1 Samuel 1

10 Hannah was heartbroken and was crying as she prayed, 11 *Nu 6.5."Lord All-Powerful, I am your servant, but I am so miserable! Please let me have a son. I promise to give him to you for as long as he lives, and his hair will never be cut."*1.11 his hair … cut: Never cutting the child’s hair would be a sign that he would belong to the Lord (see Numbers 6.1,21, especially verse 5).

12,13 Hannah prayed silently to the Lord for a long time. But her lips were moving, and Eli thought she was drunk. 14 "How long are you going to stay drunk?" he asked. "Sober up!"

15,16 "Sir, please don’t think I’m no good!" Hannah answered. "I’m not drunk, and I haven’t been drinking. But I do feel miserable and terribly upset. I’ve been praying all this time, telling the Lord about my problems."

17 Eli replied, "Go home. Everything will be fine. The God of Israel will answer your prayer."

18 "Sir, thank you for being so kind to me," Hannah said. Then she left, and after eating something, she felt much better.

Samuel Is Born

19 Elkanah and his family got up early the next morning and worshiped the Lord. Then they went back home to Ramah. Later the Lord blessed Elkanah and Hannah 20 with a son. She named him Samuel because she had asked the Lord for him.*1.20 him: In Hebrew "Samuel" sounds something like "Someone from God" or "The name of God" or "His name is God."