In some languages it may be necessary to avoid confusion by using the names “Peninnah” and “Hannah,” as in Good News Translation.

So it went on is literally “Thus he [or, it] did.” In certain languages this will be better translated “these things happened [habitually].” And in some cases the words year by year will have to be shifted to the beginning of the sentence.

As … she went up: the Hebrew verb form here is feminine singular, which is reflected in many translations (Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The first occurrence of the pronoun she apparently refers to Hannah. Bible en français courant makes this explicit: “when Hannah went to the house of the Lord.” The second she (she used to provoke) refers to Peninnah. Some translations such as Good News Translation, New American Bible, and Revised English Bible translate the sense, that is, “they went,” since clearly both Hannah and Peninnah went to Shiloh each year. If there is any danger that the reader or hearer will think that Hannah went alone, then the Good News Translation model should be followed.

The house of the LORD (see the same phrase in 3.15) is called “the temple of the LORD” in verse 9. The ark was no longer kept in a tent as it had been during the years that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness. It was now kept in a building with a doorpost (verse 9) and at least two doors (3.15). The large temple in Jerusalem, however, was not yet in existence. It was not built until the reign of Solomon (1 Kgs 6).

Provoke: the same word as in verse 6.

Hannah wept is literally “she wept.” But for clarity it will probably be necessary to replace the pronoun with the name.

Though the Hebrew verb eat has no direct object, some languages require that one be supplied. In these cases it will be necessary to specify what was eaten, probably “the meat of the sacrifices,” although in some languages the more general expression “eat food” will be quite acceptable. This applies also to verses 8, 9, and 18.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .