1 Samuel 2:20

2:20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife saying, “May the Lord raise up for you descendants ¹  from this woman to replace the one that she ²  dedicated to the Lord.” Then they would go to their ³  home.

Mazmur 66:19-20

66:19 However, God heard;

he listened to my prayer.

66:20 God deserves praise, ⁴ 

for ⁵  he did not reject my prayer

or abandon his love for me! ⁶ 

¹ tn Heb “seed.”

² tn The MT has a masculine verb here, but in light of the context the reference must be to Hannah. It is possible that the text of the MT is incorrect here (cf. the ancient versions), in which case the text should be changed to read either a passive participle or better, the third feminine singular of the verb. If the MT is correct here, perhaps the masculine is to be understood in a nonspecific and impersonal way, allowing for a feminine antecedent. In any case, the syntax of the MT is unusual here.

³ tn Heb “his.”

⁴ tn Heb “blessed [be] God.”

⁵ tn Or “who.” In a blessing formula after בָּרוּךְ (barukh, “blessed be”) the form אֲשֶׁר (’asher), whether taken as a relative pronoun or causal particle, introduces the basis for the blessing/praise.

⁶ tn Heb “did not turn aside my prayer and his loyal love with me.”