Thread: ESV: We can "Lend" things to God?

Here's some strange wording from the ESV:

Samuel Given to the Lord

21 The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow.
22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the Lord and dwell there forever.”
23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only, may the Lord establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him.
24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young.
25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli.
26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord.
27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him.
28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

1 Sam 1:21-28 (ESV)

Anyone know of any significant reasons why the translators used "Lent" instead of the more common "Dedicated"?

precendent?

"Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there." (AV)

The semantic range of "lend" according to the OED can incorporate dedicate or give. It does not necessaily imply borrowing or usury.

I didn't realize it was in the KJV also. I didn't compare it to that, just other "modern" translations. For the ESV to be so modern, that sure seems like an old cryptic use of the word.

That meaning appears to have disappeared pretty early in our American English. Webster's 1828 doesn't have it.

LEND, v.t. pret. and pp. lent.

1. To grant to another for temporary use, on the express or implied condition that the thing shall be returned; as, to lend a book; or

2. To grant a thing to be used, on the condition that its equivalent in kind shall be returned; as, to lend a sum of money, or a loaf of bread.

3. To afford; to grant; to furnish, in general; as, to lend assistance; to lend an ear to a discourse.

Cato, lend me for a while they patience.

4. To grant for temporary use, on condition of receiving a compensation at certain periods for the use of the thing, and an ultimate return of the thing, or its full value. Thus money is lent on condition of receiving interest for the use, and of having the principal sum returned at the stipulated time. Lend is correlative to borrow.

5. To permit to use for another's benefit. A lent his name to obtain money from the bank.

6. To let for hire or compensation; as, to lend a horse or gig. [This sense is used by Paley, and probably may be common in England. But in the United States, I believe, the word is never thus used, except in reference to money. We lend money upon interest, but never lend a coach or horse for a compensation. We use let.]

The Hebrew word for "lend" (shaal) here actually goes quite well with lend in English (hence the AV's and its progeny's translation). It means "ask, give, inquire of, borrow," and hence in the hiphil form can easily mean lend. The LXX word also means "lend" directly, so at least those translators thought the same thing.

I think the concept here is one of giving over for service. After all, a mother cannot give her child anyway (from the human perspective), since the child is an independent person. Everything (including people) is God's anyway (from God's perspective).

NKJ 1 Samuel 1:28 "Therefore I also have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the LORD." So they worshiped the LORD there.

NAS 1 Samuel 1:28 "So I have also dedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the LORD." And he worshiped the LORD there.

ASV 1 Samuel 1:28 therefore also I have granted him to Jehovah; as long as he liveth he is granted to Jehovah. And he worshipped Jehovah there.

ESV 1 Samuel 1:28 Therefore I have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD." And he worshiped the LORD there.

KJV 1 Samuel 1:28 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.

NIV 1 Samuel 1:28 So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD." And he worshiped the LORD there.

from BIBLEWORKS
lav verb hiphil perfect 1st person common singular suffix 3rd person masculine singular
B9889 la;v' vb. ask, inquire -- Qal 1. a. ask, ask for, acc. rei (vel pers.) (= pray for); c. l pers. (l pers. reflex.); c. !mi pers. (acc. cogn.); sq. !ybih'; sq. cl. %l'-!T,a, hm' 'v =; c. acc. + taeme pers. (from 'y); + ~[ime pers. (from 'y); c. acc. pers. (from whom) + rei; acc. om., c. !mi pers.; abs. (of prayer). b. specif. ask as a favour, for temporary use, i.e. borrow (cf. hw"l', as matter of business), (acc. rei + ~[ime pers.), (acc. rei + !mi of source + l pers. reflex.), (pt. pass. abs.); so also (acc. to many), c. acc. rei (+ !mi pers.), (+ taeme pers.). c. in weakened sense, seek, desire (late), c. acc. 2. a. inquire of, c. acc. pers. + rmoale before inquiry; c. rm;a'w>, rm,aYOw:; sq. rm;a'w> without acc. pers., cf., sq. rmoale; c. acc. pers. + l[; rei; l[; rei alone (+ hm'k.x'me, i.e. prompted by wisdom); c. acc. pers. + rei (about which); acc. pers. + indir. quest.; c. acc. pers. only, inquire of beasts (acc.); c. acc. rei only; c. l pers. = acc.; c. l rei about which, also (+ rmal before the inquiry), and (sq. direct question); c. l pers. about whom, cf. phr. of greeting, ~Alv'l. Wh[erel. vyai 'v ask each for (or about) his fellow as to welfare; sq. direct question only (c. b loc.), sq. indirect question only (c. ~ai); abs. make inquiry. b. inquire of, consult, deity, oracle, etc., sq. acc. 'y yPi; c. acc. of human agent; rmoale om. (sq. direct question), (l pers. for whom). Niph. ask for oneself, specif. ask leave of absence, c. !mi pers. Pi. 1. inquire carefully: c. b loc. 2. beg, practise beggary. Hiph. (prop. let one ask [successfully], give, or lend, on request, then) grant, make over to (as a favour, with or without request).

1599 Geneva (Tolle Lege) 1 Samuel 1:28 Therefore also I have given him unto the Lord: as long as he liveth he shall be given unto the Lord: and he worshipped the Lord there.

(With a marginal note: "Hebrew, lent")

I would like to point out that the word translated "lent"/"dedicated" in verse 28 is basically the same as the word translated "petition" in verse 27.

Originally Posted by larryjf

I would like to point out that the word translated "lent"/"dedicated" in verse 28 is basically the same as the word translated "petition" in verse 27.

Larry is correct.

NKJ 1 Samuel 1:27 "For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. 28 "Therefore I also have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the LORD." So they worshiped the LORD there.

NAS 1 Samuel 1:27 "For this <02088> boy <05288> I prayed <06419>, and the LORD <03068> has given <05414> me my petition <07596> which <0834> I asked <07592> of Him. 28 "So I have also <01571> dedicated <07592> him to the LORD <03068>; as long <03605> <03117> as he lives <01961> he is dedicated <07592> to the LORD <03068>." And he worshiped <07812> the LORD <03068> there <08033>.

ASV 1 Samuel 1:27 For this child I prayed; and Jehovah hath given me my petition which I asked of him: 28 therefore also I have granted him to Jehovah; as long as he liveth he is granted to Jehovah. And he worshipped Jehovah there.

ESV 1 Samuel 1:27 For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28 Therefore I have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD." And he worshiped the LORD there.

KJV 1 Samuel 1:27 For this child <05288> I prayed <06419> (08694); and the LORD <03068> hath given <05414> (08799) me my petition <07596> which I asked <07592> (08804) of him: 28 Therefore also I have lent <07592> (08689) him to the LORD <03068>; as long as he liveth <03117> he shall be lent <07592> (08803) to the LORD <03068>. And he worshipped <07812> (08691) the LORD <03068> there.

NIV 1 Samuel 1:27 I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD." And he worshiped the LORD there.

Originally Posted by fredtgreco

I think the concept here is one of giving over for service. After all, a mother cannot give her child anyway (from the human perspective), since the child is an independent person. Everything (including people) is God's anyway (from God's perspective).

For instance, see Exodus 12:36 for the same word (shaal). The LXX and AV both translate it as they do in 1 Samuel 1:28 (to lend), and it sheds a bit more meaning on the intention of their meaning with the word -- "to give to another for their use or service, whether permanently or temporarily."

That meaning appears to have disappeared pretty early in our American English. Webster's 1828 doesn't have it.

Such usage may have been dropped from the dictionary, but it appears to have persisted in some contexts. Consider the Lend/Lease Act during WWII, in which the U.S. transferred war materiel to several allied nations under the express terms that many or most of the pieces of equipment (ships, planes, other armaments) would not be returned nor would other consideration be granted. The UK granted the use of military bases around the world in exchange for the lent equipment; the Soviet Union, China, France, and other allied nations (per Wikipedia, at least ) did not.

This sense of lending (conveying something -- or someone -- of value to an ally for the ally's use, free of consideration) seems in keeping with Hannah's giving of Samuel to the LORD.