Chapter
Verse

1 Samuel 1:21

ESV The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow.
NIV When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow,
NASB Then the man Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow.
CSB When Elkanah and all his household went up to make the annual sacrifice and his vow offering to the Lord,
NLT The next year Elkanah and his family went on their annual trip to offer a sacrifice to the Lord and to keep his vow.
KJV And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

What does 1 Samuel 1:21 mean?

Hannah had made a vow to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:11). If He would grant her a son, she would give the boy back to the Lord for his entire life. The implication is that the boy would be dedicated to serve in the temple of the Lord, following the pattern of Leviticus 27:1–8.

The Lord granted Hannah's request. Her vow became her husband's vow, as well (Numbers 30:10–15). It is possible Elkanah made an additional vow, too. After Samuel was born, Elkanah planned the annual trip to Shiloh to sacrifice to the Lord. He was also going to make good on his vow. This implies one of two things. He may have planned to give Samuel to the priest, Eli, at the temple then. The other option is he was planning a separate sacrifice to the Lord which he had vowed, likely in relation to Hannah having a son.
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