1 Samuel chapter 1
A family goes on a pilgrimage. Hannah prays for a son. Samuel is born. Hannah offers Samuel to God.
A FAMILY GOES ON A PILGRIMAGE
VERSE 1. Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, 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.
VERSE 2. 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.
VERSE 3. This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to the LORD, were there.
This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice. Elkanah and his family are observant. Every year, they went on a spiritual pilgrimage to worship the LORD and to sacrifice.
the LORD. When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.
VERSE 4. When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions;
VERSE 5. but to Hannah he gave a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had shut up her womb.
he loved Hannah. Elkanah and Hannah had an intimate love-relationship.
VERSE 6. Her rival provoked her severely, to irritate her, because the LORD had shut up her womb.
VERSE 7. So year by year, when she went up to the LORD’s house, her rival provoked her. Therefore she wept, and didn’t eat.
VERSE 8. Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why don’t you eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
Am I not better to you than ten sons? This suggests that Elkanah and Hannah had an intimate love relationship.
HANNAH PRAYS FOR A SON
VERSE 9. So Hannah rose up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the LORD’s temple.
VERSE 10. She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly.
VERSE 11. She vowed a vow, and said, “The LORD of Hosts, if you will indeed look at the affliction of your servant and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a boy, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head.”
Leviticus 27:2. Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘When a man consecrates a person to the LORD in a vow, according to your valuation,
VERSE 12. As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli saw her mouth.
VERSE 13. Now Hannah spoke in her heart. Only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.
VERSE 14. Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Get rid of your wine!”
VERSE 15. Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have not been drinking wine or strong drink, but I poured out my soul before the LORD.
VERSE 16. Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman; for I have been speaking out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation.”
VERSE 17. Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him.”
the God of Israel. The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
VERSE 18. She said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate; and her facial expression wasn’t sad any more.
SAMUEL IS BORN
VERSE 19. They rose up in the morning early and worshiped the LORD, then returned and came to their house to Ramah. Then Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
then Elkanah knew Hannah his wife. As soon as they returned home from worship and sacrifice, they had sexual relations.
VERSE 20. When the time had come, Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the LORD.”
she named him Samuel. The word Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for “heard by God.”
VERSE 21. The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow.
VERSE 22. But Hannah didn’t go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and stay there forever.”
VERSE 23. Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only may the LORD establish his word.” So the woman waited and nursed her son until she weaned him.
HANNAH OFFERS SAMUEL TO GOD
VERSE 24. When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, and one efah of meal, and a container of wine, and brought him to the LORD’s house in Shiloh. The child was young.
one efah of meal. One efah is about 22 liters or about 2/3 of a bushel.
VERSE 25. They killed the bull, and brought the child to Eli.
VERSE 26. She said, “Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD.
VERSE 27. I prayed for this child, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of him.
VERSE 28. Therefore I have also given him to the LORD. As long as he lives he is given to the LORD.” He worshiped the LORD there.
« previous chapter
(Ruth chapter 4)
1 SAMUEL
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, When your minister doesn’t know the LORD
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.