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1 Samuel 1

Hannah brings her grief before YHWH, receives the son she requested, and gives him to YHWH for life.

Hannah goes with Elkanah’s household to worship at Shiloh, where Peninnah’s repeated taunts over her childlessness leave her weeping and unable to eat. Hannah prays for a son and vows to give him to YHWH for life. Eli the priest mistakes her silent prayer for drunkenness, then hears her explanation and blesses her. YHWH remembers Hannah, and she bears Samuel. After weaning him, she brings him to Shiloh and fulfills her vow.

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1Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
2He had two wives. The name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of Armies in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to the LORD, were there.
4When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters;
5but he gave a double portion to Hannah, for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had shut up her womb.
6Her rival provoked her severely, to irritate her, because the LORD had shut up her womb.
7So year by year, when she went up to the LORD’s house, her rival provoked her. Therefore she wept, and didn’t eat.
8Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why don’t you eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
9So Hannah rose up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the LORD’s temple.
10She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly.
11She vowed a vow, and said, “LORD of Armies, if you will indeed look at the affliction of your servant and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a boy, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head.”
12As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli saw her mouth.
13Now Hannah spoke in her heart. Only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.
14Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Get rid of your wine!”
15Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have not been drinking wine or strong drink, but I poured out my soul before the LORD.
16Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman; for I have been speaking out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation.”
17Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him.”
18She said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate; and her facial expression wasn’t sad any more.
19They rose up in the morning early and worshiped the LORD, then returned and came to their house to Ramah. Then Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
20When the time had come, Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the LORD.”
21The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow.
22But Hannah didn’t go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and stay there forever.”
23Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only may the LORD establish his word.” So the woman waited and nursed her son until she weaned him.
24When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, and one ephah of meal, and a container of wine, and brought him to the LORD’s house in Shiloh. The child was young.
26She said, “Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD.
27I prayed for this child, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of him.
28Therefore I have also given him to the LORD. As long as he lives he is given to the LORD.” He worshiped the LORD there.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
1 Samuel 1:10Hannah’s prayer begins amid bitter grief, showing the distress behind her request before the story turns toward Samuel’s birth.
1 Samuel 1:11Her vow joins the request for a son to a lifelong commitment that shapes the chapter’s closing scene.
1 Samuel 1:15Hannah corrects Eli’s accusation and identifies her silent prayer as the outpouring of a sorrowful spirit before YHWH.
Where this chapter reaches

Genesis and Luke also recount God granting children to women who had been unable to conceive, while Judges shares the sign of uncut hair associated with dedication to God. Psalm shares Hannah’s language of pouring out distress before YHWH in prayer.

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After reading the whole chapter

What do you notice about Hannah’s grief and prayer before she receives any answer?

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How does Hannah’s return to Shiloh shape your understanding of her original request and vow?

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Questions people ask about 1 Samuel 1

Why did YHWH close Hannah’s womb?

The narrator says that YHWH had shut Hannah’s womb, placing her childlessness under God’s rule, but gives no reason for it. The text identifies no wrongdoing by Hannah that caused it. The account later says YHWH remembered her, and she conceived and bore Samuel.

Why did Eli think Hannah was drunk?

Eli watched Hannah’s mouth as she prayed. Her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard, so he assumed she was drunk. Hannah explained that she had consumed no wine or strong drink and was praying out of sorrow. Eli then spoke peace and asked God to grant her petition.

What did Hannah promise God about Samuel?

Hannah promised that if YHWH gave her a boy, she would give him to YHWH for his whole life, with no razor touching his head. After Samuel was weaned, she brought him to Eli at Shiloh. The chapter describes lifelong dedication without specifying his age or future duties.

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What the Bible says about patience →

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).