Bible Strands
1 Samuel 1:15
“No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have not had any wine or strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Hannah speaks to Eli immediately after he accused her of drunkenness, clarifying that her emotional distress stems from prayer rather than intoxication.
The words — קְשַׁת־רוּחַ (ke.shat- Ru.ach) translates literally as hard of spirit, denoting a state of intense inner pressure or anguish.
The thread — The motif of pouring out one's inner life before God appears in Psalms 62:8, Lamentations 2:19, and Psalms 42:4, with the latter matching Hannah's specific use of soul.
Why it lands — The text demands a reader to recognize that raw, unfiltered grief is a legitimate form of prayer and should be brought directly to God rather than concealed or condemned.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Psalms 62:8 Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. Selah
- Lamentations 2:19 Arise, cry out in the night from the first watch of the night. Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your children who are fainting from hunger on the corner of every street.
- Psalms 42:4 These things come to mind as I pour out my soul: how I walked with the multitude, leading the festive procession to the house of God with shouts of joy and praise.
- Psalms 142:2 I pour out my complaint before Him; I reveal my trouble to Him.
- Psalms 143:6 I stretch out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land. Selah
- Job 30:16 And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction grip me.
- Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
- Proverbs 25:15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.