The Meaning of 1 Samuel 1:23 Explained

1 Samuel 1:23

KJV: And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

YLT: And Elkanah her husband saith to her, 'Do that which is good in thine eyes; abide till thy weaning him; only, Jehovah establish His word;' and the woman abideth and suckleth her son till she hath weaned him,

Darby: And Elkanah her husband said to her, Do what is good in thy sight: abide until thou hast weaned him; only, may Jehovah fulfil his word. And the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

ASV: And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only Jehovah establish his word. So the woman tarried and gave her son suck, until she weaned him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Elkanah  her husband  said  unto her, Do  what seemeth  thee good;  tarry  until thou have weaned  him; only the LORD  establish  his word.  So the woman  abode,  and gave her son  suck  until she weaned  him. 

What does 1 Samuel 1:23 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 1:23 mean?

And said to her Elkanah her husband do what seems best to you wait until you have weaned him only let establish Yahweh - His word So stayed the woman and nursed her son she had weaned him
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהּ֩ אֶלְקָנָ֨ה אִישָׁ֜הּ עֲשִׂ֧י הַטּ֣וֹב בְּעֵינַ֗יִךְ שְׁבִי֙ עַד־ גָּמְלֵ֣ךְ אֹת֔וֹ אַ֛ךְ יָקֵ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־ דְּבָר֑וֹ וַתֵּ֤שֶׁב הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ וַתֵּ֣ינֶק בְּנָ֔הּ גָּמְלָ֖הּ אֹתֽוֹ

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לָהּ֩  to  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
אֶלְקָנָ֨ה  Elkanah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶלְקָנָה  
Sense: Samuel’s father.
אִישָׁ֜הּ  her  husband 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הַטּ֣וֹב  what  seems  best 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
בְּעֵינַ֗יִךְ  to  you 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc, second person feminine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
שְׁבִי֙  wait 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
עַד־  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
גָּמְלֵ֣ךְ  you  have  weaned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person feminine singular
Root: גָּמַל  
Sense: to deal fully with, recompense.
אַ֛ךְ  only 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַךְ  
Sense: indeed, surely (emphatic).
יָקֵ֥ם  let  establish 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
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.
דְּבָר֑וֹ  His  word 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
וַתֵּ֤שֶׁב  So  stayed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
הָֽאִשָּׁה֙  the  woman 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
וַתֵּ֣ינֶק  and  nursed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָנַק 
Sense: to suckle, nurse, suck.
בְּנָ֔הּ  her  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
גָּמְלָ֖הּ  she  had  weaned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person feminine singular
Root: גָּמַל  
Sense: to deal fully with, recompense.