וַיְהִי אִישׁ אֶחָד מִן הָרָמָתַיִם צוֹפִים מֵהַר אֶפְרָיִם וּשְׁמוֹ אֶלְקָנָה בֶּן יְרֹחָם בֶּן אֱלִיהוּא בֶּן תֹּחוּ בֶן צוּף אֶפְרָתִי

There was a certain man from Ramatayim Tzofim, from the highlands of Ephraim, and his name was Elkana, son of Yeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Tzuf, a nobleman [Efrati]. According to tradition, Elkana was a Levite who lived in the hills of Ephraim. The title Efrati, literally Ephraimite, was a general term for one with elevated social status. Since Ephraim was considered a superior tribe, certainly in their own eyes and perhaps by others as well, the label Ephraimite connoted an individual from a good family.

וְלוֹ שְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים שֵׁם אַחַת חַנָּה וְשֵׁם הַשֵּׁנִית פְּנִנָּה וַיְהִי לִפְנִנָּה יְלָדִים וּלְחַנָּה אֵין יְלָדִים

He had two wives; the name of the first, Hannah, and the name of the second, Penina. Since not many men at that time married two women, there must have been a special reason for Elkana to have done so. Penina had children, but Hannah had no children. Hannah was Elkana’s first wife. When it became apparent that she was not bearing children, Elkana married a second woman so that he could have children. This explains the great difference in his relationships with his two wives.

וְעָלָה הָאִישׁ הַהוּא מֵעִירוֹ מִיָּמִים יָמִימָה לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת וְלִזְבֹּחַ לַה' צְבָאוֹת בְּשִׁלֹה וְשָׁם שְׁנֵי בְנֵי עֵלִי חָפְנִי וּפִנְחָס כֹּהֲנִים לַה'

This man ascended from his city from year to year, or from one festival to another, to prostrate himself and to present offerings to the Lord of hosts in the Tabernacle which was currently situated in Shilo. Apparently, Shilo was not a pilgrimage site for all Israel. Rather, it was mainly frequented by local residents who required its services. There, the two sons of Eli the elderly High Priest, Hofni and Pinhas, were priests to the Lord. In practice, they were the ones in charge of the Tabernacle.

וַיְהִי הַיּוֹם וַיִּזְבַּח אֶלְקָנָה וְנָתַן לִפְנִנָּה אִשְׁתּוֹ וּלְכָל בָּנֶיהָ וּבְנוֹתֶיהָ מָנוֹת

It was on the day, on a certain day, that Elkana presented offerings [vayyizbah·]; he brought peace offerings, which are generally offered on festivals and other times of joy. A portion of these offerings was burned on the altar, another part was given to the priests, while the rest was eaten by the owners. And he, Elkana, in accordance with his practice, gave portions to Penina his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters. The term vayyizbaḥ derives from the root zayin-beit-ḥet, which usually appears in the context of a celebratory public or private meal.

וּלְחַנָּה יִתֵּן מָנָה אַחַת אַפָּיִם כִּי אֶת חַנָּה אָהֵב וַה' סָגַר רַחְמָהּ

But to Hannah he would give a choice portion, a large, significant portion. Some explain that he gave her some of his own choice portion. For he loved Hannah, and he wished to express publicly his preference for her over his other wife, but the Lord had closed her womb, and she had not borne children. Consequently, he gave her only one portion, unlike Penina, to whom he gave multiple portions, for herself and her children. It was not uncommon for there to be some sort of rivalry between two women married to the same man.

וְכִעֲסַתָּה צָרָתָהּ גַּם כַּעַס בַּעֲבוּר הַרְּעִמָהּ כִּי סָגַר ה' בְּעַד רַחְמָהּ

Her rival, the other woman in the house, Penina, provoked her again and again in order to upset her, for the Lord had closed her womb.

וְכֵן יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁנָה בְשָׁנָה מִדֵּי עֲלֹתָהּ בְּבֵית ה'כֵּן תַּכְעִסֶנָּה וַתִּבְכֶּה וְלֹא תֹאכַל

So he, Elkana, would do year after year, keeping up his practice of giving Hannah a choice portion, each time she ascended to the House of the Lord, so she, Penina, would provoke her, and she, Hannah, would weep and would not eat. Hannah felt humiliated and had no appetite. Even if Penina did not engage in blatant mockery, in Hannah’s sensitive state any derisive remark, like: Perhaps share some of your large portion with your child, would inevitably lead to tears.

וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ אֶלְקָנָה אִישָׁהּ חַנָּה לָמֶה תִבְכִּי וְלָמֶה לֹא תֹאכְלִי וְלָמֶה יֵרַע לְבָבֵךְ הֲלוֹא אָנֹכִי טוֹב לָךְ מֵעֲשָׂרָה בָּנִים

Elkana her husband said to her: Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you not eat, and why is your heart grieving? I love you and am devoted to you. Am I not better to you than ten sons?

וַתָּקָם חַנָּה אַחֲרֵי אָכְלָה בְשִׁלֹה וְאַחֲרֵי שָׁתֹה וְעֵלִי הַכֹּהֵן יֹשֵׁב עַל הַכִּסֵּא עַל מְזוּזַת הֵיכַל ה'

Hannah arose after eating in Shilo, and after drinking, when the tense family meal had ended. And Eli the priest was sitting on the chair near the doorpost of the Sanctuary of the Lord, not in the Tabernacle itself. Perhaps Hannah greeted him, but in any case she did not pay much attention to him,

וְהִיא מָרַת נָפֶשׁ וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל עַל ה' וּבָכֹה תִבְכֶּה

Hannah went inside as she was embittered, hurt, and forlorn, and prayed to the Lord, and was weeping.

וַתִּדֹּר נֶדֶר וַתֹּאמַר ה' צְבָאוֹת אִם רָאֹה תִרְאֶה בָּעֳנִי אֲמָתֶךָ וּזְכַרְתַּנִי וְלֹא תִשְׁכַּח אֶת אֲמָתֶךָ וְנָתַתָּה לַאֲמָתְךָ זֶרַע אֲנָשִׁים וּנְתַתִּיו לַה' כָל יְמֵי חַיָּיו וּמוֹרָה לֹא יַעֲלֶה עַל רֹאשׁוֹ

She vowed, saying: Lord of hosts, if You see the suffering of Your maidservant, and you remember me and not forget Your maidservant, and You give Your maidservant substantial offspring, a worthy, strong child, then I will give him, consecrate him, to the Lord all the days of his life, and a razor will not come upon his head. Hannah vowed that the son born to her would be a nazirite, for whom it is prohibited to cut his hair or shave his beard. The mention of a strong child is perhaps an indication that Hannah had previously miscarried, which is why she now specifically requested a healthy baby.

וְהָיָה כִּי הִרְבְּתָה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לִפְנֵי ה' וְעֵלִי שֹׁמֵר אֶת פִּיהָ

And it was as she was praying extensively before the Lord, Eli was watching her mouth. Apparently, there were not many people in the vicinity, and Eli, who was sitting nearby, noticed her.

וְחַנָּה הִיא מְדַבֶּרֶת עַל לִבָּהּ רַק שְׂפָתֶיהָ נָּעוֹת וְקוֹלָהּ לֹא יִשָּׁמֵעַ וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ עֵלִי לְשִׁכֹּרָה

Hannah, she was speaking quietly in her heart, as she did not want anyone to hear her expressing her innermost feelings; only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard; and Eli therefore thought her to be drunk, as drunkards sometimes talk to themselves, or think that they are speaking when they are actually not saying anything. When Eli saw a woman moving her lips as though she was talking, but emitting no sound, he assumed that she was intoxicated.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ עֵלִי עַד מָתַי תִּשְׁתַּכָּרִין הָסִירִי אֶת יֵינֵךְ מֵעָלָיִךְ

Eli said to her: Until when will you become drunk and act in an intoxicated manner? And if you are already drunk, remove the influence of your wine from yourself. It is unfitting to be drunk anywhere, certainly not in the house of God.

וַתַּעַן חַנָּה וַתֹּאמֶר לֹא אֲדֹנִי אִשָּׁה קְשַׁת רוּחַ אָנֹכִי וְיַיִן וְשֵׁכָר לֹא שָׁתִיתִי וָאֶשְׁפֹּךְ אֶת נַפְשִׁי לִפְנֵי ה'

Hannah answered and said: No, my lord, you mistake me. I am an embittered woman; I did not drink wine or intoxicating drink at all, but instead I poured out my soul before the Lord. Since I was talking to God, there was no need for me to raise my voice.

אַל תִּתֵּן אֶת אֲמָתְךָ לִפְנֵי בַּת בְּלִיָּעַל כִּי מֵרֹב שִׂיחִי וְכַעְסִי דִּבַּרְתִּי עַד הֵנָּה

Do not deem your maidservant to be a wicked woman. Do not think of me as an immoral woman who came drunk to the Tabernacle, for it is due to the extent of my grievance, the bitterness of my soul, and my anger that I have spoken at great length until now. Apparently, it was unusual at the time to recite such a long prayer.

וַיַּעַן עֵלִי וַיֹּאמֶר לְכִי לְשָׁלוֹם וֵאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יִתֵּן אֶת שֵׁלָתֵךְ אֲשֶׁר שָׁאַלְתְּ מֵעִמּוֹ

When Eli heard her answer given in an entirely sober manner, he regretted his accusation. Eli answered and said: Go in peace. Eli immediately added words of encouragement for the future: And may the God of Israel grant your request that you requested of Him. I do not know what you requested, but I bless you that God should give you your wish. With regard to this verse, the Talmud states that Rabbi Elazar said: From here the halakha is derived that one who suspects another of something that he has not done, he must appease him. Moreover, the one who suspected him must bless him.

וַתֹּאמֶר תִּמְצָא שִׁפְחָתְךָ חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ וַתֵּלֶךְ הָאִשָּׁה לְדַרְכָּהּ וַתֹּאכַל וּפָנֶיהָ לֹא הָיוּ לָהּ עוֹד

She said: May your maidservant find favor in your eyes. May your words come to pass. This was the polite response of one who had received a blessing or a compliment: I sincerely thank you for treating me favorably. The woman went on her way, and she ate as usual, and her face was no longer downcast as it was. The feelings of sorrow, anger, and heartbreak that had accompanied her to Shilo now dissipated, perhaps due to her earnest prayer and the special blessing she had received from the High Priest. Now she had renewed confidence and hope. The last phrase in the verse literally means “and she had no more face,” as the term “face” in the Bible can refer to anger.

וַיַּשְׁכִּמוּ בַבֹּקֶר וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לִפְנֵי ה' וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל בֵּיתָם הָרָמָתָה וַיֵּדַע אֶלְקָנָה אֶת חַנָּה אִשְׁתּוֹ וַיִּזְכְּרֶהָ ה'

They, the whole family, arose early in the morning, and prostrated themselves before the Lord upon their departure from the Tabernacle, and they returned, and came to their house to Rama. Elkana was intimate with Hannah his wife and on this occasion the Lord remembered her.

וַיְהִי לִתְקֻפוֹת הַיָּמִים וַתַּהַר חַנָּה וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ שְׁמוּאֵל כִּי מֵה' שְׁאִלְתִּיו

It was with the passage of the seasons, when another year had passed, that Hannah conceived and bore a son; she called his name Samuel [Shemuel], for she explained: I requested him [she’iltiv] from the Lord.

וַיַּעַל הָאִישׁ אֶלְקָנָה וְכָל בֵּיתוֹ לִזְבֹּחַ לַה' אֶת זֶבַח הַיָּמִים וְאֶת נִדְרוֹ

The man Elkana and his entire household, his family, ascended to present the annual offering, or the appropriate offerings for those dates, perhaps the festival offerings to the Lord, and the offerings for his vow, which he had pledged to bring over the course of the year.

וְחַנָּה לֹא עָלָתָה כִּי אָמְרָה לְאִישָׁהּ עַד יִגָּמֵל הַנַּעַר והֲבִאֹתִיו וְנִרְאָה אֶת פְּנֵי ה' וְיָשַׁב שָׁם עַד עוֹלָם

But Hannah did not ascend with her son; as she said to her husband: When the child will be weaned from my milk and will be able to eat food, I will bring him to the Tabernacle, and he will appear before the Lord, and he will reside there forever. In the meantime, I will leave him at home and enjoy him. When he grows a little, I will bring him to Shilo and give him to God.

וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ אֶלְקָנָה אִישָׁהּ עֲשִׂי הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינַיִךְ שְׁבִי עַד גָּמְלֵךְ אֹתוֹ אַךְ יָקֵם ה' אֶת דְּבָרוֹ וַתֵּשֶׁב הָאִשָּׁה וַתֵּינֶק אֶת בְּנָהּ עַד גָּמְלָהּ אֹתוֹ

Elkana her husband said to her: Do that which is good in your eyes, remain here with the boy until you wean him; but may the Lord fulfill His word, that the child should mature and thrive. The woman remained and nursed her son, until she weaned him.

וַתַּעֲלֵהוּ עִמָּהּ כַּאֲשֶׁר גְּמָלַתּוּ בְּפָרִים שְׁלֹשָׁה וְאֵיפָה אַחַת קֶמַח וְנֵבֶל יַיִן וַתְּבִאֵהוּ בֵית ה' שִׁלוֹ וְהַנַּעַר נָעַר

When she had weaned him she took him up with her to the Temple, at the age of two or three, or perhaps a little older, to mark the occasion in a celebratory fashion with three bulls, and one ephah of flour, an ancient measure of volume, roughly equivalent to 22 g, perhaps slightly more, and a skin of wine, possibly an earthenware container, and she brought him to the House of the Lord in Shilo, and the child was young. He would act in the immature manner of a young child. Perhaps he was mischievous or precocious; in any case, his presence was felt in the Temple, which was a place mainly frequented by adults.

וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּ אֶת הַפָּר וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַנַּעַר אֶל עֵלִי

They slaughtered the bull as an offering, and they brought the child to Eli the priest.

וַתֹּאמֶר בִּי אֲדֹנִי חֵי נַפְשְׁךָ אֲדֹנִי אֲנִי הָאִשָּׁה הַנִּצֶּבֶת עִמְּכָה בָּזֶה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל אֶל ה'

She, Hannah, said to Eli: Please, my lord; by your soul, my lord, I am the same woman who stood with you here to pray to the Lord. Hannah had not previously told Eli the object of her prayer; now she revealed it to him:

אֶל הַנַּעַר הַזֶּה הִתְפַּלָּלְתִּי וַיִּתֵּן ה' לִי אֶת שְׁאֵלָתִי אֲשֶׁר שָׁאַלְתִּי מֵעִמּוֹ

For this child I prayed; and the Lord granted me my request that I requested of Him.

וגַם אָנֹכִי הִשְׁאִלְתִּהוּ לַה' כָּל הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר הָיָה הוּא שָׁאוּל לַה' וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ שָׁם לַה'

Since God has fulfilled my request, I too have granted him to the Lord, as my part of the petition; all the days that he will be, he is granted and handed over to the Lord. He, Samuel, prostrated himself there to the Lord, along with all those present.