Ruth, Chapter 5:
advertising
Verses from Ruth, Chapter 5 of the book of Ruth in the Bible.
Samuel's birth
- 1. There was a man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite, from the mountains of Ephraim, named Elkanah, son of Jeroam, grandson of Elihu and great-grandson of Tohu, son of the Ephraimite Zuph.
- 2. He had two wives: one was named Hannah and the other Penina. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was barren and had no children.
- 3. Every year, this man went up from his city to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts. In this place, Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord.
- 4. On the day that Elkanah offered sacrifices, he gave portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.
- 5. However, to Ana he gave a double portion, because he loved her, even though the Lord had left her barren.
- 6. And because the Lord had left her barren, Peninnah constantly provoked her to anger her.
- 7. This happened year after year. Whenever Hannah went to the house of the Lord, Peninnah teased her, and she cried and did not eat.
- 8. Her husband, Elkanah, asked her: “Hannah, why are you crying? Why don't you eat? Why are you sad? Am I not better to you than ten children?”
- 9. On one occasion, after eating and drinking in Shiloh, with the priest Eli sitting on a chair near the entrance to the sanctuary of the Lord, Hannah stood up
- 10. and, with anguished soul, he wept a lot and prayed to the Lord.
- 11. She made a vow, saying: “O Lord of hosts, if you consider the affliction of your servant, remember me and do not forget your servant, granting me a son, I will dedicate him to the Lord for all days of his life, and his hair and his beard will never be cut.”
- 12. As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli watched her mouth.
- 13. Hannah prayed silently, moving her lips but not making a sound. Then Eli thought she was drunk
- 14. and said to her, “How long will you stay drunk? Give up the wine!”
- 15. Hannah replied: “No, my lord, I am not drunk. I am a deeply distressed woman. I didn't drink wine or any alcoholic beverage. I was pouring out my soul before the Lord.
- 16. Don't consider me a bitch; I am praying here until now because of my great anguish and sadness.”
- 17. Eli replied, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you asked for.”
- 18. Then she said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes!” And she went her way, ate, and her face was no longer haggard.
- 19. The next morning they got up early and worshiped the Lord. Then they returned home to Ramah. Elkanah had relations with Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.
- 20. So Hannah became pregnant and, at the appointed time, gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “I asked him of the Lord.”
- 21. When Elkanah and all his family went up to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill their vow,
- 22. Hannah did not go with them. She said to her husband, "When the boy is weaned, I will bring him to present him to the Lord, and he will stay there forever."
- 23. Elkanah replied, “Do whatever you think is best. Stay here until the boy is weaned. May the Lord confirm the word you spoke.” So she stayed home and nursed her son until he was weaned.
- 24. When the boy was weaned, she took him, still a small child, to the house of the Lord in Shiloh, with a three-year-old bull, a jar of flour and a leather vessel full of wine.
- 25. They sacrificed the bull and presented the boy to Eli.
- 26. Then she said, “My lord, I swear on your life that I am the woman who stood here praying to the Lord.
- 27. This is the boy I prayed for, and the Lord granted my request.
- 28. Now I dedicate it to the Lord. He will be dedicated to the Lord all his life.” And there they worshiped the Lord.
