Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; for all this time I have been praying out of the depth of my anguish and grief.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman; for I have been speaking out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation.”
- KJV Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
- ESV Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.”
- NKJV “Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.”
- NASB Do not consider your bond-servant a useless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation.”
- NLT Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.”
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Hannah asked Eli not to regard her as a wicked woman, for she had spoken out of great grief. She appealed for her sincerity to be recognized.
Overview
Hannah distinguishes herself from a 'worthless woman,' insisting her prayer arose from genuine anguish, not impiety. Her words display both humility and a clear conscience before God. Her honest plea moves Eli from rebuke to blessing, showing the power of a gentle answer.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 1 Sam 2:12Now the sons of Eli were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD
- Job 10:1–2“I loathe my own life; I will express my complaint and speak in the bitterness of my soul.
- Matt 12:34–35You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
- Job 6:2–3“If only my grief could be weighed and placed with my calamity on the scales.
- 1 Sam 10:27But some worthless men said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him and brought him no gifts; but Saul remained silent about it.
- Deut 13:13that wicked men have arisen from among you and have led the people of their city astray, saying, “Let us go and serve other gods” (which you have not known),
- 1 Sam 25:25My lord should pay no attention to this scoundrel Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name means Fool, and folly accompanies him. I, your servant, did not see my lord’s young men whom you sent.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 1:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.