Hannah

1There 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.

Now 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:

NoteThe Bible often lists a man's father and grandfather. This tells us which family he came from. Ephraim was one of the big family groups of Israel.

2Elkanah had two wives. One was named Hannah, and the other was named Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

And 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.

NoteLong ago some men had more than one wife. Both wives lived in the same house with the children.

3Every year Elkanah left his town and went to Shiloh. There he worshiped the LORD of hosts and gave him gifts. Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests there.

And 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.

Note"Hosts" is an old word for armies. "LORD of hosts" means God is the strongest king of all. Shiloh was the town with God's special tent house. Families traveled there once a year to worship. The gifts were animals and food given to God. Priests were men who served God at his house.

4When 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.

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

NoteA gift to God was also a family meal. The meat was shared out, and everyone got a piece.

5But he gave Hannah a double share, because he loved her. The LORD had kept her from having babies.

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

NoteBack then, having children mattered very much to a family. A woman with no children often felt sad and left out.

6Peninnah said mean things to Hannah again and again. She did it to hurt her, because the LORD had kept Hannah from having babies.

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

7This went on year after year. Every time Hannah went to the LORD's house, Peninnah teased her. So Hannah cried and would not eat.

And 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.

8Her 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?"

Then 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?

NoteHaving ten sons would have seemed like a huge blessing. Elkanah is telling Hannah how much he loves her.

9One time in Shiloh, they finished eating and drinking. Then Hannah got up. Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the LORD's house.

So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.

NoteGod's house at Shiloh was like a very large tent. Eli sat by the door where people came in.

10Hannah was hurting deep inside. She prayed to the LORD and cried and cried.

And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

11She made a promise. She said, "LORD of hosts, please look at how sad I am. Remember me. Do not forget me. If you give me a baby boy, I will give him back to you for his whole life. No razor will ever cut his hair."

And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

NoteA promise made to God was taken very seriously. Some people never cut their hair as a sign. It showed they belonged to God in a special way. The King James calls Hannah a "handmaid," which is an old word for a servant.

12Hannah kept on praying to the LORD. Eli watched her mouth.

And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.

13She was praying inside her heart. Her lips moved, but no sound came out. So Eli thought she had been drinking too much wine.

Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

NoteMost people back then prayed out loud. Praying quietly inside your heart looked strange to Eli.

14Eli said to her, "How long will you stay drunk? Put your wine away."

And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

NoteDrunk means someone has had too much wine. It makes a person wobbly and hard to understand.

15Hannah answered, "No, sir. I am a woman with a very sad heart. I have not had wine or any strong drink. I have been telling the LORD everything inside me."

And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

Note"Strong drink" was a drink even stronger than wine.

16"Please do not think I am a bad woman. I have been talking to God because I am so sad and hurting."

Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

NoteThe King James says "a daughter of Belial." That old phrase means a bad or worthless person.

17Eli said, "Go in peace. May the God of Israel give you what you asked him for."

Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

Note"Go in peace" was a kind way to say goodbye. It means "I hope everything goes well for you."

18Hannah said, "Thank you for being kind to me." Then she went on her way. She ate some food, and her face was not sad anymore.

And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

NoteThe King James says "find grace in thy sight." That was a polite way to say "please be kind to me."

19Early the next morning they bowed down and worshiped the LORD. Then they went home to Ramah. Elkanah and Hannah slept together as husband and wife. And the LORD remembered Hannah.

And 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.

Note"Remembered" does not mean God had forgotten her. It means he acted to help her now.

20After some time, Hannah had a baby boy. She named him Samuel. She said, "I asked the LORD for him."

Wherefore 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.

NoteThe name Samuel sounds like the words for "asked of God." They spoke Hebrew, so the name reminded Hannah of her prayer.

21Later Elkanah and his whole family went to give the LORD the yearly gift. He also kept the promise he had made to God.

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

22But 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."

But 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.

NoteBabies then drank their mother's milk for about three years. So Samuel was a little boy by now, not a baby.

23Her 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.

And 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.

24When 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.

And 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.

NoteThe King James says "one ephah of flour." An ephah was a measure, about enough to fill a big bucket. A "bullock" is a young bull, a large male cow. People carried wine in bags made from animal skin, because they had no glass bottles.

25They killed the bull as a gift to God. Then they brought the boy to Eli.

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

NoteKilling an animal was how people gave a gift to God. Part of it was burned, and part was eaten together.

26Hannah 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."

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

Note"As surely as you live" was a way of making a promise. It means "I am telling you the truth."

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

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

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

Therefore 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.

NoteThe King James says Hannah "lent" him to the LORD. Here it means she gave him for good, not just for a while.

1Hannah prayed and said, "My heart is full of joy because of the LORD. He has made me strong. Now I can speak up to the people who hurt me. I am glad, because you saved me."

And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.

NoteHannah is Samuel's mother. She had wanted a baby for many years. God gave her a son, and this is her happy song. The old words say "mine horn is exalted." A horn is the strong part on an animal's head. It was a picture of being strong. When you see LORD in big letters, that is God's own special name.

2"No one is holy like the LORD. There is no one at all besides you. No one keeps us safe like our God, who is like a strong rock."

There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

NoteHoly means completely good. It also means no one else is like him.

3"Stop talking in such a proud way. Do not let bragging come out of your mouth. The LORD is a God who knows all things. He weighs what people do."

Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

NoteTo weigh something is to check how heavy it is. God checks what people do just as carefully.

4"The bows of strong soldiers are broken. People who used to stumble are now made strong."

The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

NoteA bow shoots arrows. It was a soldier's main weapon back then.

5"People who had plenty of food now work hard just to get bread. People who were hungry are hungry no more. A woman who had no children now has seven. A woman with many children grows weak."

They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.

NoteLong ago, having children was one of the happiest things in life. A woman with no baby felt very sad. Seven here just means a full, happy number.

6"The LORD takes life away, and he gives life. He brings people down to the grave, and he brings them up again."

The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

NoteThe grave is the place where dead people are buried.

7"The LORD makes some people poor and some people rich. He brings people down low, and he lifts people up."

The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

8"He lifts poor people up out of the dust. He lifts people in need up from the ash pile. He seats them with princes and gives them a seat of honor. The posts that hold up the earth belong to the LORD. He set the world on them."

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and he hath set the world upon them.

NoteThe ash pile was a heap of ashes and trash outside town. The poorest people sat there. Back then people pictured the earth sitting on big posts, like a house on strong legs.

9"He watches over every step his faithful people take. But wicked people will be silent in the dark. No one wins by his own strength."

He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

10"Everyone who fights the LORD will be broken to pieces. He will thunder at them from heaven. The LORD will judge people everywhere on earth. He will make his king strong and lift him up high."

The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

NoteThe old words say "his anointed." To anoint someone was to pour olive oil on his head. It showed that God had picked him to be king.

18But Samuel served the LORD. He was only a boy. He wore a linen ephod, a plain vest worn by those who served God.

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

NoteLinen is a soft cloth made from a plant. An ephod was a plain vest, like an apron with no sleeves.

19Every year his mother made him a little coat. She brought it to him when she and her husband came to give the yearly offering.

Moreover 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.

NoteSamuel lived at God's tent, away from his family. His mother could only visit him once each year.

20Eli 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.

And 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.

NoteBefore Samuel was born, Hannah promised God something. She said that if she had a son, he would serve God all his life.

21The LORD was kind to Hannah. She had three more sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew up serving the LORD.

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