Elkanah and His Wives

(Psalm 113:1–9)

Now there was a man named Elkanah [who was] from vvv 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 vvv [Hannah’s] womb, her rival would provoke her viciously to taunt her. 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?”

9