1 Samuel 1:12-28 – Answered Prayer

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 21 June 2020

Omitting greyed-out text should bring presentation time down to about 40 minutes.

Introduction & v.12:

v.13-14 Eli thinks Hannah is drunk, so he reprimands her

vs.15-16 Hannah corrects Eli’s mistaken impression

vs.17-18 Eli and Hannah part peaceably

vs.19-20 Elqana and Hannah give birth to Samuel

vs.21-23 Elqana & Hannah discuss holiday arrangements while Samuel nurses

vs.24-25 Hannah brings Samuel and holiday sacrifices to Shiloh

vs.26-28 Hannah’s testimony to answered prayer before Eli

Conclusion

1 Samuel 1 - Side-by side comparison of versionsA

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Masoretic Txt

1 Ἄνθρωπος ἦν ἐξ Αρμαθαιμ Σιφα ἐξ ὄρους Εφραιμ, καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ελκανα υἱὸς Ιερεμεηλ υἱοῦ Ηλιου υἱοῦ Θοκε ἐν Νασιβ Εφραιμ.

1 There was a man of Arma­thaim Sipha, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Helkana, a son of Jeremeel the son of Elias the son of Thoke, in Nasib Ephraim.

1 There was a man of Ramathaimsophim, of Mount Ephraim, and his name was Elcana, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliu, the son of Thohu, the son of Suph, an Ephraimite:

1 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:

1 Now there was a certain man from Tsophim Heights of the hill-country of Ephraim, and his name was Elqanah, son of Jero­cham, son of Elihu, son of Tochu, son of Tsuph, an Ephraimite,

א וַיְהִי אִישׁ אֶחָד מִן הָרָמָתַיִם צוֹפִים מֵהַר אֶפְרָיִם וּשְׁמוֹ אֶלְקָנָה בֶּן יְרֹחָם בֶּן אֱלִיהוּא בֶּן תֹּחוּ בֶן צוּף אֶפְרָתִי.

2 καὶ τούτῳ δύο γυναῖκες· ὄνομα τῇ μιᾷ Αννα, καὶ ὄνομα τῇ δευτέρᾳ Φεννανα· καὶ ἦν τῇ Φεννανα παιδία, καὶ τῇ Αννα οὐκ ἦν παιδίον.

2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Anna, and the name of the sec­ond Phennana. And Phennana had children, but Anna had no child.

2 And he had two wives, the name of one was Anna, and the name of the other Phenenna. Phenenna had children: but Anna had no children.

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

2 and two women were [married] to him: the name of the first was Han­nah, and the name of the second was Peni­nnah, and it happened that children were [born] to Peninnah but there were no children [born] to Hannah.

ב וְלוֹ שְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים שֵׁם אַחַת חַנָּה וְשֵׁם הַשֵּׁנִית פְּנִנָּה וַיְהִי לִפְנִנָּה יְלָדִים וּלְחַנָּה אֵין יְלָדִים.

3 καὶ ἀνέβαινεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ἡμερῶν εἰς ἡμέρας ἐκ πόλεως αὐτοῦ [ἐξ Αρμαθαιμ] προσκυνεῖν καὶ θύειν τῷ κυρίῳ [θεῷ] σαβαωθB εἰς Σηλω· καὶ ἐκεῖ Ηλι καὶ οἱ δύο υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ Οφνι καὶ Φινεες ἱερεῖς τοῦ κυρίου.

3 And the man went up from year to year from his city, [from Arma­thaim], to worship and sacrifice to the Lord [God] of Sabaoth at Selom: and there were Heli & his 2 sons Ophni & Phinees, the priests of the Lord.

3 And this man went up out of his city upon the appointed days, to adore and to offer sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Silo. And the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were there priests of the Lord.

3 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.

3 And this man went up from his town {of The Heights} holiday-season after holiday-season to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of Hosts at Shiloh, for there the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, [served as] priests to Yahweh.

ג וְעָלָה הָאִישׁ הַהוּא מֵעִירוֹ מִיָּמִים יָמִימָה לְהִשְׁתַּחֲו‍ֹת וְלִזְבֹּחַ לַיהוָה צְבָאוֹת בְּשִׁלֹה וְשָׁם שְׁנֵי בְנֵי עֵלִי חָפְנִי וּפִנְחָס כֹּהֲנִים לַיהוָה.

4 καὶ ἐγενήθη ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἔθυσεν Ελκανα καὶ ἔδωκεν τῇ Φεννανα γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ X τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτῆς καὶ X ταῖς θυγατράσιν αὐτῆς μερίδας·

4 And the day came, and Helkana sacri­ficed, and gave portions to his wife Phennana and her children.

4 Now the day came, and Elcana offered sacrifice, and gave to Phenenna, his wife, and to all her sons and daughters, portions:

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

4 When the holiday would happen and Elqanah would slaugh­ter [a sacrificial-ani­mal], then he would give portions to Peni­nnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters,

ד וַיְהִי הַיּוֹם וַיִּזְבַּח אֶלְקָנָה וְנָתַן לִפְנִנָּה אִשְׁתּוֹ וּלְכָל בָּנֶיהָ וּבְנוֹתֶיהָ מָנוֹת.

5 καὶ τῇ Αννα ἔδωκεν μερίδα μίαν, [ὅτι οὐκ ἦν αὐτῇ παιδίον·C] πλὴν ὅτι τὴν Ανναν ἠγάπα Ελκανα ὑπὲρ ταύτην, καὶ κύριος ἀπέκλεισεν τὰ περὶ τὴν μήτραν αὐτῆς·

5 And to Anna he gave a prime portion, [because she had no child], only Helkana loved Anna more than the other; but the Lord had closed her womb.

5 But to Anna he gave one portion with sorrow, because he loved Anna. And the Lord had shut up her womb.

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

5 but to Hannah he would give one apayim portion {since she didn’t have a child because the Lord had not given a child to her, and also} because it was Hannah whom he loved, even though Yah­weh had closed her womb.

ה וּלְחַנָּה יִתֵּן מָנָה אַחַת אַפָּיִם כִּי אֶת חַנָּה אָהֵב וַיהוָה סָגַר רַחְמָהּ.

6 [ὅτι οὐκ ἔδωκεν αὐτῇ κύριος παιδίον κατὰ τὴν θλῖψιν αὐτῆς] καὶ κατὰD τὴν ἀθυμίαν τῆς θλίψεως αὐτῆς, καὶ ἠθύμει διὰ τοῦτο X, ὅτι συνέκλεισεν κύριος τὰ περὶ τὴν μήτραν αὐτῆς τοῦ μὴ δοῦναι αὐτῇ παιδίον.

6 [For the Lord gave her no child in her affliction,] and according to the despondency of her affliction; and she was dispirited on this account X, that the Lord shut up her womb so as not to give her a child.

6 Her rival also afflicted her, and troubled her exceedingly, insomuch that she upbraided her, that the Lord had shut up her womb:

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

6 Now, her rival would provoke her even to provocation in order to get her to groan because Yahweh had closed her womb instead.

ו וְכִעֲסַתָּה צָרָתָהּ גַּם כַּעַס בַּעֲבוּר הַרְּעִמָהּ כִּי סָגַר יְהוָה בְּעַד רַחְמָהּ.

7 X οὕτως ἐποίει ἐνιαυτὸν κατ᾿ ἐνιαυτὸν ἐν τῷ ἀναβαίνειν αὐτὴν εἰς οἶκον κυρίου· καὶ ἠθύμει καὶ ἔκλαιεν καὶ οὐκ ἤσθιεν.

7 X So she did year by year, in going up to the house of the Lord; and she was dispiritedX, and wept, and did not eat.

7 And thus she did X every year, when the time returned, that they went up to the temple of the Lord: [and] thus she provoked her: but [Anna] wept, and did not eat.

7 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.

7 And thus it played out year by year, as often as she went up to the house of Yahweh she would cause provoca­tion to her like this, and she would weep and wouldn’t eat.

ז וְכֵן יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁנָה בְשָׁנָה מִדֵּי עֲלֹתָהּ בְּבֵית יְהוָה כֵּן תַּכְעִסֶנָּה וַתִּבְכֶּה וְלֹא תֹאכַל.

8 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Ελκανα ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς Αννα. [καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἰδοὺ ἐγώ, κύριε. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ] Τί [ἐστίν σοι, ὅτι] κλαίεις; καὶ ἵνα τί οὐκ ἐσθίεις; καὶ ἵνα τί τύπτει σε ἡ καρδία σου; οὐκ ἀγαθὸς ἐγώ σοι ὑπὲρ δέκα τέκνα;

8 And Helkana her husband said to her, Anna: [and she said to him, Here am I, my lord: and he said to her,] What [ails thee that] thou weepest? and why dost thou not eat? and why does thy heart smite thee? am I not better to thee than ten children?

8 Then Elcana, her husband, said to her: Anna, why weepest thou? and why dost thou not eat? and why dost thou afflict thy heart? Am not I better to thee than ten children?

8 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?

8 Now Elqanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping and why are you not eating? And why is your heart breaking? Am I not better to you than ten children?”

ח וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ אֶלְקָנָה אִישָׁהּ חַנָּה לָמֶה תִבְכִּי וְלָמֶה לֹא תֹאכְלִי וְלָמֶה יֵרַע לְבָבֵךְ הֲלוֹא אָנֹכִי טוֹב לָךְ מֵעֲשָׂרָה בָּנִים.

9 καὶ ἀνέστη Αννα μετὰ τὸ φαγεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐν Σηλω καὶ κατέστη ἐνώπιον κυρίου, καὶ Ηλι ὁ ἱερεὺς ἐκάθητο ἐπὶ τοῦ δίφρου ἐπὶ τῶν φλιῶν ναοῦ κυρίου.

9 And Anna rose up after they had eaten in Selom, and stood before the Lord: and Heli the priest was on a seat by the thres­hold of the temple of the Lord.

9 So Anna arose after she had eaten and drunk in Silo: And Heli, the priest, sitting upon a stool before the door of the temple of the Lord;

9 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.

9 Then Hannah got up after eating in Shiloh and after drinking. Now, Eli the priest was sitting on his seat against the door-frame of the temple of Yahweh.

ט וַתָּקָם חַנָּה אַחֲרֵי אָכְלָה בְשִׁלֹה וְאַחֲרֵי שָׁתֹה וְעֵלִי הַכֹּהֵן יֹשֵׁב עַל הַכִּסֵּא עַל מְזוּזַת הֵיכַל יְהוָה.

10 καὶ αὐτὴ κατώδυνοςF ψυχῇ καὶ προσηύξατο πρὸς κύριον καὶ κλαίουσα ἔκλαυσεν

10 And she was very much grieved in spirit, and prayed to the Lord, and wept abundantly.

10 As [Anna had] her heart [full] of grief, X she prayed to the Lord, shedding many tears,

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

10 Meanwhile, she was bitter of soul and prayed to Yahweh and wept intensely.

י וְהִיא מָרַת נָפֶשׁ וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל עַל יְהוָה וּבָכֹה תִבְכֶּה.

11 καὶ ηὔξατο εὐχὴν [κυρίῳ] λέγουσα Αδωναι κύριε ελωαι σαβαωθ, ἐὰν ἐπιβλέπων ἐπιβλέψῃς ἐπὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν τῆς δούλης σου καὶ μνησθῇς μου XXXXX καὶ δῷς τῇ δούλῃ σου σπέρμα ἀνδρῶν, καὶ δώσω αὐτὸν ἐνώπιόν σου δοτὸν ἕως ἡμέρας θανάτου αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἶνον καὶ μέθυσμα οὐ πίεται, καὶ σίδηρος οὐκ ἀναβήσεται ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ.

11 And she vowed a vow [to the Lord], saying, O Lord God of Sabaoth, if thou welt indeed look upon the humiliation of thine handmaid, and remember me, XXXXX and give to thine handmaid a man-child, then will I indeed dedicate him to thee till the day of his death; and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and no razor shall come upon his head.

11 And she made a vow, saying: O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt look down, and wilt be mindful of me, and not forget thy handmaid, and wilt give to thy servant a manchild: I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.

11 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 uponG his head.

11 Then she vowed a vow and said, “Yahweh of Hosts, if you will really look into the deprivation of your maid and remember me and not forget your maid and give to your maid a male descendant, then I will give him to You until the day of his death, {and he shall not drink either wine or beer,} and shears will never be put to his head.

יא וַתִּדֹּר נֶדֶר וַתֹּאמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת אִם רָאֹה תִרְאֶה בָּעֳנִי אֲמָתֶךָ וּזְכַרְתַּנִי וְלֹא תִשְׁכַּח אֶת אֲמָתֶךָ וְנָתַתָּה לַאֲמָתְךָ זֶרַע אֲנָשִׁים וּנְתַתִּיוH לַיהוָה כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו אאאאאאא וּמוֹרָה לֹא יַעֲלֶה עַל רֹאשׁוֹ.

12 καὶ ἐγενήθη ὅτε ἐπλήθυνεν προσ­ευχομένη ἐνώπιον κυρίου, καὶ Ηλι ὁ ἱερεὺς ἐφύλαξενI τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς·

12 And it came to pass, while she was long praying before the Lord, that Heli the priest marked her mouth.

12 And it came to pass, as she multiplied prayers before the Lord, that Heli observed her mouth.

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

12 So it happened that she prolonged her pray­ing before the face of Yahweh, and Eli was watching her mouth.

יב וְהָיָה כִּי הִרְבְּתָה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לִפְנֵי יְהוָה וְעֵלִי שֹׁמֵר אֶת פִּיהָ.

13 καὶ αὐτὴ ἐλάλει ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῆς, καὶJ τὰ χείλη αὐτῆς ἐκινεῖτο, καὶ φωνὴ αὐτῆς οὐκ ἠκούετο· καὶ ἐλογίσατο αὐτὴν Ηλι εἰς μεθύουσαν.

13 And she was speaking in her heart, and her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: and Heli accounted her a drunken womanK.

13 Now Anna spoke in her heart, and only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard [at all]. Heli therefore thought her to be drunk,

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

13 As for Hannah, she was speaking with her heart, and her voice could not be heard; merely her lips were moving. As for Eli, he reckoned her to be drunk,

יג וְחַנָּהL הִיא מְדַבֶּרֶת עַל לִבָּהּ רַק שְׂפָתֶיהָ נָּעוֹת וְקוֹלָהּ לֹא יִשָּׁמֵעַ וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ עֵלִי לְשִׁכֹּרָה.

14 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ [τὸ παιδάριον] Ηλι Ἕως πότε μεθυσθήσῃ; περιελοῦ τὸν οἶνόν σου [καὶ πορεύου ἐκ προσώπου κυρίου].

14 And [the servant of] Heli said to her, How long wilt thou be drunken? take away thy wine from thee, [and go out from the presence of the Lord.]

14 And X said to her: How long wilt thou be drunk? digest [a little] the wine, of [which] thou [hast taken too much] X X.

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

14 so Eli said to her, “How long are you going to make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you!”

יד וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ עֵלִי עַד מָתַי תִּשְׁתַּכָּרִין הָסִירִי אֶת יֵינֵךְ מֵעָלָיִךְ.

15 καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Αννα καὶ εἶπεν Οὐχί, κύριε· γυνή, ᾗ σκληρὰ ἡμέραM, ἐγώ εἰμι καὶ οἶνον καὶ μέθυσμα οὐ πέπωκα καὶ ἐκχέω τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐνώπιον κυρίου·

15 And Anna answered and said, Nay, my lord, I live in a hard day, and I have not drunk wine or strong drink, and I pour out my soul before the Lord.

15 Anna answering, said: Not so, my lord: for I am an exceeding unhappy woman, and have drunk neither wine nor any strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord.

15 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.

15 Then Hannah replied and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of a hard-pressed spirit; I have not been drinking either wine or beer; I was just pouring our my soul before the face of Yahweh.

טו וַתַּעַן חַנָּה וַתֹּאמֶר לֹא אֲדֹנִי אִשָּׁה קְשַׁת רוּחַ אָנֹכִי וְיַיִן וְשֵׁכָר לֹא שָׁתִיתִי וָאֶשְׁפֹּךְ אֶת נַפְשִׁי לִפְנֵי יְהוָה.

16 μὴ δῷς τὴν δούλην σου εἰς θυγατέρα λοιμήνN, ὅτι ἐκ πλήθους ἀδολεσχίας μου X X X ἐκτέτακα ἕως νῦν.

16 Count not thy handmaid for a pestilent woman, for by reason of the abundance of my importunity X X X I have continued my prayer until now.

16 Count not thy handmaid for one of the daughters of Belial: for out of the abundance of my sorrow and grief have I spoken till now.

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

16 Don’t identify your maidservant as having a character of ungodli­ness, for it is from the enorm­ity of my com­plaint and my provo­cation that I spoke as much here.”

טז אַל תִּתֵּן אֶת אֲמָתְךָ לִפְנֵי בַּת בְּלִיָּעַל כִּי מֵרֹב שִׂיחִיQ וְכַעְסִי דִּבַּרְתִּי עַד הֵנָּה.

17 καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Ηλι καὶ εἶπεν [αὐτῇ] Πορεύου εἰς εἰρήνην·X ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ δῴη [σοι πᾶνR] αἴτημά σου, ὃ ᾐτήσω παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

17 And Heli answered and said to her, Go in peace: the God of Israel give [thee all] thy petition, which thou hast asked of himS.

17 Then Heli X X said to her: Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant [thee] thy petition, which thou hast asked of him.

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

17 Then Eli answered and said, “Go into peace, and may the God of Israel grant your request which you requested from Him.”

יז וַיַּעַן עֵלִי וַיֹּאמֶר לְכִי לְשָׁלוֹםT וֵאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יִתֵּן אֶת שֵׁלָתֵךְ אֲשֶׁר שָׁאַלְתְּ מֵעִמּוֹ.

18 καὶ εἶπεν Εὗρεν ἡ δούλη σου χάριν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς σου. καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἡ γυνὴ εἰς τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτῆς καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ κατάλυμα αὐτῆς καὶ ἔφαγεν [μετὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς καὶ ἔπιεν], καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς οὐ [συνέπεσενU] ἔτι.

18 And she said, Thine handmaid has found favour in thine eyes: and the woman went her way, and entered into her lodg­ing, and ate [and drank with her husband], and her count­enance was no more [sad].

18 And she said: Would to God thy handmaid may find grace in thy eyes. So the woman went on her way, and ate, and her countenance was no more [changed].

18 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.

18 So the woman said, “May your maidservant find grace in your eyes,” and she went along her way {into her lodging} and ate, and her sad-face was not on her anymore.

יח וַתֹּאמֶר תִּמְצָא שִׁפְחָתְךָ חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ וַתֵּלֶךְ הָאִשָּׁה לְדַרְכָּהּ אאאאאV וַתֹּאכַל וּפָנֶיהָ לֹא הָיוּ לָהּ עוֹד.

19 καὶ ὀρθρίζουσιν τὸ πρωὶ καὶ προσ­κυνοῦσιν Wτῷ κυρίῳ καὶ πορεύονται τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτῶν. καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Ελκανα εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ Αρμαθαιμ καὶ ἔγνω τὴν Ανναν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐμνήσθη αὐτῆς κύριος,

19 And they rise early in the morning, and worship the Lord, and they go their way: and Helkana went into his house at Arma­thaim, and knew his wife Anna; and the Lord remem­bered her,

19 And they rose in the morning, and worshipped before the Lord: and they returned, and came into their house at Ramatha. And Elcana knew Anna his wife: And the Lord remembered her.

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

19 Then they got up early in the morning and worshipped before the face of Yahweh, and then they turned around and went to their house at “The Heights,” and Elqanah knew Hannah his wife and Yahweh remembered her.

יט וַיַּשְׁכִּמוּ בַבֹּקֶר וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל בֵּיתָם הָרָמָתָה וַיֵּדַע אֶלְקָנָה אֶת חַנָּה אִשְׁתּוֹ וַיִּזְכְּרֶהָ יְהוָה.

20 καὶ συνέλαβεν X. καὶ ἐγενήθη τῷ καιρῷ τῶν ἡμερῶν καὶ ἔτεκεν υἱόν· καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Σαμουηλ [καὶ εἶπεν] Ὅτι παρὰ κυρίου [θεοῦ σαβαωθ] ᾐτησάμην αὐτόν.

and she conceived. 20 And it came to pass when the time was come, that she brought forth a son, and called his name Samuel, [and said], Because I asked him of the Lord [God of Sabaoth].

20 And it came to pass when the time was come about, Anna conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel: because she had asked him of the Lord.

20 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.

20 So it was for the term of her days Hannah was also pregnant, and she gave birth to a son and she called his name Samuel - “because I asked for him from Yahweh.”

כ וַיְהִי לִתְקֻפוֹתY הַיָּמִים וַתַּהַר חַנָּה וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ שְׁמוּאֵל כִּי מֵיְהוָה שְׁאִלְתִּיו.

21 Καὶ ἀνέβη ὁ ἄνθρωπος Ελκανα καὶ πᾶς ὁ οἶκος αὐτοῦ θῦσαι ἐν Σηλωμ τὴν θυσίαν τῶν ἡμερῶν καὶ τὰς εὐχὰς αὐτοῦ [καὶ πάσας τὰς δεκάτας τῆς γῆς αὐτοῦ·]

21 And the man Helkana and all his house went up to offer in Sel­om the yearly sacrifice, and his vows, [and all the tithes of his land.]

21 And Elcana, her husband, went up, and all his house, to offer to the Lord the solemn sacrifice, and his vow.

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

21 Then her husband Elqanah and all his household went up to sacrifice the holiday sacrifice along with what he vowed to Yahweh,

כא וַיַּעַל הָאִישׁ אֶלְקָנָה וְכָל בֵּיתוֹ לִזְבֹּחַ לַיהוָה אֶת זֶבַח הַיָּמִים וְאֶת נִדְרוֹ.

22 καὶ Αννα οὐκ ἀνέβη μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι εἶπεν τῷ ἀνδρὶ αὐτῆς Ἕως τοῦ ἀναβῆναι τὸ παιδάριον, ἐὰν ἀπο­γαλακτίσω αὐτό, καὶ ὀφθήσεται τῷ προσώπῳ κυρίου καὶ καθήσεται ἐκεῖ ἕως αἰῶνος.

22 But Anna did not go up with him, for she said to her husband, [I will not go up] until the child goes up, when I have weaned him, and he shall be presented before the Lord, and he shall abide there continually.

22 But Anna went not up: for she said to her husband: [I will not go] till the child be weaned, and till I may carry him, that he may appear before the Lord, and may abide always there.

22 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 abideZ for ever.

22 but Hannah did not go up {with him} for, she said to her husband, “Whenever I wean him and the boy is to go up, then he will be seen before the Lord, and he will settle down there forever.”

כב וְחַנָּה לֹא עָלָתָה אאAA כִּי אָמְרָה לְאִישָׁהּ עַד יִגָּמֵלBB הַנַּעַר וַהֲבִאֹתִיו וְנִרְאָה אֶת פְּנֵי יְהוָה וְיָשַׁב שָׁם
עַד עוֹלָםCC.

23 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Ελκανα ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς Ποίει τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς σου· κάθου, ἕως ἂν ἀπογαλακτίσῃς αὐτό· ἀλλὰ στήσαι κύριος τὸ ἐξελθὸν ἐκ τοῦ στόματός σου. καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἡ γυνὴ καὶ ἐθήλασεν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς, ἕως ἂν ἀπογαλακτίσῃ αὐτόν.

23 And Helkana her husband said to her, Do that which is good in thine eyes, abide still until thou shalt have weaned him; but may the Lord establish that which comes out of thy mouth: and the woman tarried, and suckled her son until she had weaned him.

23 And Elcana, her husband, said to her: Do what seemeth good to thee, and stay till thou wean him: [and I pray] that the Lord may fulfil his word. So the woman staid at home, and gave her son suck, till she weaned him.

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

23 And Elqana her husband said to her, “Do what is good in your eyes. Stay settled down until you have weaned him. May Yahweh indeed confirm what came out of your mouth.” So the woman stayed settled down and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

כג וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ אֶלְקָנָה אִישָׁהּ עֲשִׂי הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינַיִךְ שְׁבִי עַד גָּמְלֵךְ אֹתוֹ אַךְ יָקֵם יְהוָה אֶת EEדְּבָרוֹ וַתֵּשֶׁב הָאִשָּׁה וַתֵּינֶק אֶת בְּנָהּ עַד גָמְלָהּ אֹתוֹ.

24 καὶ ἀνέβη μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ εἰς Σηλωμ XXFF ἐν μόσχῳ τριετίζοντι καὶ ἄρτοις καὶ οιφι σεμιδάλεως καὶ νεβελ οἴνουGG καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς οἶκον κυρίου ἐν Σηλωμ, καὶ τὸ παιδά­ριον μετ᾿ αὐτῶν.

24 And she went up with him to Selom with a calf of three years old, and loaves, and an ephah of fine flour, and a bottle of wine: and she entered into the house of the Lord in Selom, and the child with them.

24 And after she had weaned him, she carried him with her, with three calvesHH, and three bushels of flour, and a bottle of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord in Silo. Now the child was as yet very young:

24 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.

24 Then she went up with him {to Shiloh} as usual, with a 3-year-old bullock {and bread} and one bushel of meal and a container of wine, and she brought it to the Shiloh house of Yahweh, and the boy was with them.

כד וַתַּעֲלֵהוּ עִמָּהּ IIxx כַּאֲשֶׁר גְּמָלַתּוּ בְּפָרִים שְׁלֹשָׁה xxJJ וְאֵיפָה אַחַת קֶמַח וְנֵבֶל יַיִן וַתְּבִאֵהוּ בֵית יְהוָה שִׁלוֹ וְהַנַּעַר נָעַרKK.

25 καὶ προσήγαγον ἐνώπιον κυρίου, καὶ ἔσφαξεν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ τὴν θυσίαν, ἣν ἐποίει ἐξ ἡμερῶν εἰς ἡμέρας τῷ κυρίῳ, καὶ προσήγαγεν τὸ παιδάριον καὶ ἔσφαξεν τὸν μόσχον. καὶ προσήγαγεν Ανναμήτηρ τοῦ παιδαρίου πρὸς Ηλι

25 And they brought him before the Lord; and his father slew his offering which he offered from year to year to the Lord; and he brought near the child, and slew the calf; and Anna the mother of the child brought him to Heli.

25 And they immolated a calf, and offered the child to Heli.

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

25 {Then they brought him before the face of Yahweh, and his father slaughtered the sacri­fice before the LORD, as he did from holiday to holiday, and he pre­sented the child}, then they slaughtered the bullock, and {Hannah} presented the boy to Eli

כה LLXXXXXXX וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּ אֶת הַפָּר וַיָּבִיאוּ XMM אֶת הַנַּעַר אֶל עֵלִי.

26 καὶ εἶπεν Ἐν ἐμοί, κύριε· ζῇ ἡ ψυχή σου X XNN, ἐγὼ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ κατα­στᾶσα ἐνώπιόν σου X ἐν τῷ προσεύξασ­θαι πρὸς κύριον·

26 And she said, I pray thee, my lord, as thy soul liveth, I am the woman that stood in thy pres­enceOO with thee while praying to the Lord.

26 And [Anna] said: I beseech thee, my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord: I am that woman, who stood before thee here praying to the Lord.

26 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.

26 and she said, “Please, my master, may your soul live. My master, I am the woman who took a stand beside you in here to pray to Yahweh.

כו וַתֹּאמֶר בִּיPP אֲדֹנִי חֵי נַפְשְׁךָ אֲדֹנִי אֲנִי הָאִשָּׁה הַנִּצֶּבֶת עִמְּכָה בָּזֶה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל אֶל יְהוָה.

27 ὑπὲρ τοῦ παιδαρίου τούτου προσηυξάμην, καὶ ἔδωκέν μοι κύριος τὸ αἴτημά μου, ὃ ᾐτησάμην παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ·

27 For this child I prayed; and the Lord has given me my request that I asked of him.

27 For this child did I pray, and the Lord hath granted me my petition, which I asked of him.

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

27 It was for this boy that I prayed, and Yahweh granted to me my request which I requested from Him!

כז אֶל הַנַּעַר הַזֶּה הִתְפַּלָּלְתִּי וַיִּתֵּן יְהוָה לִי אֶת שְׁאֵלָתִי אֲשֶׁר שָׁאַלְתִּי מֵעִמּוֹ.

28 κἀγὼ κιχρῶ αὐτὸν τῷ κυρίῳ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, ἃς ζῇ αὐτός, χρῆσιν τῷ κυρίῳ. X X X X X

28 And I lend him to the Lord all his days that he lives, a loan to the Lord: ...

28 Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord all the days of his life, he shall be lent to the Lord. And theyQQ adored the Lord there….

28 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.

28 And so, as for me, I have made him the fulfillment of a request to Yahweh. He shall be the fulfillment of a request to Yahweh all the days which he lives.” Then they bowed down to Yahweh there.

כח וְגַם אָנֹכִי הִשְׁאִלְתִּהוּRR לַיהוָה כָּל הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר הָיָה הוּא שָׁאוּל לַיהוָה וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ שָׁםSS לַיהוָה.


1Tsumura offered an alternative interpretation that this “seems to emphasize the personal and intimate relationship of Hannah and Elkanah with ‘Yahweh’… in contrast with Eli’s formal association with the cult… ‘God of Israel’...”

2Gill quotes Abarbinel as saying that “Elkanah had two houses, one at Ramah for Peninnah, and another at Ramatha for Hannah; and that this was Hannah's house, to which they returned and came...”

3So Keil & Delitzsch. Others (McCarter, Gesenius, Driver, Gordon and Tsumura) have suggested that the absence of the letter ayin in Samuel’s name is not due to a lamed-gutteral weakness in the root for “heard” שמע but rather due to it being from a simpler root - “name” שם, rendering, “his name is God,” but that makes less sense to me. Gill cites Kimchi and Hillerus defending “asked of God,” which seems to me (and most other modern commentators) to be a stretch.

4 cf. 2 Macc. 7:27 “...gave thee suck three years and nourished thee.” Gill quotes Jarchi, Kimchi, and Ben Melech as saying it was more like two years. Others have argued for older ages, but it all seems to be conjecture.

5 For the other point of view, viz. Tsumura, “ ‘I also entrust … to...’ The verb (Hi. pf. 1 c.s.) is a perfomative perfect: that is, by uttering these words Hannah performed the act of dedication.”

AMy original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB, or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea Scroll containing any part of 1 Samuel 1 is 4Q51Samuela, which contains fragments of vs. 9, 11-13, 17-18, and 22-28 (highlighted in purple), and which has been dated between 50-25 B.C.

B cf. synonyms in other Greek translationsστρατιων/soldiers” (Aquila, Symmachus), “δυναμεων/forces” (Theodotian).

C Field mentions no disagreement between Aquila and Symmachus and the LXX here.

DThe LXX appears to have read the first letter of the Hebrew verb as though it were the preposition of comparison [כ] plus the verb עסס, which threw off its translation “as downtrodden,” but it wasn’t thrown too far off.

E Cf. NASB “bitterly”, NIV “ ”, and ESV “grievously”

F cf. synonym in Aquila πικρα

G Cf. NIV “be used on” & ESV “touch”

H4QSama = נתתיהו then appears to follow the LXX with obscured space appropriate for the extra words of the Nazarite avoidance of alcohol, then the verb regarding the razor is a synonym to the MT: עבר (pass over) instead of עלה (go upon).

I cf. synonym in Symmachus παρατηρων

J Theodotian reads with the MT “monon/only” but apparently not Aq. or Sym. NIV followed the LXX here over the MT.

KThe ESV followed the LXX & Vulgate with “her” as the object of the verb and “drunk” as a noun: “took her to be a drunken woman”

L The LXX & DSS do not mention Hannah’s name here, but that makes no difference in meaning.

MCf. multiple Latin mss. which read dies/dierum. Aquila & Symmachus also appear to support the LXX. The DSS are obliterated at this point in the chapter, so they can’t be consulted. Theodotian read with the MT κεκακςμενη το πνευμα.

N Theodotian renders figuratively “as one of the undisciplined/απαιδευτων ones”

OCf. NASB “great concern and provocation,” NIV “great anguish and grief,” and ESV “great anxiety and vexation.The second word is the same as that in v.6, but is missing in the LXX. The DSS is too obliterated to read here.

P cf. NASB “until now,” NIV “here,” ESV “all along”

QThis is the second time in the Hebrew Bible in which this word is used in the sense of “consideration” instead of “bush” following Deborah’s song in Judges 5; it is also frequent in the first half of Job and in Psalms 55-145.

R The Syriac manuscripts supports this reading as do a couple of the Latin versions.

SCuriously, the NIV follows the LXX instead of the MT in the second half of this verse, but omits three of the words in the LXX, two of which are in the MT.

T cf. halak bshalom in 1 Sam. 29:7; 2 Sam. 3:21-23; 15:9

U Cf. synonym in Symmachus’ version: διετραπη

V The DSS has additional obscured text at this point which matches the LXX “and she went to her lodging”

WAlthough not a significant difference in meaning, Symmachus and Τheodotion both rendered the MT לפני more literally with εις προσωπον/εμπροσθεν

X This is the simplest literal translation. NAS “had relations with” and NIV “lay [with]” are expansions on the meaning.

YThis word appears only 3 other times in scripture: Exod. 34:22, 2 Chr. 24:23, Ps. 19:7 , none inconjunction with “days,” but all having to do with a terminus. This seems to refer to the term of 42 weeks of pregnancy.

Z cf. NASB “stay,” NIV “live,” and ESV “dwell”

AA The DSS and LXX agree on the extra words “with him” here, and

BBThe wording and spaces of obscured words of the DSS seem to support the LXX with slight differences in the verbs “until the child can go up when I shall have weaned him” instead of “until the child is weaned and I can bring him” - the meaning is no different, though.

CC The DSS has a curious addition not in the LXX: “and I will give him to be a Nazarite forever, all his days of his life.”

DD NASB “remain,” NIV “stay,” ESV “wait”

EE The LXX and DSS both say “may the Lord establish what comes out of your mouth” (היוצא מפיך).

FFTheodotian’s translation into Greek in the third century AD includes the phrase in the MT (ηνικα απεγαλακτισεν αυτον), but apparently Aquila’s translation and Symmachus’ translation in the second century AD did not include the phrase.

GG cf. synonym in Aquila: αμφορη

HH A couple of Latin versions read with the LXX instead of the MT.

IIThe LXX and DSS both add “into Shiloh” and use slightly different verbiage for “she went up” and “after weaning him” but the meaning is no different.

JJThe MT reads “three bulls” whereas the LXX and DSS render “...a young bull [from the herd] of three years, and bread.” Fields indicates that Symmachus supported the MT whereas Aquila and Theodotian supported the LXX. Keil & Delitzsch, not knowing of the DSS, argued for 3 bulls, saying that one would be used for the dedication and the others would be used for the annual sacrifice, and also that the requisite meal-offering of 1/3 of an ephah of flour for each bull is more than tripled in this offering because there were three bulls, but I don’t find either argument unassailable.

KKThe DSS is obscured at this point, but some scholars believe it agrees here with the LXX “with them” instead of “young.” It’s hard to imagine how the two Hebrew words could be confused optically or audibly, so it appears to be a true variant, but it makes no substantial change in the story either way, and either meaning could have been inferred without the statement.

LLDSS seems to read together with the LXX “[and they brought him before the face of the LORD and his father slaughtered] the sacrifice just as [he did from the days of her days before the LORD and brought the child]” (Bracketed text is obscured in the DSS; there is too much space for the terse reading of the MT.) This may be an editorial insertion, but it is implied in the following verse, so again, it doesn’t change the story.

MMThe spacing of the obscured text in the DSS appears to support the LXX reading which adds the name Hannah and reads אמ as “mother/μητρον” instead of “with” - the original unpointed Hebrew word could have been understood in either sense. Either interpretation could be inferred by the rest of the story, so it is not a significant variant in meaning.

NN NIV followed the LXX in dropping out the 2nd instance of “my lord” in the Hebrew, but the DSS support the MT here.

OO The ESV followed the LXX rather than the MT here, “in your presence.”

PPThe phrase Bi adonai occurs throughout the O.T. in the context of an inferior greeting a superior: Gen. 43:20; 44:18; Exo. 4:10,13; Num. 12:11; Jos. 7:8; Jdg. 6:13,15; 13:8; 1Sa. 1:26; 1Ki. 3:17,26. The Groves-Wheeler Westminister Morphological database interprets the first word as the preposition “to” with the first personal pronomial suffix “me,” but Strong, BDB, and the Open Source Hebrew Bible Parsing interpreted this as a particle of entreaty or respect.

QQSyriac and Arabic are also plural here, as is the Luciani Septuagint; the DSS reads feminine singular “she worshipped.” Each could be inferred as true from the context.

RRThe only other instance of this verb in the Hiphil stem is Ex. 12:36 where the Egyptians gave the Israelites whatever they asked for during the Exodus.

SSThe DSS adds a word, but the text is obscured, presumably, “and she left him,” but this is not supported in the LXX. Once again, the action can be inferred without the explicit statement, so the meaning is not changed.

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