Elkanah and His Wives

(Psalm 113:1–9)

1 Now there was a man named Elkanah who was from Ramathaim-zophim [fn] in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu,[fn] the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

3 Year after year Elkanah would go up from his city to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD. 4 And whenever the day came for Elkanah to present his sacrifice, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he would give a double portion,[fn] for he loved her even though the LORD had closed her womb.

6 Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her and taunt her viciously. 7 And this went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival taunted her until she wept and would not eat.

8 “Hannah, why are you crying?” her husband Elkanah asked. “Why won’t you eat? Why is your heart so grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”