Elkanah and His Wives
(Psalm 113:1–9)

1And there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim,† of the hill country of Ephraim. And his name was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu,† son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2And to him were two wives: The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the second Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, and Hannah had no children.

3And that man went up from his city from days to days to bow and sacrifice to YHWH of Hosts in Shiloh. And were there the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of YHWH. 4And whenever came the time for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters portions. 5And to Hannah he would give a double portion,† for he loved Hannah, although YHWH had closed her womb.

6And her rival also provoked her severely to make her miserable, because YHWH had shut up her womb. 7And it was year by year, when she went up to the house of YHWH, that she provoked her. And she wept and did not eat.

8And Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

Hannah Prays for a Son

9And Hannah arose after they had finished eating in Shiloh, and after drinking, and Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of YHWH.

10And she was bitter of soul, and she prayed to YHWH and wept bitterly. 11And she made a vow and said, “O YHWH of Hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant, and remember me and not forget Your maidservant, and will give to your maidservant a male seed, I will give him to YHWH all the days of his life, and a razor shall not go up on his head.”

12And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the face of YHWH, that Eli watched her mouth. 13And Hannah, she spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard.

And Eli thought she was drunk. 14And Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put away your wine from you.”

15And Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; and I have not drunk any wine or strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the face of YHWH. 16Do not put your maidservant before the face of a daughter of worthlessness, for out of the abundance of my anguish and grief I have been speaking until now.”

17And Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.”

18And she said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your eyes.” And the woman went her way, and ate, and her face was not sad for herself anymore.

The Birth of Samuel

19And they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the face of YHWH, and they returned and came to their house in Ramah.

And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and YHWH remembered her. 20And it came to pass, in the coming around of the days, that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel,† “For from YHWH I have asked for him.”

21And the man Elkanah went up, and all his house, to offer to YHWH the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. 22And Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “Until the child is weaned, then I will bring him, that he may appear before YHWH and remain there even to forever.†”

23And Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what is good in your eyes. Wait until you have weaned him. Only let YHWH establish His word.†”

And the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

24And she took him up with her when she had weaned him, along with a three-year-old bull† and one ephah of flour,† and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of YHWH in Shiloh; and the boy was a young boy. 25And they slaughtered a bull and brought the boy to Eli.

26And she said, “Please, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you in this place praying to YHWH. 27I prayed for this boy, and YHWH has granted to me my petition that I asked of Him. 28And also I have granted him to YHWH. As long as the days that he lives he shall be granted to YHWH.”

And they bowed low† there before YHWH.

Footnotes:

1 Or from Ramathaim, a Zuphite; see LXX and 1 Chronicles 6:26 and 35.
1 Elihu is also called Eliab and Eliel; see 1 Chronicles 6:27 and 34.
5 Or a choice portion
20 Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for heard of God.
22 MT; DSS include I will offer him as a Nazirite for all time.
23 MT; DSS, LXX, and Syriac your word
24 DSS, LXX, and Syriac; MT three bulls
24 An ephah is approximately 20 dry quarts or 22 liters (probably about 25.5 pounds or 11.6 kilograms of flour).
28 One DSS manuscript; MT he bowed low