¹ tn The exact sense of the Hebrew word אַפָּיִם (’appayim, “two faces”) is not certain here. It is most likely used with the preceding expression (“one portion of two faces”) to mean a portion double than normally received. Although evidence for this use of the word derives primarily from Aramaic rather than from Hebrew usage, it provides an understanding that fits the context here better than other suggestions for the word do. The meaning “double” is therefore adopted in the present translation. Other possibilities for the meaning of the word include the following: “heavily” (cf. Vulg., tristis) and “worthy” or “choice” (cf. KJV and Targum). Some scholars have followed the LXX here, emending the word to אֶפֶס (’efes) and translating it as “but” or “however.” This seems unnecessary. The translators of the LXX may simply have been struggling to make sense of the word rather than following a Hebrew text that was different from the MT here.

² tn Heb “for Hannah he loved.” Repetition of the proper name would seem redundant in contemporary English, so the pronoun (“her”) has been used here for clarity. The translation also adds the adverb “especially” to clarify the meaning of the text. Without this addition one might get the impression that only Hannah, not Peninnah, was loved by her husband. But the point of the text is that Hannah was his favorite.

³ tn Heb “and the Lord had closed her womb.” So also in v. 6. The disjunctive clause provides supplemental information that is pertinent to the story.

⁴ tn Heb “and her rival wife grieved her, even [with] grief so as to worry her.”

⁵ tn Heb “because from the Lord I asked him.” The name “Samuel” sounds like the Hebrew verb translated “asked.” The explanation of the meaning of the name “Samuel” that is provided in v. 20 is not a strict etymology. It seems to suggest that the first part of the name is derived from the Hebrew root שׁאל (sh’l, “to ask”), but the consonants do not support this. Nor is it likely that the name comes from the root שׁמא (shm’, “to hear”), for the same reason. It more probably derives from שֶׁם (shem, “name”), so that “Samuel” means “name of God.” Verse 20 therefore does not set forth a linguistic explanation of the meaning of the name, but rather draws a parallel between similar sounds. This figure of speech is known as paronomasia.

⁶ sn In this context God’s holiness refers primarily to his sovereignty and incomparability. He is unique and distinct from all other so-called gods.

⁷ tn The LXX has “and there is none righteous like our God.” The Hebrew term translated “rock” refers to a rocky cliff where one can seek refuge from enemies. Here the metaphor depicts God as a protector of his people. Cf. TEV “no protector like our God”; CEV “We’re safer with you than on a high mountain.”

⁸ tn Heb “proudly, proudly.” If MT is original, the repetition of the word is for emphasis, stressing the arrogance of those addressed. However, a few medieval Hebrew manuscripts and some other textual witnesses do not reflect the repetition, suggesting that the Hebrew text may be dittographic.

⁹ tc The MT (Qere) reads “and by him actions are weighed.” The translation assumes that reading of the Qere וְלוֹ (vÿlo, “and by him”), which is supported by many medieval Hebrew mss, is correct, rather than the reading of the Kethib וְלוֹא (vÿlo’, “and not”).

¹⁰ tn Heb “with [or “before”] the face of.”

¹¹ tn Heb “no.”

¹² tn The Hebrew text adds “so that” here, formally connecting this clause with the next.

¹³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Eli) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁴ tn Heb “what is good in his eyes.”

¹⁵ tn Heb “shouted [with] a great shout.”

¹⁶ tn Heb “the hand of the Lord was heavy upon.”

¹⁷ tn The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

¹⁸ tc The LXX and Vulgate add the following: “And mice multiplied in their land, and the terror of death was throughout the entire city.”

tn Or “tumors” (so ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “growths on their skin”; KJV “emerods”; NAB “hemorrhoids.”

¹⁹ tn Heb “he” or “it”; the referent here (the ark) has been specified in the translation for clarity (cf. also NIV, CEV, NLT). Others, however, take the referent to be the Lord himself.

²⁰ tn Heb “house” (also in the following verse).

²¹ tn Heb “mourned after”; NIV “mourned and sought after”; KJV, NRSV “lamented after”; NAB “turned to”; NCV “began to follow…again.”

²² tn Heb “don’t stop.”

²³ tc The LXX reads “your God” rather than the MT’s “our God.”

²⁴ tn After the negated jussive, the prefixed verbal form with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose/result.

²⁵ tn Cf. NAB, NRSV, NLT “Jeshanah.”

²⁶ sn The name Ebenezer (אֶבֶן הָעָזֶר) means “stone of help” in Hebrew (cf. TEV); NLT adds the meaning parenthetically after the name.

²⁷ tn Or perhaps “settled disputes for” (cf. NLT “would hear cases there”; NRSV “administered justice there”).

²⁸ tn Heb “when.”

²⁹ tc The LXX adds “because you have chosen for yourselves a king.”

³⁰ tn Heb “responded.”

³¹ tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 7, 8).

³² tn Heb “what Amalek did to Israel, how he placed against him.”

³³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Israel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³⁴ tn Or perhaps “be quiet.”

³⁵ tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading the singular (“he said”) rather than the plural (“they said”) of the Kethib.

tn Heb “he”; the referent (Saul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³⁶ tn Heb “journey.”

³⁷ tc The translation follows the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Targum in reading the second person singular suffix (“you”) rather than the third person plural suffix of the MT (“they”).

³⁸ tn Heb “caused seven of his sons to pass before Samuel.” This could be taken as referring to seven sons in addition to the three mentioned before this, but 1 Sam 17:12 says Jesse had eight sons, not eleven. 1 Chr 2:13-15 lists only seven sons, including David. However, 1 Chr 27:18 mentions an additional son, named Elihu.

³⁹ tn Heb “and he sent and brought him.”

⁴⁰ tn Heb “and Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan.”

⁴¹ tn Heb “[was] to.”

⁴² tn The Hebrew text adds here “with his hand.”

⁴³ tn Heb “seeking.”

⁴⁴ tn Heb “bless.”

⁴⁵ tn Heb “blessed” (also in vv. 33, 39).

⁴⁶ tn Heb “Here is your maidservant, for a lowly servant to wash.”

⁴⁷ tn Heb “anointed” (also in vv. 11, 16, 23).

⁴⁸ tn Heb “What in my hand [is] evil?”

⁴⁹ tn Heb “your life was great this day in my eyes.”

⁵⁰ tn Heb “may my life be great in the eyes of the Lord.”