The story of Hannah
1 There was a man from Rama thaim, in the hills of Eph raim, whose name was
Elkanah. He was son of Tohu, son of Jeroham, of the clan of Zuph.
2 He had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Pe nin nah had children but Hannah
had none.
3 Every year Elkanah went to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of hosts at
Shiloh. The priests there were the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas.
4 When ever Elkanah offered sacrifice, he gave portions to his wife,
Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.
5 To Hannah, how ever, he gave the more delightful portion because he loved
her more, although she had no child.
6 Yet Hannah¡¯s rival used to tease her for being barren.
7 So it happened every year when they went to Yahweh¡¯s house. Penin nah
irritated Hannah and she would weep and refuse to eat.
8 Once Elka nah, her husband, asked her, ¡°Han nah, why do you weep instead
of eating? Why are you sad? Are you not better off with me than with many
sons?¡±
9 After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah stood up not far from
Eli, the priest: his seat was beside the doorpost of Yahweh¡¯s house.
10 Deeply distressed she wept and prayed to Yahweh
11 and made this vow, ¡°O Yahweh of hosts, if only you will have compassion
on your maidservant and give me a son, I will put him in your service for as
long as he lives and no razor shall touch his head.¡±
12 As she prayed before Yahweh, Eli observed the movement of her lips.
13 Hannah was praying silently; she moved her lips but uttered no sound and
Eli thought Hannah was drunk.
14 He, therefore, said to her: ¡°For how long will you be drunk? Let your
drunkenness pass.¡±
15 But Han nah answered: ¡°No, my lord, I am a woman in great distress, not
drunk. I have not drunk wine or strong drink, but I am pouring out my soul
before Yahweh.
16 Do not take me for a bad woman. I was so afflicted that my prayer flowed
con tinuously.¡±
17 Then Eli said, ¡°Go in peace and may the God of Israel grant you what you
asked for.¡±
18 Han nah answered, ¡°Let your maidservant deserve your kindness.¡± Then she
left the temple and when she was at table, she seemed a different woman.
19 Elkanah rose early in the morning and worshiped before Yahweh with his
wives. Then they went back home to Ramah. When Elka nah slept with his wife,
Hannah, Yahweh took compassion on her,
20 and she became pregnant. She gave birth to a son and called him Samuel be
cause she said: ¡°I have asked Yah weh to give him to me.¡±
21 Once more Elkanah went to the temple with his family to offer his yearly
sacrifice and to pay his vow to Yahweh.
22 Hannah would not go along but she said to her husband, ¡°I will bring the
child there as soon as he is weaned. He shall be presented to Yahweh and
stay there forever.¡±
23 Her husband answered, ¡°Do what seems best to you. Stay here until you
have weaned the child and may Yahweh confirm your vow.¡± So Hannah stayed
behind and continued to nurse her son until he was weaned.
24 When the child was weaned, Hannah took him with her along with a
three-year-old bull, a measure of flour and a flask of wine, and she brought
him to Yahweh¡¯s house at Shiloh. The child was still young.
25 After they had slain the bull, they brought the child to Eli.
26 Hannah exclaimed: ¡°Oh, my lord, look! I am the woman who was standing
here in your presence, praying to Yahweh.
27 I asked for this child and Yahweh granted me the favor I begged of him.
28 Now, I think, Yahweh is asking for this child. As long as he lives, he
belongs to Yahweh.¡±
And they worshiped Yahweh there.
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Comments 1 Samuel, Chapter 1
• 1.1 It all starts with an ordinary couple living a familiar drama in a
hill town.
The woman, in an inferior situation, as it will always be in Israel, is only
worth the children she bears. A man has as many wives as he is able to
maintain. Elkanah loves Hannah, but in the way he loves his children.
God likes to choose his servants precisely from those families who have no
hope of having children. It is God who gives life to the dead and hope to
those who have none. The same happens with the birth of Isaac and John the
Baptist (Lk 1:5). In the book of Isaiah is a poem which starts with these
words: ¡°Rejoice, O barren woman who has not given birth!¡± (Is 54:1).
These pages depict for us the religious life of those days. The campaign
tent which shelters the ark is at Shiloh. There is no temple yet in Israel,
so pilgrims bring their animals; and the father as head of the family and
priest of his household sacrifices the victims. Only after David¡¯s time will
the priests of Levi¡¯s tribe be the exclusive intermediaries between Yahweh
and his people.