Elkanah

1Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:

There was a man named Elkanah. He lived in Ramathaim-zophim, in the hills of Ephraim. His father was Jeroham, and Jeroham's father was Elihu. Elihu's father was Tohu, and Tohu's father was Zuph. Their family came from Ephraim.

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

Elkanah had two wives. One was named Hannah, and the other was named Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

3And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.

Every year Elkanah left his town and went to Shiloh. There he worshipped the LORD of hosts and gave him gifts. Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests there. Priests are men who serve God at his house.

4And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:

When the day came for Elkanah to give his gift, he shared out the food. He gave a share to Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.

5But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.

But he gave Hannah a double share, because he loved her. The LORD had kept her from having babies.

6And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.

Peninnah said mean things to Hannah again and again. She did it to hurt her, because the LORD had kept Hannah from having babies.

7And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

This went on year after year. Every time Hannah went to the LORD's house, Peninnah teased her. So Hannah cried and would not eat.

8Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

Her husband Elkanah said to her, "Hannah, why are you crying? Why won't you eat? Why is your heart so sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"

19And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.

Early the next morning they bowed down and worshipped the LORD. Then they went home to Ramah. Elkanah and Hannah slept together as husband and wife. And the LORD remembered Hannah.

20Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.

After some time, Hannah had a baby boy. She named him Samuel. She said, "I asked the LORD for him."

21And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

Later Elkanah and his whole family went to give the LORD the yearly gift. He also kept the promise he had made to God.

22But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.

But Hannah did not go. She told her husband, "I will wait until the boy stops drinking milk. Then I will bring him to the LORD's house. He will stay there for good."

23And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

Her husband Elkanah said, "Do what you think is best. Stay here until he is ready. May the LORD do what he has said." So Hannah stayed home and fed her son until he was older.

24And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.

When Samuel no longer drank milk, Hannah took him with her. She brought a young bull, a basket of flour, and a skin bag of wine. She brought them all to the LORD's house in Shiloh. The boy was still very young.

25And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.

They killed the bull as a gift to God. Then they brought the boy to Eli.

26And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.

Hannah said, "Please listen, sir. As surely as you are alive, I am that same woman. I stood here beside you and prayed to the LORD."

27For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

"I prayed for this boy. And the LORD gave me what I asked him for."

28Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.

"So now I give him back to the LORD. He will belong to the LORD his whole life." And they worshipped the LORD there.

11And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.

Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. But the boy Samuel stayed and served the LORD. He helped Eli, a priest who served God at God's tent.

18But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

But Samuel served the LORD. He was only a boy. He wore a linen ephod, a plain vest worn by those who served God.

19Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

Every year his mother made him a little coat. She brought it to him when she and her husband came to give the yearly offering.

20And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home.

Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife. He said, "May the LORD give you more children through this woman. She gave her son to the LORD." Then they went home.

21And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.

The LORD was kind to Hannah. She had three more sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew up serving the LORD.