1 Samuel 2:20

¹⁸ Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod.

¹⁹ Each year his mother would make him a little robe and bring it to him when she went with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.

And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the LORD give you children by this woman in place of the one she dedicated to the LORD.” Then they would go home.

²¹ So the LORD attended to Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.

²² Now Eli was very old, and he heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

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 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the LORD give you children by this woman in place of the one she dedicated to the LORD.” Then they would go home.
KJV: And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home.
WEB: Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, “May the LORD give you offspring from this woman for the petition which was asked of the LORD.” Then they went to their own home.
ASV: And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, Jehovah give thee seed of this woman for the petition which was asked of Jehovah. And they went unto their own home.
DARBY: And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, Jehovah give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to Jehovah. And they went to their own home.
BLB: And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May YHWH give to you seed from this woman for the petition that she asked of YHWH,” and they would go to their own home.

ÅB: Da velsignet Eli Elkana og hans hustru og sa: Herren gi deg barn igjen med denne kvinne istedenfor ham som hun ba om for Herren! Så dro de hjem igjen.
OTB: Eli ville velsigne Elkana og hans kone og si, "Måtte Herren gi deg barn fra denne kvinnen i stedet for den hun viet til Herren." Så dro de hjem.
B1930: Da velsignet Eli Elkana og hans hustru og sa: Herren gi dig barn igjen med denne kvinne istedenfor ham som hun bad om for Herren! Så drog de hjem igjen.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

1 Samuel 1:27–28
I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him,
Read in context
Luke 2:34
Then Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary: “Behold, this Child is appointed to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
Read in context
Ruth 4:11
“We are witnesses,” said the elders and all the people at the gate. “May the LORD make the woman entering your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you be prosperous in Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem.
Read in context
Genesis 27:27–29
So he came near and kissed him. When Isaac smelled his clothing, he blessed him and said: “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed.
Read in context
Ruth 2:12
May the LORD repay your work, and may you receive a rich reward from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have taken refuge.”
Read in context
Genesis 14:19
and he blessed Abram and said: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,
Read in context
Numbers 6:23–27
“Tell Aaron and his sons: This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
Read in context
1 Samuel 1:11
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.”
Read in context