1There was a man named Elkanah from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. He was descended from Zuph through Tohu, Elihu, and Jeroham, and was an Ephrathite.
2He had two wives. One was named Hannah, and the other was Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
3Every year this man traveled from his hometown to worship and offer sacrifices to the LORD of Hosts at Shiloh. The two sons of Eli — Hophni and Phinehas — served as priests of the LORD there.
4When the time came for Elkanah to offer his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to each of her children.
5But he gave Hannah a double portion, because he loved her deeply — even though the LORD had kept her from having children.
6Peninnah would taunt and provoke Hannah constantly, rubbing in the fact that the LORD had closed her womb.
7This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, Peninnah would torment her until she wept and refused to eat.
8Her husband Elkanah would say to her, 'Hannah, why are you crying? Why won't you eat? Why are you so heartbroken? Am I not better to you than ten sons?'
9After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to the temple. Eli the priest was sitting on a chair near the doorpost.
10Hannah was deeply distressed, and she wept bitterly as she prayed to the LORD.
11She made a vow and said, 'LORD of Hosts, if you will look at my suffering and remember me — if you will not forget me but give me a son — then I will dedicate him to you for his entire life, and no razor will ever touch his head.'
12While she continued praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth carefully.
13Hannah was praying silently — her lips were moving, but no sound came out. Eli assumed she was drunk.
14Eli said to her, 'How long are you going to be drunk? Put your wine away.'
15Hannah replied, 'No, sir. I am a deeply troubled woman. I have had nothing to drink — no wine, no strong drink. I have been pouring out my heart before the LORD.'
16"Don't take me for a wicked woman. I have been speaking out of great anguish and grief."
17Eli answered, 'Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request you have made of him.'
18She said, 'May I find favor in your sight.' Then the woman went on her way, and she ate and was no longer downcast.
19Early the next morning they worshiped before the LORD and then returned to their home at Ramah. Elkanah was intimate with Hannah, and the LORD remembered her.
20In the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, explaining, 'Because I asked the LORD for him.'
21When Elkanah and his entire household went up to offer the annual sacrifice and fulfill his vow,
22Hannah did not go. She told her husband, 'I will not go up until the child is weaned. Then I will bring him and present him before the LORD, where he will stay for the rest of his life.'
23Elkanah said to her, 'Do what you think is best. Stay home until you have weaned him — may the LORD fulfill his word.' So Hannah stayed home and nursed her son until he was weaned.
24Once she had weaned him, she took him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh, bringing along three bulls, a large sack of flour, and a jug of wine. The child was still young.
25They slaughtered a bull and brought the child to Eli.
26Hannah said, 'Please, my lord — as surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD.'
27"I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him."
28"So now I am giving him back to the LORD. For his whole life he will belong to the LORD." Then they worshiped the LORD there.