1 Samuel 1:12-17

1:12 As she continued praying to ¹  the Lord, Eli was watching her mouth. 1:13 Now Hannah was speaking from her heart. Although her lips were moving, her voice was inaudible. Eli therefore thought she was drunk. 1:14 So he ²  said to her, “How often do you intend to get drunk? Put away your wine!”

1:15 But Hannah replied, “That’s not the way it is, ³  my lord! I am under a great deal of stress. ⁴  I have drunk neither wine nor beer. Rather, I have poured out my soul to ⁵  the Lord. 1:16 Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman, ⁶  for until now I have spoken from my deep pain and anguish.”

1:17 Eli replied, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked of him.”

[1:12]  ¹ tc Heb “before.” Many medieval Hebrew manuscripts read “to.”

[1:14]  ² tn Heb “Eli.” The pronoun (“he”) has been used in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.

[1:15]  ³ tn Heb “No.”

[1:15]  ⁴ 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).

[1:15]  ⁵ tn Heb “before.”

[1:16]  ⁶ tn Heb “daughter of worthlessness.”