1 Samuel 1:14 kjv

And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

1 Samuel 1:14 nkjv

So Eli said to her, "How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!"

1 Samuel 1:14 niv

and said to her, "How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine."

1 Samuel 1:14 esv

And Eli said to her, "How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you."

1 Samuel 1:14 nlt

"Must you come here drunk?" he demanded. "Throw away your wine!"

1 Samuel 1 verses

1 Samuel 1 14 Meaning

First Samuel 1:14 records Eli the high priest's sharp rebuke to Hannah, whom he mistakenly perceives as drunk and intoxicated with wine. He asks her directly to cease her presumed state of inebriation and to remove herself from the sacred space or dispose of her wine. This exchange reveals Eli's poor spiritual discernment, contrasting sharply with Hannah's profound grief and sincere prayer before the Lord.

1 Samuel 1 14 Context

First Samuel chapter 1 begins by introducing Elkanah and his two wives, Peninnah and Hannah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was barren, causing her deep anguish and ridicule from Peninnah, especially during their annual pilgrimage to Shiloh to worship the Lord of hosts. Hannah, desiring a child more than anything, poured out her soul to the Lord in prayer at the tabernacle. Her intense, silent prayer, accompanied by much weeping, led to her lips moving without a sound emerging. It is in this deeply emotional and sacred setting, within the courtyard of the Lord's house at Shiloh, that Eli observes Hannah. Eli, as the high priest and judge of Israel, was responsible for maintaining order and reverence in worship. Seeing Hannah in such a distraught state, silently moving her lips but making no sound, Eli made a snap judgment, mistakenly concluding she was drunk rather than grieving and praying fervently.

1 Samuel 1 14 Word analysis

• Then: (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyo'mer). A common Hebrew conjunction and verb, simply indicating the next action in sequence. It signals Eli's immediate, unmeditated response.
• Eli: (עֵלִי - Eliy). The high priest and judge of Israel, residing in Shiloh (1 Sam 1:9). He served as God's representative to the people. His position demanded spiritual insight and just judgment. His error here foreshadows greater failings concerning his own sons and ultimately his house (1 Sam 2:22-36).
• said: (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyo'mer). Indicates spoken word, an official pronouncement from the priest.
• to her: (לָהּ - lah). Referring directly to Hannah, whose distressed state had drawn his attention.
• "How long: (עַד-מָתַי - 'ad-matay). This idiomatic Hebrew phrase conveys impatience, frustration, and an expectation that a behavior should cease. It implies a sense of scandal or annoyance with the perceived impropriety. It is often used in rebukes, expressing exasperation (e.g., Ps 13:1, Exod 10:3).
• will you be drunk?": (תִּשְׁתַּכְּרִין - tishtakkərîn). From the Hebrew root שׁכר (shakar), meaning "to be intoxicated" or "drunk." The verb form (Hithpael imperfect) suggests a continuous or repeated state, or an active process of getting drunk. Eli's assumption is not just that she has had some wine, but that she is in a state of inebriation, making a spectacle of herself, which would be highly inappropriate in the Tabernacle court. Drunkenness was strictly prohibited for priests ministering and was seen as a detestable sin generally, especially in a place of worship.
• "Get rid of your wine!": (הָסִירִי אֶת-יֵינֵךְ - hasîrî 'et-yeyneḵ).
  • Get rid of: (הָסִירִי - hasîrî). Imperative form of the Hifil verb סור (sur), meaning "to remove," "to take away," "to depart," or "to put an end to." Eli commands an immediate action. It implies a demand to cease the condition and physically distance herself from the cause.
  • your wine!": (אֶת-יֵינֵךְ - 'et-yeyneḵ). Refers to "wine" (יַיִן - yayin). Eli identifies what he believes to be the source of her behavior, commanding her to literally remove the wine (if she had any visible container) or, more likely, to rid herself of its effects or its source. This direct command underlines his authoritative position as priest and his duty to maintain the sanctity of the worship space.

1 Samuel 1 14 Bonus section

The immediate cultural context for Eli's assumption includes the fact that annual feasts and gatherings at central shrines could sometimes unfortunately be associated with overindulgence in food and drink. Thus, Eli might have had legitimate past experiences with drunk pilgrims that shaped his immediate assumption about Hannah. Furthermore, priests were specifically prohibited from consuming alcohol while serving in the Tabernacle (Lev 10:9), reinforcing Eli's sensitivity to perceived drunkenness in a sacred space. Eli's flawed discernment foreshadows a greater theme in 1 Samuel: the decline of the priestly leadership exemplified by Eli and his sons, necessitating God's raising up of Samuel as a new kind of prophet and judge. Eli's spiritual state stands in stark contrast to Hannah's deep and authentic connection with God, which ultimately yields the very prophet who will replace Eli's line.

1 Samuel 1 14 Commentary

This verse dramatically illustrates a common human failing: judging based on outward appearances rather than understanding the heart. Eli, the spiritual leader, utterly misinterprets Hannah's fervent, soul-agonized prayer as scandalous intoxication. His rebuke is sharp, dismissive, and entirely devoid of the compassion or discernment expected of a high priest. It highlights his spiritual blindness and poor judgment, which would later be manifest in his inability to restrain his own wicked sons. The contrast is profound: Hannah, deeply reverent and desperate before God, is met with suspicion by His earthly representative. This passage serves as a powerful reminder for all who serve in spiritual capacities, or indeed anyone, to be "quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger" (Jas 1:19) and to look beyond the surface, seeking the true spiritual condition, as God Himself does (1 Sam 16:7). It cautions against hasty judgments that can inadvertently accuse or wound sincere believers.