Parallel Bible results for "1 samuel 1"

1 Samuel 1

New Revised Standard NRS

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

2 He had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 Now this man used to go up year by year from his town to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord.

4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters;

5 but to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.

6 Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.

7 So it went on year by year; as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat.

8 Her husband Elkanah said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?"

9 After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the Lord. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord.

10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord, and wept bitterly.

11 She made this vow: "O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head."

12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth.

13 Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk.

14 So Eli said to her, "How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine."

15 But Hannah answered, "No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord.

16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time."

17 Then Eli answered, "Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him."

18 And she said, "Let your servant find favor in your sight." Then the woman went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer.

19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.

20 In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, "I have asked him of the Lord."

21 The man Elkanah and all his household went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and to pay his vow.

22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, "As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, that he may appear in the presence of the Lord, and remain there forever; I will offer him as a nazirite for all time."

23 Her husband Elkanah said to her, "Do what seems best to you, wait until you have weaned him; only—may the Lord establish his word." So the woman remained and nursed her son, until she weaned him.

24 When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. She brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh; and the child was young.

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

26 And she said, "Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord.

27 For this child I prayed; and the Lord has granted me the petition that I made to him.

28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord." She left him there for the Lord.

The Message Bible MSG

1 There once was a man who lived in Ramathaim. He was descended from the old Zuph family in the Ephraim hills. His name was Elkanah. (He was connected with the Zuphs from Ephraim through his father Jeroham, his grandfather Elihu, and his great-grandfather Tohu.)

2 He had two wives. The first was Hannah; the second was Peninnah. Peninnah had children; Hannah did not.

3 Every year this man went from his hometown up to Shiloh to worship and offer a sacrifice to God-of-the-Angel-Armies. Eli and his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, served as the priests of God there.

4 When Elkanah sacrificed, he passed helpings from the sacrificial meal around to his wife Peninnah and all her children,

5 but he always gave an especially generous helping to Hannah because he loved her so much, and because God had not given her children.

6 But her rival wife taunted her cruelly, rubbing it in and never letting her forget that God had not given her children.

7 This went on year after year. Every time she went to the sanctuary of God she could expect to be taunted. Hannah was reduced to tears and had no appetite.

8 Her husband Elkanah said, "Oh, Hannah, why are you crying? Why aren't you eating? And why are you so upset? Am I not of more worth to you than ten sons?"

9 So Hannah ate. Then she pulled herself together, slipped away quietly, and entered the sanctuary. The priest Eli was on duty at the entrance to God's Temple in the customary seat.

10 Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to God and cried and cried - inconsolably.

11 Then she made a vow: Oh, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, If you'll take a good, hard look at my pain, If you'll quit neglecting me and go into action for me By giving me a son, I'll give him completely, unreservedly to you. I'll set him apart for a life of holy discipline.

12 It so happened that as she continued in prayer before God, Eli was watching her closely.

13 Hannah was praying in her heart, silently. Her lips moved, but no sound was heard. Eli jumped to the conclusion that she was drunk.

14 He approached her and said, "You're drunk! How long do you plan to keep this up? Sober up, woman!"

15 Hannah said, "Oh no, sir - please! I'm a woman hard used. I haven't been drinking. Not a drop of wine or beer. The only thing I've been pouring out is my heart, pouring it out to God.

16 Don't for a minute think I'm a bad woman. It's because I'm so desperately unhappy and in such pain that I've stayed here so long."

17 Eli answered her, "Go in peace. And may the God of Israel give you what you have asked of him."

18 "Think well of me - and pray for me!" she said, and went her way. Then she ate heartily, her face radiant.

19 Up before dawn, they worshiped God and returned home to Ramah. Elkanah slept with Hannah his wife, and God began making the necessary arrangements in response to what she had asked. Dedicating the Child to God

20 Before the year was out, Hannah had conceived and given birth to a son. She named him Samuel, explaining, "I asked God for him."

21 When Elkanah next took his family on their annual trip to Shiloh to worship God, offering sacrifices and keeping his vow,

22 Hannah didn't go. She told her husband, "After the child is weaned, I'll bring him myself and present him before God - and that's where he'll stay, for good."

23 Elkanah said to his wife, "Do what you think is best. Stay home until you have weaned him. Yes! Let God complete what he has begun!"

24 Then she took him up to Shiloh, bringing also the makings of a generous sacrificial meal - a prize bull, flour, and wine. The child was so young to be sent off!

25 They first butchered the bull, then brought the child to Eli.

26 Hannah said, "Excuse me, sir. Would you believe that I'm the very woman who was standing before you at this very spot, praying to God?

27 I prayed for this child, and God gave me what I asked for.

28 And now I have dedicated him to God. He's dedicated to God for life." Then and there, they worshiped God.