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

1 SAMUEL 1:13KJV
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1 Samuel 1:13 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 1:13 mean?

1 Samuel 1:13 describes how Hannah was praying silently, moving her lips but making no sound, so Eli the priest mistakenly thought she was drunk. The verse highlights that Hannah’s prayer was internal and heartfelt, not spoken aloud.

Hannah is in the temple, deeply troubled and praying for a child, but she does so quietly, speaking only in her heart. Eli, observing her lips moving without hearing a voice, assumes she is behaving inappropriately. This moment sets up a misunderstanding between Hannah and Eli, showing the depth of Hannah’s distress and the unusual way she prays.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 1:13

  • "Heart" (לֵבָב — levav): This word means the inner self or mind, not just emotions. Hannah’s prayer is deeply personal, coming from her innermost thoughts, not just outward words.
  • "Moved" (נָע — na‘): This word means to quiver or shake. The verse notes that only Hannah’s lips were moving, emphasizing her silent, intense prayer.
  • "Voice" (קוֹל — qol): This word means sound or voice. The verse points out that no sound was heard, making Hannah’s prayer different from the usual spoken prayers of the time.
  • "Drunken" (שָׁכֹר — shakor): This word means intoxicated. Eli’s assumption that Hannah is drunk shows how unusual her silent, emotional prayer appears to him.

Why 1 Samuel 1:13 matters

  • This verse clears up that silent, heartfelt prayer was unusual enough in ancient Israel that even a priest could misunderstand it, highlighting Hannah’s unique approach to God.
  • The verse emphasizes the sincerity and depth of Hannah’s prayer, showing that true prayer does not always need to be spoken aloud.
  • This moment sets up the conversation between Hannah and Eli, which leads to Eli blessing her and God answering her prayer, making it a turning point in the story.

Where else these words appear

“Hannah” Hebrew H2584 · used in 11 verses

  • 1 Samuel 1:2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
  • 1 Samuel 1:9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.
  • 1 Samuel 1:20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.

“drunken” Hebrew H7910 · used in 13 verses

  • 1 Samuel 25:36 And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.
  • Psalms 107:27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end.
  • Isaiah 28:1 Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!

“Eli” Hebrew H5941 · used in 30 verses

  • 1 Samuel 1:3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.
  • 1 Samuel 2:22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
  • 1 Samuel 3:15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.

“moved” Hebrew H5128 · used in 36 verses

  • Genesis 4:12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
  • Job 28:4 The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
  • Isaiah 29:9 Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.