New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
1 Samuel 1
1
A certain man from Ramathaim in the hill country of Ephraim was named Elkanah. He was the son of Jeroham. Jeroham was the son of Elihu. Elihu was the son of Tohu. Tohu was the son of Zuph. Elkanah belonged to the family line of Zuph. Elkanah lived in the territory of Ephraim.
Reference
📍 Ramathaim-zophim
People
2
Elkanah had two wives. One was named Hannah. The other was named Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah didn't.
People
3
Year after year Elkanah went up from his town to Shiloh. He went there to worship and sacrifice to the Lord who rules over all. Hophni and Phinehas served as priests of the Lord at Shiloh. They were the two sons of Eli.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
Luke 2:41
Joshua 18:1
Exodus 23:14
Judges 18:31
References Lord
Exodus 34:23
Deuteronomy 16:16
1 Samuel 1:9
Sacrifice
1 Samuel 1:21
4
Every time the day came for Elkanah to offer a sacrifice, he would give a share of the meat to his wife Peninnah. He would also give a share to each of her sons and daughters.
Reference
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 16:11
5
But he would give two shares of meat to Hannah. That's because he loved her. He also gave her two shares because the Lord had kept her from having children.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 30:2
6
Peninnah teased Hannah to make her angry. She did it because the Lord had kept Hannah from having children.
Reference
7
Peninnah teased Hannah year after year. Every time Hannah would go up to the house of the Lord, Elkanah's other wife would tease her. She would keep doing it until Hannah cried and wouldn't eat.
8
Her husband Elkanah would speak to her. He would say, "Hannah, why are you crying? Why don't you eat? Why are you so angry and unhappy? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?"
Reference
9
One time when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. The priest Eli was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord's house.
Reference
10
Hannah was very bitter. She sobbed and sobbed. She prayed to the Lord.
Reference
Parallel theme
Job 7:11
Job 10:1
Psalm 91:15
Judges 21:2
Isaiah 38:15
Psalm 50:15
Job 9:18
Prayer
Luke 22:44
Hebrews 5:7
References Lord
Isaiah 54:6
11
She made a promise to him. She said, "Lord, you rule over all. Please see how I'm suffering! Show concern for me! Don't forget about me! Please give me a son! If you do, I'll give him back to you. Then he will serve you all the days of his life. He'll never use a razor on his head. He'll never cut his hair."
Reference
Parallel theme
Judges 13:5
Ecclesiastes 5:4
Psalm 25:18
Genesis 30:22
Genesis 28:20
References Lord
Numbers 6:5
Genesis 29:32
1 Samuel 1:19
Numbers 6:8
Judges 11:30
13
She was praying in her heart. Her lips were moving. But she wasn't making a sound. Eli thought Hannah was drunk.
Reference
14
He said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine."
15
"That's not true, sir," Hannah replied. "I'm a woman who is deeply troubled. I haven't been drinking wine or beer. I was telling the Lord all of my troubles.
Reference
16
Don't think of me as an evil woman. I've been praying here because I'm very sad. My pain is so great."
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Samuel 2:12
17
Eli answered, "Go in peace. May the God of Israel give you what you have asked him for."
Reference
Peace
Mark 5:34
Judges 18:6
2 Kings 5:19
1 Samuel 25:35
Luke 7:50
Luke 8:48
References God
1 Chronicles 4:10
18
She said, "May you be pleased with me." Then she left and had something to eat. Her face wasn't sad anymore.
Reference
19
Early the next morning Elkanah and his family got up. They worshiped the Lord. Then they went back to their home in Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah. And the Lord showed concern for her.
Reference
📍 Ramah 4
Parallel theme
Genesis 30:22
Psalm 119:147
Psalm 55:17
Mark 1:35
Genesis 8:1
References Lord
Genesis 21:1
1 Samuel 1:11
Genesis 4:1
Psalm 25:7
Luke 23:42
20
After some time, Hannah became pregnant. She had a baby boy. She said, "I asked the Lord for him." So she named him Samuel.
Reference
People
21
Elkanah went up to Shiloh to offer the yearly sacrifice to the Lord. He also went there to keep a promise he had made. His whole family went with him.
Reference
22
But Hannah didn't go. She said to her husband, "When the boy doesn't need me to nurse him anymore, I'll take him to the Lord's house. I'll give him to the Lord there. He'll stay there for the rest of his life."
Reference
Parallel theme
Leviticus 25:23
References Lord
1 Samuel 1:28
1 Samuel 1:11
Luke 2:22
Deuteronomy 16:16
1 Samuel 2:11
1 Samuel 3:1
1 Samuel 2:18
23
Her husband Elkanah told her, "Do what you think is best. Stay here at home until Samuel doesn't need you to nurse him anymore. May the Lord make his promise to you come true." So Hannah stayed home. She nursed her son until he didn't need her milk anymore.
Reference
Word
2 Samuel 7:25
24
When the boy didn't need her to nurse him anymore, she took him with her to Shiloh. She took him there even though he was still very young. She brought him to the Lord's house. She brought along a bull that was three years old. She brought more than half a bushel of flour. She also brought a bottle of wine. The bottle was made out of animal skin.
Reference
25
After the bull was killed, Elkanah and Hannah brought the boy to Eli.
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 2:22
26
Hannah said to Eli, "Sir, I'm the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. And that's just as sure as you are alive.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Samuel 17:55
Prayer
2 Kings 2:6
2 Kings 2:2
2 Kings 2:4
References Lord
2 Kings 4:30
1 Samuel 20:3
2 Samuel 11:11
Summary of 1 Samuel 1
1 Samuel chapter 1 introduces the reader to Samuel – one of the most prominent prophets and leaders in Israel’s history. The chapter narrates the events concerning the family from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. Elkanah is the husband of Hannah, who does not have children. He also has another wife, Peninnah, who has children. Every year, the family goes to Shiloh to worship the Lord. Hannah is deeply grieved about her childlessness and finally prays to God.
Elkanah is the son of Jeroham and the hill country of Ephraim is his birthplace. Every year, he goes to Shiloh to worship the Lord and offer sacrifices.
At Shiloh, there are Eli and his sons Hophni and Phinehas. Although Eli’s sons will later become notorious for their sins, the narration at this point focuses on the problems of Hannah and her family. Elkanah brings portions of his sacrifices to Peninnah and her children. He also prepares something special for Hannah because the Lord has kept her barren.
Peninnah continues to harass Hannah over her inability to have children, which causes Hannah to grieve exceedingly. The sight of Peninnah and her children aggravates Hannah’s emotional pain during the annual visit to Shiloh. Hannah cannot eat and sobs bitterly at dinner. Elkanah asks her, “Why art thou troubled? and why is thine heart so grieved?” but Hannah’s distress is too great for Elkanah to comfort her.
The worst is that although Peninnah vexes Hannah daily, Elkanah remains indifferent to Hannah’s agony. After supper, Hannah goes to the tabernacle and is overwhelmed with grief as she prays. Before the Lord, Hannah pours out her heart most earnestly in prayer.
Her prayer begins with a vow. She asks the Lord to remember her and grant her a son. In return, she promises to give the child to the Lord all the days of his life, including shaving his head with a razor.
The prayer is intensely personal as Hannah makes no pretense of devotion. She comes before God with her grief and the burden of her heart. She does not try to disguise her pain or present a composed image of a pious Jewess. Hannah is most earnest in her prayer as she lays bare her heart before God.
Eli observes Hannah and sees her lips moving but does not hear the words of her prayer. Mistaking her distress for drunkenness, Eli rebukes her and tells her to “away with thee now, thou drunken woman.”
Hannah reveals to Eli that she is not drunk but that she is in the bitterness of her soul as she pours out her soul to the Lord. Eli then blesses Hannah and tells her to go in peace because God will grant her petition.
Hannah returns to her quarters and her demeanor is noticeably changed. As she eats, her countenance is no longer despondent. The next day, Elkanah and his family visit the Lord at Shiloh on their return from Ramah. Then, Hannah bears a son and she names him Samuel, declaring that she asked him of the Lord.
The fulfillment of Hannah’s prayer is not without its trials as Hannah continues to nurse Samuel and is not ready to part with him. The Lord has blessed Hannah and made her fruitful and she wants to keep her promise to the Lord. Yet, Hannah does not accompany her husband to Shiloh when the time comes to honor her vow.
She asks Elkanah to allow her to stay away for a while, until Samuel is weaned. Hannah assures Elkanah that she will take Samuel to the Lord at Shiloh and he shall remain there.
When Samuel is weaned, Hannah takes him to Shiloh with a bullock for a sacrifice. She also brings flour and wine and appears before Eli. Hannah tells Eli that she is the woman who stood before him in prayer. She continues that she prayed for this son and that the Lord has answered her prayers. The child is now dedicated to the Lord, just as Hannah promised.
Samuel’s arrival at Shiloh is the end of a long journey of pain for Hannah. Her grief remains, for the loss of a child is still deeply felt. But Hannah’s trust in the Lord has brought her great comfort. Hannah, who left the tent a grieving mother, has received a son through the Lord’s goodness. She also returns to the tent a mother who has dedicated her son to God’s service.
1 Samuel chapter 1 is the story of prayer, grief, faith, and commitment. Hannah is a woman of deep commitment who dedicates her life to the Lord when her prayers are answered. Her grief was such a burden that it kept her from her daily food. But Hannah does not allow this grief to impede her daily duties. Hannah is also a woman of strong faith as she prays to the Lord.
The story shows that faith and prayer are not always composed of happy messages. The prayer of Hannah is most personal as she comes before the Lord in a bitter mood. Hannah lays her grief and pain before the Lord and does not attempt to conceal the distress. Her faith is also seen in her conversation with Eli. She does not get frustrated with Eli for misunderstanding her but respects him.
Hannah’s commitment is seen in her insistence that she will keep her vow to the Lord. The story shows that Hannah does not receive the son and keep him for herself. Once she receives the son, she dedicates him to the Lord. It was not enough that the Lord granted her prayers; Hannah is committed to keeping her vows and she fulfills them.
The fulfillment of Hannah’s prayer is the beginning of something much bigger than just answering the prayers of one Jewish mother. Samuel grows to become a great leader of Israel. He will anoint Saul as king and David as well. Samuel becomes a great judge and mediator for Israel.
The story in 1 Samuel chapter 1 prepares the reader for the differences between Hannah and Eli’s daughters. While Hannah bears children with difficulty, Eli’s daughters appear to be ungodly. Samuel is dedicated to the service of the Lord while Eli’s sons bring corruption to the priesthood. At the heart of these contrasts is Hannah’s prayer as she dedicates Samuel to the Lord.
Through her prayer, Hannah shows deep faith in the ability of the Lord to hear her. Her trust in the Lord is so great that she does not give up even when Eli rebukes her. Hannah’s faith enables her to overcome grief and commit her life to the Lord. She is a humble woman before the Lord who receives great blessings.
1 Samuel chapter 1 starts with the problems of Hannah and her husband. Hannah becomes deeply grieved when her rival Peninnah mocks her and continues harassing her daily. Hannah’s grief translates to prayer as she seeks the Lord to intervene.
The prayer is intensely personal as Hannah comes before the Lord in deep distress. She is rebuked by Eli but Hannah stands by her prayer before the Lord. The story ends with Hannah dedicating Samuel to the Lord. The child who was a surprise to Hannah has become the center of her life.
Although Hannah wanted the child for her own comfort, she cannot keep him as she promised to dedicate him to the Lord’s service. Samuel is the hope of Hannah and his life at Shiloh will be the beginning of bigger things.
Elkanah is the son of Jeroham and the hill country of Ephraim is his birthplace. Every year, he goes to Shiloh to worship the Lord and offer sacrifices.
At Shiloh, there are Eli and his sons Hophni and Phinehas. Although Eli’s sons will later become notorious for their sins, the narration at this point focuses on the problems of Hannah and her family. Elkanah brings portions of his sacrifices to Peninnah and her children. He also prepares something special for Hannah because the Lord has kept her barren.
Peninnah continues to harass Hannah over her inability to have children, which causes Hannah to grieve exceedingly. The sight of Peninnah and her children aggravates Hannah’s emotional pain during the annual visit to Shiloh. Hannah cannot eat and sobs bitterly at dinner. Elkanah asks her, “Why art thou troubled? and why is thine heart so grieved?” but Hannah’s distress is too great for Elkanah to comfort her.
The worst is that although Peninnah vexes Hannah daily, Elkanah remains indifferent to Hannah’s agony. After supper, Hannah goes to the tabernacle and is overwhelmed with grief as she prays. Before the Lord, Hannah pours out her heart most earnestly in prayer.
Her prayer begins with a vow. She asks the Lord to remember her and grant her a son. In return, she promises to give the child to the Lord all the days of his life, including shaving his head with a razor.
The prayer is intensely personal as Hannah makes no pretense of devotion. She comes before God with her grief and the burden of her heart. She does not try to disguise her pain or present a composed image of a pious Jewess. Hannah is most earnest in her prayer as she lays bare her heart before God.
Eli observes Hannah and sees her lips moving but does not hear the words of her prayer. Mistaking her distress for drunkenness, Eli rebukes her and tells her to “away with thee now, thou drunken woman.”
Hannah reveals to Eli that she is not drunk but that she is in the bitterness of her soul as she pours out her soul to the Lord. Eli then blesses Hannah and tells her to go in peace because God will grant her petition.
Hannah returns to her quarters and her demeanor is noticeably changed. As she eats, her countenance is no longer despondent. The next day, Elkanah and his family visit the Lord at Shiloh on their return from Ramah. Then, Hannah bears a son and she names him Samuel, declaring that she asked him of the Lord.
The fulfillment of Hannah’s prayer is not without its trials as Hannah continues to nurse Samuel and is not ready to part with him. The Lord has blessed Hannah and made her fruitful and she wants to keep her promise to the Lord. Yet, Hannah does not accompany her husband to Shiloh when the time comes to honor her vow.
She asks Elkanah to allow her to stay away for a while, until Samuel is weaned. Hannah assures Elkanah that she will take Samuel to the Lord at Shiloh and he shall remain there.
When Samuel is weaned, Hannah takes him to Shiloh with a bullock for a sacrifice. She also brings flour and wine and appears before Eli. Hannah tells Eli that she is the woman who stood before him in prayer. She continues that she prayed for this son and that the Lord has answered her prayers. The child is now dedicated to the Lord, just as Hannah promised.
Samuel’s arrival at Shiloh is the end of a long journey of pain for Hannah. Her grief remains, for the loss of a child is still deeply felt. But Hannah’s trust in the Lord has brought her great comfort. Hannah, who left the tent a grieving mother, has received a son through the Lord’s goodness. She also returns to the tent a mother who has dedicated her son to God’s service.
1 Samuel chapter 1 is the story of prayer, grief, faith, and commitment. Hannah is a woman of deep commitment who dedicates her life to the Lord when her prayers are answered. Her grief was such a burden that it kept her from her daily food. But Hannah does not allow this grief to impede her daily duties. Hannah is also a woman of strong faith as she prays to the Lord.
The story shows that faith and prayer are not always composed of happy messages. The prayer of Hannah is most personal as she comes before the Lord in a bitter mood. Hannah lays her grief and pain before the Lord and does not attempt to conceal the distress. Her faith is also seen in her conversation with Eli. She does not get frustrated with Eli for misunderstanding her but respects him.
Hannah’s commitment is seen in her insistence that she will keep her vow to the Lord. The story shows that Hannah does not receive the son and keep him for herself. Once she receives the son, she dedicates him to the Lord. It was not enough that the Lord granted her prayers; Hannah is committed to keeping her vows and she fulfills them.
The fulfillment of Hannah’s prayer is the beginning of something much bigger than just answering the prayers of one Jewish mother. Samuel grows to become a great leader of Israel. He will anoint Saul as king and David as well. Samuel becomes a great judge and mediator for Israel.
The story in 1 Samuel chapter 1 prepares the reader for the differences between Hannah and Eli’s daughters. While Hannah bears children with difficulty, Eli’s daughters appear to be ungodly. Samuel is dedicated to the service of the Lord while Eli’s sons bring corruption to the priesthood. At the heart of these contrasts is Hannah’s prayer as she dedicates Samuel to the Lord.
Through her prayer, Hannah shows deep faith in the ability of the Lord to hear her. Her trust in the Lord is so great that she does not give up even when Eli rebukes her. Hannah’s faith enables her to overcome grief and commit her life to the Lord. She is a humble woman before the Lord who receives great blessings.
1 Samuel chapter 1 starts with the problems of Hannah and her husband. Hannah becomes deeply grieved when her rival Peninnah mocks her and continues harassing her daily. Hannah’s grief translates to prayer as she seeks the Lord to intervene.
The prayer is intensely personal as Hannah comes before the Lord in deep distress. She is rebuked by Eli but Hannah stands by her prayer before the Lord. The story ends with Hannah dedicating Samuel to the Lord. The child who was a surprise to Hannah has become the center of her life.
Although Hannah wanted the child for her own comfort, she cannot keep him as she promised to dedicate him to the Lord’s service. Samuel is the hope of Hannah and his life at Shiloh will be the beginning of bigger things.