1 Samuel 1

1 Now there was a man [a male person, individual] named Elkanah who was from Ramathaim-zophim [double height of the watchers, a town in Ephraim] in the hill country [mountainous region, highlands] of Ephraim [doubly fruitful, a tribe of Israel]. He was the son [descendant, offspring] of Jeroham [showing pity, a person’s name], the son of Elihu [He is my God, a friend of Job], the son of Tohu [a Levite, without form], the son of Zuph [a region, a person’s name], an Ephraimite [from Ephraim, a tribe of Israel, doubly fruitful]. word study 2 He had two [a pair, a duo] wives, one named Hannah [grace, favor] and the other Peninnah [pearl, precious stone]. And Peninnah had children [youth, offspring], but Hannah had [was without, lacked] none [no children, no offspring]. word study 3 Year after year Elkanah would go up [yearly] from his city to worship [to bow down, show reverence] and sacrifice [to offer, make atonement] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [armies, heavenly forces] at Shiloh [place of rest, a city of worship], where Eli’s [the high priest] two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests [spiritual leaders, mediators] to the LORD [the supreme God]. word study 4 And whenever the day [a period of time, a season] came for Elkanah [God has possessed, a Hebrew name] to present his sacrifice [an offering to God, a religious act], he would give portions [a share, a part of the offering] to his wife Peninnah [a rival of Hannah, a woman] and to all [every one of, the whole] her sons [male children, descendants] and daughters [female children, a woman]. word study 5 But to Hannah [the mother of Samuel] he would give a double portion [a worthy share, an extra amount], for he loved [had affection for, cherished] her even though the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had closed [shut, made barren] her womb [the place where a fetus grows, the matrix]. word study 6 Because the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] had closed [shut, made barren] Hannah’s womb [the place of fetal growth, matrix], her rival [adversary, vexer] would provoke [irritate, make angry] her and taunt [vex, trouble] her viciously [severely, to make her fret]. word study 7 And this went on [continually] year after year. Whenever Hannah went up [to ascend, to rise] to the house [dwelling place, temple] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], her rival [opponent, adversary] taunted [provoked, vexed] her until she wept [cried, shed tears] and would not eat [refused food, abstained]. word study 8 “Hannah [why are you weeping, what’s troubling you], why are you crying?” her husband Elkanah [her life partner, companion] asked. “Why won’t you eat [take food, nourish yourself]? Why is your heart [innermost being, emotions] so grieved [sorrowful, afflicted]? Am I not better [more valuable, sufficient] to you than ten sons [male children, descendants]?” word study 9 So after [following, subsequent to] they had finished eating [consuming, devouring] and drinking [partaking, imbibing] in Shiloh [place of rest, a city of tranquility], Hannah [grace, divine favor] stood up [rose, arose]. Now Eli [my God, the high priest] the priest [one who serves God, a spiritual leader] was sitting [dwelling, abiding] on a chair [throne, seat of authority] by the doorpost [entrance, gateway] of the temple [house of God, sacred dwelling] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 10 In her bitter [deeply troubled] distress, Hannah [with a heart full of grief] prayed [to intercede, to cry out] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] and wept [shedding many tears, crying bitterly] with many tears. word study 11 And she made a vow [a solemn promise to God], pleading, “O LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [armies, heavenly forces], if only You will look [gaze upon with care] upon the affliction [misery, trouble] of Your maidservant [female servant, handmaid] and remember [recall, bring to mind] me, not forgetting [ignoring, neglecting] Your maidservant but giving [granting, bestowing] her a son, then I will dedicate [consecrate, set apart] him to the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord of all] all the days [every moment, throughout his life] of his life, and no razor [sharp blade, cutting instrument] shall ever come over [upon, touch] his head [the topmost part of the body].” word study 12 As Hannah kept on [continued, multiplied] praying [to intercede, communicate with God] before [in the presence of] the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], Eli [the high priest] watched [observed, marked] her mouth [lips, the edge of her voice]. word study 13 Hannah [the mother of Samuel, a prophet] was praying [speaking in her heart, communing with God] in her heart [her innermost being, mind, and spirit], and though her lips [the edge of her mouth, her language] were moving [shaking, trembling], her voice [sound, utterance] could not be heard [was not audible, silent]. So Eli [the high priest, a spiritual leader] thought she was drunk [intoxicated, under the influence] word study 14 and said to her, “How long [till when, for how much time] will you be drunk [intoxicated, under the influence]? Put away [remove, turn aside] your wine [fermented drink]!” word study 15 “No, my lord [master, ruler],” Hannah [grace, favored by God] replied. “I am a woman [female, wife] oppressed [sorrowful, troubled] in spirit [breath, mind, and emotions]. I have not had any wine [intoxicating drink] or strong drink [alcoholic liquor], but I have poured out [shed, emptied] my soul [living being, essence] before [in the presence of] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 16 Do not [consider, count] take your servant [maidservant, female slave] for a wicked [worthless, ungodly] woman; for all this time I have been praying [speaking, expressing my thoughts] out of the depth [abundance, greatness] of my anguish [sorrow, complaint] and grief [vexation, frustration].” word study 17 “Go [in harmony, with wellness] in peace [completeness, wellness, friendship],” Eli replied, “and may the God [Elohim, the supreme ruler] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants] grant [give, put, or set] the petition [request, something asked for] you have asked [inquired, requested] of Him [the one supreme God].” word study 18 “May your maidservant [female servant, handmaid] find favor [grace, kindness] with you,” said Hannah. Then she went on her way [journey, path], and she began eating [consuming food] again, and her face [countenance, presence] was no longer [not anymore, still not] downcast [sad, sorrowful]. word study 19 The next morning [early, at the break of day] Elkanah and Hannah got up early [rose up, to load up a burden] to bow [to worship, prostrate themselves] in worship before the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], and then returned [turned back, to come back] home to Ramah [a city in Palestine, a place of battle]. And Elkanah had relations [knew, was intimate with] with his wife Hannah [the mother of Samuel, a prophet], and the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] remembered [recalled, marked] her. word study 20 So in the course [revolution, passage] of time, Hannah [grace, favor] conceived [became pregnant, with child] and gave birth [beget, brought forth] to a son [male child, descendant]. She named [called, proclaimed] him Samuel [heard by God, Shemuel], saying, “Because [for, since] I have asked [requested, inquired of] for him from [of, from the presence of] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God].” word study 21 Then Elkanah [the man, husband of Hannah] and all [every member of] his house [family, household] went up [to ascend, to rise] to make the annual [yearly, regular] sacrifice [offering, atonement] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and to fulfill [to complete, to keep] his vow [promise, oath], word study 22 but Hannah [the mother of Samuel, a prophet] did not go [up to Shiloh]. “After the boy is weaned [taken from the breast, no longer nursing],” she said to her husband [Elkanah, her spouse], “I will take him to appear [present myself, come into the presence] before the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] and to stay [dwell, remain] there [in His presence, at the tabernacle] permanently [forever, for all eternity].” word study 23 “Do what you think is best [what seems good to you, as you see fit],” her husband Elkanah [God has possessed] replied, “and stay here [remain, abide] until you have weaned [nourished, cared for] him. Only [certainly, surely] may the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] confirm [establish, fulfill] His word [promise, decree].” So Hannah stayed [remained, dwelled] and nursed [suckled, gave milk to] her son until she had weaned [brought to maturity, stopped nursing] him. word study 24 Once she had weaned [brought to maturity, stopped nursing] him, Hannah took the boy [youth, young one] with her, along with a three-year-old [young, immature] bull [ox, sacrificial animal], an ephah [a unit of measurement, about 9 gallons] of flour [finely ground grain], and a skin [container, wineskin] of wine [fermented drink]. Though the boy [child, youth] was still young [immature, in early stages of development], she brought him to the house [place of worship, temple] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] at Shiloh [place of rest, city of worship]. word study 25 And when they had [slew, immolated] slaughtered [as a sacrifice, to offer] the bull [young ox, a bullock], they brought [presented, took] the boy [youth, child] to [toward, unto] Eli [the high priest]. word study 26 “Please [oh that, if it please you], my lord [master, ruler],” said Hannah, “as surely as you live [are alive, have life], my lord, I am the woman [female, wife] who stood [was stationed, remained] here beside you [with you, in your presence] praying [interceding, making petition] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God]. word study 27 I prayed [to intercede, to ask of God] for this boy [youth, this child], and since the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] has granted [given, bestowed upon] me what I asked [petitioned, requested] of Him [with reverence, in respect], word study 28 I now dedicate [give, lend, or grant] the boy to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God]. For as long as he lives [all his days, throughout his lifetime], he is dedicated [given, lent, or set apart] to the LORD [in service and worship].” So they worshiped [bowed down, or showed reverence] the LORD [in reverence and adoration] there [in that place, at that time]. word study