguish.

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And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

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Then she made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”

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As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth.

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And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth.

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Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk

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Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.

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and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”

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So Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!”

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“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord.

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But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.

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Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”

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Do not consider your maidservant a wicked[e] woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.”

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Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”

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Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.”

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She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

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And she said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

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Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.

19

Samuel Is Born and Dedicated

Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her.

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So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,b saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”

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So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name [f]Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the Lord.”

21

Hannah Dedicates Samuel

When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow,

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Now the man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and his vow.

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Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.”c

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But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will take him, that he may appear before the Lord and remain there forever.”

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“Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good hisd word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

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So Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him. Only let the Lord [g]establish [h]His word.” Then the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

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After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,e an ephahf of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh.

24

Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with [i]three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh. And the child was young.

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When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli,

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Then they slaughtered a bull, and brought the child to Eli.

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and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord.

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And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord.

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I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.

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For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him.

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So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

28

Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be [j]lent to the Lord.” So they worshiped the Lord there.

Parallel

New International Version

New King James Version

1 Samuel 1

1 Samuel 1