Study Desk

Now there was a man from ^(C1)Ramathaim-zophim from the ^(C2)hill country of Ephraim, and his name was ^(C3)Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

And he had ^(C1)two wives: the name of one was ^(C2)Hannah and the name of the ^(F1)other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

Now this man would go up from his city ^(C1)yearly ^(C2)to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of armies in ^(C3)Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD there.

When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he ^(C1)would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters;

but to Hannah he would give a double portion, because he loved Hannah, ^(C1)but the LORD had closed her womb.

Her rival, moreover, ^(C1)would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb.

And it happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the LORD, that she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat.

Then Elkanah her husband would say to her, "Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you not eat, and why is your heart sad? ^(C1)Am I not better to you than ten sons?"

Then Hannah got up after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of ^(C1)the ^(F1)temple of the LORD.

She, ^(F1)greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.

And she ^(C1)made a vow and said, "LORD of armies, if You will indeed ^(C2)look on the affliction of Your bond-servant and remember me, and not forget Your bond-servant, but will give Your bond-servant a ^(F1)son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and ^(C3)a razor shall never come on his head."