1 Samuel 1:11-13

1:11 She made a vow saying, “O Lord of hosts, if you will look with compassion 1  on the suffering of your female servant, 2  remembering me and not forgetting your servant, and give a male child 3  to your servant, then I will dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life. His hair will never be cut.” 4 

1:12 As she continued praying to 5  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 tn Heb “if looking you look.” The expression can refer, as here, to looking favorably upon another, in this case with compassion.

2 tn Heb “handmaid.” The use of this term (translated two more times in this verse and once each in vv. 16, 17 simply as “servant” for stylistic reasons) is an expression of humility.

3 tn Heb “seed of men.”

4 tn Heb “a razor will not go up upon his head.”

5 tc Heb “before.” Many medieval Hebrew manuscripts read “to.”