The Meaning of 1 Samuel 1:15 Explained

1 Samuel 1:15

KJV: And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

YLT: And Hannah answereth and saith, 'No, my lord, A woman sharply pained in spirit I am, and wine and strong drink I have not drunk, and I pour out my soul before Jehovah;

Darby: And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before Jehovah.

ASV: And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Hannah  answered  and said,  No, my lord,  I [am] a woman  of a sorrowful  spirit:  I have drunk  neither wine  nor strong drink,  but have poured out  my soul  before  the LORD. 

What does 1 Samuel 1:15 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 1:12-28 - The Child Dedicated To God
Here is a delightful specimen of secret fellowship with God, and its results. Many were coming and going in the Tabernacle-court. It was no place for private prayer; and this sad woman had no opportunity for audible petition, so she spake in her heart. We may all do that amid the crowds that sweep gaily past us in their light-hearted way. Let us not grow weary. "She continued praying before the Lord." People may misunderstand and reproach you. The Eli's that judge superficially may leap to hasty conclusions, but pray on! Pray on, though the prayer seem impossible of answer! Pray on, though heart and flesh fail! Pray on, for God will yet raise the poor from the dust and the beggar from the dunghill! When you have committed your cause to God, go in peace and be no more sad.
"The Lord remembered her." Of course He did. He has graven us on the palms of His hands, and the ruined walls of our peace are ever before Him. The hour will come when, like Hannah, you will stand on the very spot where the prayer was offered, to confess that God has given you the petition that you asked of Him. God cannot fail, and His gifts are sweetest and safest when they are returned to Him by His children. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 1

1  Elkanah, a Levite, having two wives, worships yearly at Shiloh
4  He cherishes Hannah, though barren, and provoked by Peninnah
9  Hannah in grief prays for a child
12  Eli first rebuking her, afterwards blesses her
19  Hannah, having born Samuel, stays at home till he is weaned
24  She presents him, according to her vow, to the Lord

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 1:15 mean?

And answered Hannah and said No my lord I [am] a woman of sorrowful spirit I and neither wine nor drink intoxicating have drunk but have poured out - my soul before Yahweh
וַתַּ֨עַן חַנָּ֤ה וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֲדֹנִ֔י אִשָּׁ֤ה קְשַׁת־ ר֙וּחַ֙ אָנֹ֔כִי וְיַ֥יִן וְשֵׁכָ֖ר לֹ֣א שָׁתִ֑יתִי וָאֶשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ אֶת־ נַפְשִׁ֖י לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה

וַתַּ֨עַן  And  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
חַנָּ֤ה  Hannah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חַנָּה  
Sense: the mother of Samuel, one of the wives of Elkanah.
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לֹ֣א  No 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אֲדֹנִ֔י  my  lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
אִשָּׁ֤ה  I  [am]  a  woman 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
קְשַׁת־  of  sorrowful 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular construct
Root: קָשֶׁה  
Sense: hard, cruel, severe, obstinate.
ר֙וּחַ֙  spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
וְיַ֥יִן  and  neither  wine 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַיִן  
Sense: wine.
וְשֵׁכָ֖ר  nor  drink 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֵׁכָר  
Sense: strong drink, intoxicating drink, fermented or intoxicating liquor.
לֹ֣א  intoxicating 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שָׁתִ֑יתִי  have  drunk 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.
וָאֶשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ  but  have  poured  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שֶׂפֶק 
Sense: to pour, pour out, spill.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
נַפְשִׁ֖י  my  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
לִפְנֵ֥י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.