1 There was a man named Elkanah from Ramatayim-Tsofim who lived in the Efrati hill country. (He was an Efrati—the son of Yeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Tsuf.)[ref] 2 He had two wives: Hannah (who had no children) and Peninah (who had several children).

3 Every year he would take his family to Shiloh to offer sacrifices to commander Yahweh. Eli was Yahweh’s priest there, and his two sons Hofni and Pinhas also served there.

4 on the day that Elkanah made his sacrifice, he would give portions of the cooked meat to Peninah and to all her sons and daughters, 5 but he’d give a double portion to Hannah because he loved her, even though Yahweh had not enabled her to have children. 6 Then her rival would provoke her and try to make her angry, because Yahweh hadn’t given her children. 7 And so it happened every year. Every time they went to Yahweh’s tent, Peninah ridiculed him, and Hannah would weep and wouldn’t eat. 8 Then Elkanah would ask her, “Hannah, why are you crying? And why aren’t you eating? And why are you so upset? Isn’t it better having me than having ten sons?”