The Meaning of 1 Samuel 1:26 Explained

1 Samuel 1:26

KJV: And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.

YLT: and she saith, 'O, my lord, thy soul liveth! my lord, I am the woman who stood with thee in this place, to pray unto Jehovah;

Darby: And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here to pray to Jehovah.

ASV: And she said, Oh, my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And she said,  Oh  my lord,  [as] thy soul  liveth,  my lord,  I [am] the woman  that stood  by thee here, praying  unto the LORD. 

What does 1 Samuel 1:26 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 1:26 mean?

And she said Oh my lord as lives your soul my lord I [am] the woman who stood by you in this [place] praying to Yahweh
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י חֵ֥י נַפְשְׁךָ֖ אֲדֹנִ֑י אֲנִ֣י הָאִשָּׁ֗ה הַנִּצֶּ֤בֶת עִמְּכָה֙ בָּזֶ֔ה לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל אֶל־ יְהוָֽה

וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙  And  she  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בִּ֣י  Oh 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: בִּי  
Sense: if it please, pray excuse me, excuse me please.
אֲדֹנִ֔י  my  lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
חֵ֥י  as  lives 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
נַפְשְׁךָ֖  your  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
אֲדֹנִ֑י  my  lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
אֲנִ֣י  I  [am] 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
הָאִשָּׁ֗ה  the  woman 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
הַנִּצֶּ֤בֶת  who  stood 
Parse: Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: הֻצַּב 
Sense: to stand, take one’s stand, stand upright, be set (over), establish.
עִמְּכָה֙  by  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
בָּזֶ֔ה  in  this  [place] 
Parse: Preposition-b, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל  praying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hitpael, Infinitive construct
Root: פָּלַל 
Sense: to intervene, interpose, pray.
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.