Hannah Gives Birth to Samuel

1:1 There was a man from Ramathaim Zophim, from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 

 

Ramathaim Zophim was in the hill country, 25 miles north of Jerusalem. Joseph of Arimathea of New Testament times may have lived in this area.

 

Elkanah was a Levite who resided in Ephraim territory. The Levites were supposed to be living in the 48 Levitical cities which were spread out throughout Israel. However, as Israel became more corrupt, the Levites began to give up their teaching ministries and move to other non-Levitical cities.

 

1:2 He had two wives; the name of the first was Hannah and the name of the second was Peninnah. Now Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.

 

Israel was so corrupt during the Judges time period, that some men took up bigamous marriages. If their first wife was infertile, then instead of trusting God to bring them a child, they would marry a second wife. Bigamy was never God’s plan. Man and woman were to become “one flesh,” not three fleshes. Since Hannah was the first wife and childless, then Elkanah decided upon bigamy in order to preserve his family line.

 

1:3 Year after year this man would go up from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh. It was there that the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, served as the Lord’s priests. 

 

Elkanah was a believer who kept the Mosaic Law by sacrificing at the one place in which God designated. The place of sacrifice during the period of the Judges was Shiloh.  Eli was the High Priest at this time. His sons were Hophni and Phineas.

 

1:4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he used to give meat portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 

 

Elkanah kept the Mosaic Law and offered sacrifices for all of his family members.

 

1:5 But he would give a double portion to Hannah, because he especially loved her. Now the Lord had not enabled her to have children. 

 

According to Deut. 7:13–14, the ability to produce many children was a sign of God’s blessing. It was never stated in Scripture, but the Jewish community considered the inability to bear children as a curse from God. Elkanah loved his first wife Hannah, so he offered a double sacrifice for her.

 

1:6 Her rival wife used to upset her and make her worry, for the Lord had not enabled her to have children. 

 

It seems that Elkanah’s second wife often reminded Hannah that her lack of children was a curse from God.

 

1:7 Peninnah would behave this way year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the Lord’s house, Peninnah would upset her so that she would weep and refuse to eat. 

 

Peninnah upset Hannah so greatly, that Hannah would weep and refuse to eat.

 

1:8 Finally her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep and not eat? Why are you so sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

 

Elkanah attempted to encourage his wife, but to no avail. 

 

1:9 On one occasion in Shiloh, after they had finished eating and drinking, Hannah got up. (Now at the time Eli the priest was sitting in his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s temple.) 

 

The Mosaic Law required all males of Israel to attend the feasts of Israel three times per year. Elkanah took his family with him to the feasts. Eli was the High Priest at this time. 

 

1:10 She was very upset as she prayed to the Lord, and she was weeping uncontrollably. 

 

Hannah was upset at her barrenness.

 

1:11 She made a vow saying, “O Lord of hosts, if you will look with compassion on the suffering of your female servant, remembering me and not forgetting your servant, and give a male child to your servant, then I will dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life. His hair will never be cut.”

 

Hannah promised to dedicate her child to Jehovah via the Nazarite vow. This was the same Nazarite vow that Samson often violated.

 

1:12 As she continued praying to the Lord, Eli was watching her mouth. 

 

Israel was living in great apostasy at this time. Prayer by a woman at Shiloh was very unusual.

 

1:13 Now Hannah was speaking from her heart. Although her lips were moving, her voice was inaudible. Eli therefore thought she was drunk. 

 

The High Priest of Israel may not had seen anyone pray for a while. He thought that Hannah was drunk.

 

1:14 So he said to her, “How often do you intend to get drunk? Put away your wine!”

 

Eli rebuked Hannah for her perceived drunkenness.

 

1:15 But Hannah replied, “That’s not the way it is, my lord! I am under a great deal of stress. I have drunk neither wine nor beer. Rather, I have poured out my soul to the Lord. 

 

Hannah explained to the High Priest that she was not drunk, but praying to Jehovah.

 

1:16 Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman, for until now I have spoken from my deep pain and anguish.”

 

Hannah was not a wicked woman. She was pouring out her heart to Jehovah.

 

1:17 Eli replied, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked of him.” 

 

Eli asked Hannah to leave in peace. He asked Jehovah to answer her prayer.

 

1:18 She said, “May I, your servant, find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and got something to eat. Her face no longer looked sad.

 

Hannah was encouraged by Eli’s prayer.

 

1:19 They got up early the next morning and after worshiping the Lord, they returned to their home at Ramah. Elkanah had marital relations with his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 

 

Jehovah answered the prayers of Hannah. Notice that Jehovah is the one who decides who gets born and when they get born.

 

1:20 After some time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, thinking, “I asked the Lord for him.

 

Samuel means “his name is God” or “heard of God.” Jehovah heard Hannah’s prayer and delivered her a son.

 

Hannah Dedicates Samuel to the Lord

1:21 This man Elkanah went up with all his family to make the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and to keep his vow, 

 

The next year, Elkanah and his family obeyed the Mosaic Law and attended the yearly feast.

 

1:22 but Hannah did not go up with them. Instead she told her husband, “Once the boy is weaned, I will bring him and appear before the Lord, and he will remain there from then on.”

 

The boy was being weaned and was too young to make the trip to Shiloh.

 

1:23 So her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do what you think best. Stay until you have weaned him. May the Lord fulfill his promise.” So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him. 

 

Elkanah agreed with his wife that the boy needed to stay home until he was weaned.

 

1:24 Once she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with three bulls, an ephah of flour, and a container of wine. She brought him to the Lord’s house at Shiloh, even though he was young. 

 

Jewish boys completed their weaning usually around three-five years of age.

 

1:25 Once the bull had been slaughtered, they brought the boy to Eli. 

 

Once the offering was made, Elkanah and Hannah dedicated Samuel to Eli for lifetime service as a Nazarite.

 

1:26 She said, “Just as surely as you are alive, my lord, I am the woman who previously stood here with you in order to pray to the Lord. 

 

Hannah reminded Eli about her earlier prayer.

 

1:27 I prayed for this boy, and the Lord has given me the request that I asked of him.

 

Jehovah heard Hannah’s request and answered her prayer.

 

1:28 Now I dedicate him to the Lord. From this time on he is dedicated to the Lord.” Then they worshiped the Lord there.

 

Samuel was dedicated to Jehovah as a lifetime Nazarite.