1 Samuel 1:11

9 So after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.

10 In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears.

And she made a vow, pleading, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever come over his head.”

12 As Hannah kept on praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth.

13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
And she made a vow, pleading, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever come over his head.”
KJV
And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
WEB
She vowed a vow, and said, “LORD of Armies, if you will indeed look at the affliction of your servant and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a boy, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head.”
ASV
And she vowed a vow, and said, O Jehovah of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a man-child, then I will give him unto Jehovah all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
DARBY
And she vowed a vow, and said, O Jehovah of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a man child, then I will give him to Jehovah all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
BLB
And she made a vow and said, “O YHWH of Hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant, and remember me and not forget Your maidservant, and will give to your maidservant a male seed, I will give him to YHWH all the days of his life, and a razor shall not go up on his head.”
ÅB
Og hun gjorde et løfte og sa: Herre, hærskarenes Gud! Dersom du vil se til din tjenerinne i hennes nød og komme meg i hu og ikke glemme din tjenerinne, men la din tjenerinne få en sønn, så vil jeg gi ham til Herren for hele hans levetid, og det skal ikke komme rakekniv på hans hode.
OTB
Hun avla et løfte og sa: “Herre, hærskarenes Gud, hvis du virkelig vil se til din tjenestekvinnes nød, huske meg og ikke glemme din tjenestekvinne, men gi din tjenestekvinne en sønn, da vil jeg gi ham til Herren alle hans levedager, og ingen barberkniv skal komme på hans hode.”
B1930
Og hun gjorde et løfte og sa: Herre, hærskarenes Gud! Dersom du vil se til din tjenerinne i hennes nød og komme mig i hu og ikke glemme din tjenerinne, men la din tjenerinne få en sønn, så vil jeg gi ham til Herren for hele hans levetid, og det skal ikke komme rakekniv på hans hode.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Judges 13:5

    For behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son. And no razor shall come over his head, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”

    Read in context
  • Numbers 6:5

    For the entire period of his vow of separation, no razor shall pass over his head. He must be holy until the time of his separation to the LORD is complete; he must let the hair of his head grow long.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 29:32

    And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”

    Read in context
  • Ecclesiastes 5:4

    When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 25:18

    Consider my affliction and trouble, and take away all my sins.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 28:20

    Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and watch over me on this journey, and if He will provide me with food to eat and clothes to wear,

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 1:19

    The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before the LORD, and then returned home to Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her.

    Read in context
  • Judges 11:30

    Jephthah made this vow to the LORD: “If indeed You will deliver the Ammonites into my hand,

    Read in context