1 Samuel 1:15

1:15 But Hannah replied, “That’s not the way it is, ¹  my lord! I am under a great deal of stress. ²  I have drunk neither wine nor beer. Rather, I have poured out my soul to ³  the Lord.

1 Samuel 1:18

1:18 She said, “May I, your servant, find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and got something to eat. ⁴  Her face no longer looked sad.

1 Samuel 1:26

1:26 She said, “Just as surely as you are alive, my lord, I am the woman who previously stood here with you in order to pray to the Lord.

1 Samuel 2:1

Hannah Exalts the Lord in Prayer

2:1 Hannah prayed, ⁵ 

“My heart rejoices in the Lord;

my horn ⁶  is exalted high because of the Lord.

I loudly denounce ⁷  my enemies,

for I am happy that you delivered me. ⁸ 

1 Samuel 25:24

25:24 Falling at his feet, she said, “My lord, I accept all the guilt! But please let your female servant speak with my lord! Please listen to the words of your servant!

1 Samuel 28:12-13

28:12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly. ⁹  The woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!” 28:13 The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid! What have you seen?” The woman replied to Saul, “I have seen one like a god ¹⁰  coming up from the ground!”

¹ tn Heb “No.”

² tn Heb “I am a woman difficult of spirit.” The LXX has “for whom the day is difficult,” apparently mistaking the Hebrew word for “spirit” רוּחַ (ruakh) to be the word for “day” יוֹם (yom).

³ tn Heb “before.”

⁴ tc Several medieval Hebrew mss and the Syriac Peshitta lack the words “and got something to eat.”

⁷ tn Heb “prayed and said.” This is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation.

⁸ sn Horns of animals have always functioned as both offensive and defensive weapons for them. As a figure of speech the horn is therefore often used in the Bible as a symbol of human strength (see also in v. 10). The allusion in v. 1 to the horn being lifted high suggests a picture of an animal elevating its head in a display of strength or virility.

⁹ tn Heb “my mouth opens wide against.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “for I rejoice in your deliverance.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “in a great voice.”

¹³ tn Heb “gods.” The modifying participle (translated “coming up”) is plural, suggesting that underworld spirits are the referent. But in the following verse Saul understands the plural word to refer to a singular being. The reference is to the spirit of Samuel.