1 Samuel 1:13

Authorized King James Version

Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וְחַנָּ֗ה
Now Hannah
channah, an israelitess
#2
הִ֚יא
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
#3
מְדַבֶּ֣רֶת
she spake
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
#4
עַל
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
#5
לִבָּ֔הּ
in her heart
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the center of anything
#6
רַ֚ק
properly, leanness, i.e., (figuratively) limitation; only adverbial, merely, or conjunctional, although
#7
שְׂפָתֶ֣יהָ
only her lips
the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.)
#8
נָּע֔וֹת
moved
to waver, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively (as subjoined)
#9
וְקוֹלָ֖הּ
but her voice
a voice or sound
#10
לֹ֣א
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
#11
יִשָּׁמֵ֑עַ
was not heard
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
#12
וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ
thought
properly, to plait or interpenetrate, i.e., (literally) to weave or (generally) to fabricate; figuratively, to plot or contrive (usually in a maliciou
#13
עֵלִ֖י
therefore Eli
eli, an israelite highpriest
#14
לְשִׁכֹּרָֽה׃
she had been drunken
intoxicated, as a state or a habit

Analysis

Within the broader context of 1 Samuel, this passage highlights salvation through simile or metaphorical language. The theological weight of divine revelation connects to fundamental Christian doctrine about divine revelation, contributing to our understanding of God's nature and relationship with humanity. This verse contributes to the book's overall argument by establishing foundational concepts crucial to 1 Samuel's theological argument.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

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