1 Samuel 1, Additional Reading: Job 36

Tuesday, November 05, 2024
 

Elkanah and His Wives

1 Now there was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim from 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. 2 He had two wives: the name of one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 Now this man would go up from his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the Lord there. 4 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters; 5 but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the Lord had closed her womb. 6 Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 It happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat. 8 Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat and why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

9 Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. 10 She, [a]greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 She made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a [b]son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.”

12 Now it came about, as she [c]continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth. 13 As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. 14 Then Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you.” 15 But Hannah replied, “No, my lord, I am a woman [d]oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not [e]consider your maidservant as a worthless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and [f]provocation.” 17 Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.” 18 She said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

Samuel Is Born to Hannah

19 Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned again to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah [g]had relations with Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 20 It came about [h]in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the Lord.”

21 Then the man Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “I will not go up until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord and stay there forever.” 23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best [i]to you. Remain until you have weaned him; only may the Lord confirm His word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull and one ephah of flour and a jug of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh, although the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and brought the boy to Eli. 26 She said, “Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. 27 For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him. 28 So I have also [j]dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is [k]dedicated to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 1:10 Lit bitter of soul
  2. 1 Samuel 1:11 Lit seed of men
  3. 1 Samuel 1:12 Lit multiplied
  4. 1 Samuel 1:15 Lit severe
  5. 1 Samuel 1:16 Lit give
  6. 1 Samuel 1:16 Lit my provocation
  7. 1 Samuel 1:19 Lit knew
  8. 1 Samuel 1:20 Lit at the circuit of the days
  9. 1 Samuel 1:23 Lit in your eyes
  10. 1 Samuel 1:28 Lit lent
  11. 1 Samuel 1:28 Lit lent
 
 

Elihu Speaks of God’s Dealings with Men

36 Then Elihu continued and said,

2 “Wait for me a little, and I will show you
That there [a]is yet more to be said in God’s behalf.
3 “I will fetch my knowledge from afar,
And I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 “For truly my words are not false;
One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 “Behold, God is mighty but does not despise any;
He is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 “He does not keep the wicked alive,
But gives justice to the afflicted.
7 “He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous;
But with kings on the throne
He has seated them forever, and they are exalted.
8 “And if they are bound in fetters,
And are caught in the cords of affliction,
9 Then He declares to them their work
And their transgressions, that they have magnified themselves.
10 “He opens their ear to instruction,
And commands that they return from evil.
11 “If they hear and serve Him,
They will end their days in prosperity
And their years in pleasures.
12 “But if they do not hear, they shall [b]perish by the sword
And they will die without knowledge.
13 “But the godless in heart lay up anger;
They do not cry for help when He binds them.
14 “[c]They die in youth,
And their life perishes among the cult prostitutes.
15 “He delivers the afflicted in [d]their affliction,
And opens their ear [e]in time of oppression.
16 “Then indeed, He enticed you from the mouth of distress,
Instead of it, a broad place with no constraint;
And that which was set on your table was full of [f]fatness.

17 “But you were full of judgment on the wicked;
Judgment and justice take hold of you.
18 “Beware that wrath does not entice you to scoffing;
And do not let the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.
19 “Will your [g]riches keep you from distress,
Or all the forces of your strength?
20 “Do not long for the night,
When people [h]vanish in their place.
21 “Be careful, do not turn to evil,
For you have preferred this to affliction.
22 “Behold, God is exalted in His power;
Who is a teacher like Him?
23 “Who has appointed Him His way,
And who has said, ‘You have done wrong’?

24 “Remember that you should exalt His work,
Of which men have sung.
25 “All men have seen it;
Man beholds from afar.
26 “Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him;
The number of His years is unsearchable.
27 “For He draws up the drops of water,
They distill rain from [i]the [j]mist,
28 Which the clouds pour down,
They drip upon man abundantly.
29 “Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds,
The thundering of His [k]pavilion?
30 “Behold, He spreads His [l]lightning about Him,
And He covers the depths of the sea.
31 “For by these He judges peoples;
He gives food in abundance.
32 “He covers His hands with the [m]lightning,
And commands it to strike the mark.
33 “Its noise declares [n]His presence;
The cattle also, concerning what is coming up.

Footnotes

  1. Job 36:2 Lit are yet words for God
  2. Job 36:12 Lit pass away
  3. Job 36:14 Or Their soul dies
  4. Job 36:15 Lit his
  5. Job 36:15 Or in adversity
  6. Job 36:16 Or rich food
  7. Job 36:19 Or cry
  8. Job 36:20 Lit go up
  9. Job 36:27 Lit its
  10. Job 36:27 Or flood
  11. Job 36:29 Lit booth
  12. Job 36:30 Lit light
  13. Job 36:32 Lit light
  14. Job 36:33 Lit concerning Him

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