19 They all gut up early the next morning and worshipped Yahweh again, then they returned to their home at Ramah. Then Elkanah slept with his wife Hannah, and Yahweh answered her prayer. 20 Hannah got pregnant, and in due course, she gave birth to a son. She named him ‘Shmuel’ (Samuel) (meaning ‘heard by God’, usually changed to ‘Shmuel’ in English) because she had requested him from Yahweh.

21 At the usual time, Elkanah and all his household went to Shiloh to offer their sacrifices and fulfill their vows to Yahweh. 22 But Hannah didn’t accompany them because she’d told her husband, “I’ll come and bring him when he’s weaned. Then he can be taken in to Yahweh and permanently remain there.” 23 “Do what you think’s best,” her husband replied. “Stay until you’ve weaned him. May Yahweh do whatever he said to you.” So she stayed behind and breastfed her son until she eventually weaned him.

24 The next year, after she’d weaned him, she took the young boy with them, along with three bulls, a sack of flour, and a container of wine. Then she brought him to Yahweh’s tent in Shiloh, 25 and after slaughtering the bull, they took the boy in to Eli. 26 “Please, my master,” Hannah said. “As your spirit lives, my master, I’m the woman who was standing with you here to pray to Yahweh. 27 I prayed that Yahweh would give me a son, and he did, and this is him. 28 Also, I dedicated him to Yahweh all his life, so he’s now given to Yahweh.”

Then they worshipped Yahweh there.