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Luke 1:46b-55

“My soul glorifies the Lord 47. and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48. for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49. for the Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name. 50. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55. to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.”

1 Samuel 1:1-18

1. There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphitea from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2. He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.3. Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. 4. Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5. But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. 6. And because the Lord had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 8. Elkanah her husband would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”

9. Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s temple. 10. In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord. 11. And she made a vow, saying, “O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”12. As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14. and said to her, “How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine.”

15. “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. 16. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”

17. Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”

18. She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.