1 Samuel 1:23

²¹ Then Elkanah and all his house went up to make the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow,

²² but Hannah did not go. “After the boy is weaned,” she said to her husband, “I will take him to appear before the LORD and to stay there permanently.”

“Do what you think is best,” her husband Elkanah replied, “and stay here until you have weaned him. Only may the LORD confirm His word.” So Hannah stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

²⁴ Once she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. Though the boy was still young, she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh.

²⁵ And when they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli.

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: “Do what you think is best,” her husband Elkanah replied, “and stay here until you have weaned him. Only may the LORD confirm His word.” So Hannah stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.
KJV: And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
WEB: Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only may the LORD establish his word.” So the woman waited and nursed her son until she weaned him.
ASV: And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only Jehovah establish his word. So the woman tarried and gave her son suck, until she weaned him.
DARBY: And Elkanah her husband said to her, Do what is good in thy sight: abide until thou hast weaned him; only, may Jehovah fulfil his word. And the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
BLB: And Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what is good in your eyes. Wait until you have weaned him. Only let YHWH establish His word.” And the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

ÅB: Elkana, hennes mann, sa til henne: Gjør hva du finner for godt; bli hjemme til du har avvent ham; bare Herren vil holde sitt ord! Så ble kvinnen hjemme, og hun gav sin sønn die til hun hadde avvent ham.
OTB: Elkana, hennes mann, sa til henne: “Gjør det som synes best for deg. Bli til du har avvent ham; bare måtte Herren oppfylle sitt ord.” Så ble hun hjemme og ammet sin sønn til hun hadde avvent ham.
B1930: Elkana, hennes mann, sa til henne: Gjør hvad du finner for godt; bli hjemme til du har avvent ham; bare Herren vil holde sitt ord! Så blev kvinnen hjemme, og hun gav sin sønn die til hun hadde avvent ham.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Samuel 7:25
And now, O LORD God, confirm forever the word You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house. Do as You have promised,
Read in context
Luke 11:27
As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and blessed are the breasts that nursed You!”
Read in context
Matthew 24:19
How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers!
Read in context
Isaiah 44:26
who confirms the message of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, and I will restore their ruins,’
Read in context
Psalms 22:9
Yet You brought me forth from the womb; You made me secure at my mother’s breast.
Read in context
1 Samuel 1:17
“Go in peace,” Eli replied, “and may the God of Israel grant the petition you have asked of Him.”
Read in context
Numbers 30:7–11
and her husband hears of it but says nothing to her on that day, then the vows or pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand.
Read in context
Genesis 21:7–8
She added, “Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
Read in context