Berean Study Bible Elkanah and His WivesElkanah, whose name means “God has created” or “God has possessed,” appears at the beginning of Samuel’s story as a faithful Israelite whose household would play a decisive role in Israel’s history. He was the father of Samuel, who would become Israel’s last judge and a prophet during the transition to the monarchy. 1Ch 6:25-27 The descendants of Elkanah: Amasai, Ahimoth,… who was from Ramathaim-zophim Ramathaim-zophim, later commonly called Ramah, was Elkanah’s home and remained closely associated with Samuel throughout his life. Its hill-country setting made it a recognizable place within central Israel. 1Sa 9:4-5 So Saul passed through the hill country of Ephraim… in the hill country of Ephraim. This region lay in the central part of the land and was associated with the tribe of Ephraim, one of Israel’s leading tribes. Elkanah’s family lived among the Ephraimites even though his ancestral line was Levite. Jos 17:15 Joshua answered them, “If you have so many people…”… He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, Elkanah’s genealogy identifies him as part of an established family descended from Zuph. The family name was evidently well known in the area, contributing to the designation Ramathaim-zophim. 1Ch 6:33-35 These are the men who served, together with their sons.… an Ephraimite. Elkanah was called an Ephraimite because of his residence in Ephraim’s territory. His Levite ancestry helps explain his family’s regular worship and their later connection with Israel’s spiritual leadership. Jos 21:20-22 The remaining Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted… He had two wives, Polygamy was practiced in ancient Israel, though marriage was established as the union of one man and one woman. Such households often produced divided loyalties and conflict. Gen 4:19 And Lamech married two women, one named Adah… one named Hannah and the other Peninnah. Hannah, whose name means “grace” or “favor,” is named first and becomes the central figure of the account. The presence of both women in Elkanah’s household forms the setting for the rivalry that follows. 1Sa 27:3 David and his men settled in Gath with Achish.… And Peninnah had children, Her children gave her standing within the family and highlighted the security and honor commonly associated with motherhood. 1Sa 2:5 The well-fed hire themselves out for food… but Hannah had none. Hannah’s barrenness brought deep grief and exposed her to Peninnah’s provocation. Her suffering would lead her to seek the Lord earnestly, and God would answer by giving her Samuel. Luk 1:7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren,… Year after year Elkanah maintained the regular pattern of pilgrimage and sacrifice required of Israel’s men at the appointed feasts. His household’s continued worship stands in contrast to the declining spiritual condition of the priesthood at Shiloh. 1Sa 2:19 Each year his mother would make him a little robe… Elkanah would go up from his city Living in Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim, Elkanah traveled to Shiloh, the location of the tabernacle and the ark during this period. The journey reflects the central role of Shiloh in Israel’s worship before the temple was built in Jerusalem. Deu 12:5 Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God… to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts Israel’s worship involved reverence, offerings, thanksgiving, and atonement before the God who rules over all heavenly and earthly powers. Elkanah’s sacrifices show his faithfulness to the worship God had appointed. 1Sa 2:29-30 Why then do you kick at My sacrifice and offering… at Shiloh, Shiloh served as Israel’s principal sanctuary in the days of the judges. The tabernacle and ark marked it as the place where Israel gathered before the LORD. Jos 18:1 Then the whole congregation of Israel assembled at Shiloh.… where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD. Though they held priestly office as Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas would prove corrupt and unfaithful. Their conduct brought judgment upon Eli’s house and prepared the way for Samuel’s rise as the LORD’s servant. 1Sa 2:12-17 Now the sons of Eli were wicked men; they had no regard for… And whenever the day came for Elkanah to present his sacrifice, Elkanah regularly traveled to Shiloh to worship and offer sacrifices at the tabernacle. His household joined in the sacrificial meal, which marked their participation in Israel’s appointed worship. Deu 12:5-6 Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God… he would give portions to his wife Peninnah After the offering, Elkanah distributed food from the sacrifice among his family. Peninnah received her portion as his wife and a member of the household. Lev 7:15-16 The meat of the sacrifice of his peace offering… and to all her sons and daughters. Peninnah’s many children stood in painful contrast to Hannah’s barrenness. Their presence in the family’s worship meal highlights both Peninnah’s fertility and the sorrow Hannah carried before the Lord. Deu 12:12 And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God… But to Hannah he would give a double portion, At the sacrificial meal, Elkanah gave Hannah an especially generous share, publicly showing his affection and honor toward her. Though she had no children, he did not treat her as lesser within his household. Deu 21:17 Instead, he must acknowledge the firstborn, the son… for he loved her Elkanah’s devotion to Hannah remained steadfast despite the sorrow her barrenness brought to their family. His love stood in contrast to the shame and rivalry she experienced from Peninnah. Gen 29:30-31 Jacob slept with Rachel as well. So he worked for Laban… even though the LORD had closed her womb. Hannah’s childlessness was under God’s sovereign control, not outside His purpose. Her distress prepared the way for the birth of Samuel, whose life would serve a crucial role in Israel’s future. Gen 20:18 for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD… Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, Hannah’s barrenness lay under God’s sovereign control and formed the setting for His later answer to her prayer. In a culture where children secured a woman’s standing in the household, her condition brought deep grief and public shame. Gen 20:18 for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD… her rival would provoke her viciously Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife, had children and used Hannah’s sorrow to elevate herself within the family. The divided household intensified Hannah’s suffering rather than providing comfort. Gen 16:4-5 And he slept with Hagar, and she conceived.… to taunt her. Peninnah’s repeated cruelty drove Hannah to weep and seek the LORD at Shiloh. God would answer her prayer by giving her Samuel, who would become Israel’s prophet and judge and anoint Saul and David. Psa 42:10 Like the crushing of my bones, my enemies taunt me…… And this went on year after year. Hannah endured this sorrow through repeated annual journeys to Shiloh. What should have been a time of worship and rejoicing became a recurring occasion for humiliation and grief. 1Sa 2:19 Each year his mother would make him a little robe… Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, The tabernacle at Shiloh was Israel’s established center for sacrifice and worship. Hannah continued to go with her family despite the pain associated with these visits, remaining present among God’s people while carrying an unfulfilled longing. Psa 122:4 where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD… her rival taunted her Peninnah exploited Hannah’s barrenness, likely using her children as a source of pride and a means of provoking her. In a culture where children were regarded as a great blessing and security, Peninnah’s cruelty intensified Hannah’s private anguish. Gen 16:4-5 And he slept with Hagar, and she conceived.… until she wept and would not eat. Hannah’s grief overcame her appetite and outward participation in the feast. Her distress would soon drive her to bring her burden directly before the LORD in earnest prayer. Neh 1:4 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept.… “Hannah, why are you crying?” Elkanah saw the depth of Hannah’s sorrow after Peninnah’s repeated provocation over her barrenness. Though he loved her, he could not fully bear the shame, loss, and longing she experienced in a household where children secured a woman’s honor and future. Jhn 20:13 “Woman, why are you weeping?” they asked.… her husband Elkanah asked. Elkanah faithfully brought his family to Shiloh for worship and sought to care for Hannah amid her distress. His concern was genuine, even though his efforts could not resolve the burden she carried. 1Pe 3:7 Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives… “Why won’t you eat? The sacrificial meal was normally a time of rejoicing before the Lord. Hannah’s refusal to eat showed that grief had overwhelmed her and may have reflected fasting as she sought God’s intervention, preparing the way for her private prayer at the sanctuary. Psa 102:4 My heart is afflicted, and withered like grass;… Why is your heart so grieved? Her sorrow reached beyond public humiliation. Hannah deeply desired a son and brought that unmet desire before God rather than turning away from Him. Jhn 16:6 Instead, your hearts are filled with sorrow… Am I not better to you than ten sons?” Elkanah tried to assure Hannah of his devoted love. Yet even a loving husband could not replace the child for whom she prayed, nor could he fully understand the weight of her barrenness. Rut 4:15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age.…
Hannah Prays for a SonElkanah’s family had completed the sacrificial meal connected with their annual worship at Shiloh, where the tabernacle and ark were kept. The gathering combined sacrifice, worship, and fellowship before the LORD. Jdg 21:19 “But look,” they said, “there is a yearly feast”… Hannah stood up. Burdened by her barrenness and Peninnah’s provocation, Hannah left the meal and turned to the LORD in earnest prayer. Her action marks a decisive movement from sorrow to personal petition. Gen 24:54 Then he and the men with him ate and drank… Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair Eli served as Israel’s high priest and oversaw worship at Shiloh. From his place near the sanctuary entrance, he observed those who came to pray. 1Sa 4:13 When he arrived, there was Eli, sitting on his chair… by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. The temple was the tabernacle sanctuary at Shiloh, not the later permanent temple in Jerusalem. Hannah prayed near the entrance to the place set apart for the LORD’s presence. 1Ki 6:31-33 For the entrance to the inner sanctuary,… In her bitter distress, Hannah grieved deeply over her barrenness, which carried profound personal sorrow and social reproach in Israel. Peninnah’s repeated provocation intensified the pain within Elkanah’s household, where the presence of another wife and her children made Hannah’s loss more acute. 2Ki 4:27 When she reached the man of God at the mountain,… Hannah prayed to the LORD Rather than answering Peninnah in anger or withdrawing in despair, Hannah brought her suffering before the covenant God of Israel. Her prayer shows confidence that the Lord saw her affliction and had power to give what she could not obtain herself. 1Ki 8:28-30 Yet regard the prayer and plea of Your servant,… and wept with many tears. Her tears reveal the depth of her anguish and the earnestness of her appeal. Though she entered the sanctuary burdened by grief, the Lord would later turn her mourning into joy through the birth of Samuel. Psa 56:8 You have taken account of my wanderings.… And she made a vow, saying, In her anguish over barrenness, Hannah bound herself before God with a solemn promise, trusting Him to intervene. Num 30:2 If a man makes a vow to the LORD or swears an oath… “O LORD of Hosts, Hannah appealed to the God who rules over all the powers of heaven and earth, acknowledging His authority to change her circumstances. Psa 84:1 For the choirmaster. According to Gittith.… if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant She humbly asked the Lord to see her suffering, including the shame and grief she endured because she had no child. Gen 29:32 And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son,… and remember me, Hannah sought more than recognition; she pleaded for God to act mercifully on her behalf. Psa 106:4 Remember me, O LORD, in Your favor to Your people;… not forgetting Your maidservant Her repeated humility reveals the depth of her distress and her dependence upon the Lord. Isa 49:15 Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion… but giving her a son, A son would end Hannah’s barrenness, preserve her family line, and answer the reproach she had endured. Gen 18:10 Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you… then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, Hannah promised that her son would belong wholly to the Lord and serve Him throughout his life. Jdg 13:5 For behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son.… and no razor shall ever touch his head.” His uncut hair would mark him as set apart for God, like Samson, whose life was consecrated to the Lord from birth. Jdg 16:17 Samson told her all that was in his heart:… As Hannah kept on praying before the LORD, Hannah continued in earnest prayer, pouring out her grief and longing for a child before God. Though childlessness brought deep personal sorrow and public reproach in Israel, she sought the LORD rather than surrendering to despair. 1Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing. Eli watched her mouth. As high priest, Eli noticed that Hannah’s lips moved without audible words. Mistaking her silent, heartfelt prayer for drunkenness, he revealed both his limited understanding of her distress and the weakened spiritual discernment present in Israel at the time. Psa 141:3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch… Hannah was praying in her heart, Hannah poured out her grief and deepest desire before the Lord with complete sincerity. At the tabernacle in Shiloh, she brought her personal burden directly to God, praying silently from her heart. Psa 4:4 Be angry, yet do not sin; on your bed, search your heart… and though her lips were moving, Her distress was evident in her expression, though she spoke no audible words. Though her lips were moving, her prayer was earnest and focused, not a display for those around her. 1Co 14:28 But if there is no interpreter, he should remain silent… her voice could not be heard. The Lord knew the request she could not voice aloud and received her prayer despite her silence. Rom 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness… So Eli thought she was drunk Eli thought Hannah was drunk because he saw her lips moving but could not hear her words. His mistaken judgment contrasts with Hannah’s reverence and reveals how little he understood her sorrow at that moment. Act 2:13 But others mocked them and said, “They are drunk… and said to her, Eli, Israel’s high priest, saw Hannah’s silent, troubled prayer at the tabernacle in Shiloh and wrongly assumed she was drunk. Gen 3:13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this… “How long will you be drunk? Intoxication in the place of worship would have been a serious offense, but Hannah was pouring out her grief before the Lord because she had no child. Pro 23:29-35 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions?… Put away your wine!” Eli’s rebuke rested on a mistaken judgment. Hannah’s distress came from earnest prayer, not wine; after hearing her explanation, Eli would send her away in peace, and the Lord would answer her prayer with the birth of Samuel. Lev 10:9 You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink… “No, my lord,” Hannah replied. Hannah speaks respectfully to Eli, the priest who served at the tabernacle in Shiloh. Though he has misunderstood her, she answers without hostility. Gen 42:10 “Not so, my lord,” they replied. “Your servants have come… “I am a woman troubled in spirit. Her grief arose from years of barrenness and from Peninnah’s continual provocation. She had come before the LORD carrying a burden no human remedy had relieved. Jhn 13:21 After Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit… I have not had any wine or strong drink, Eli had assumed that her silent, intense prayer was drunken behavior. Hannah plainly corrects him and explains that her actions came from sorrow, not intoxication. Num 6:3 he is to abstain from wine and strong drink.… but I have poured out my soul before the LORD. Hannah had brought her deepest anguish directly to God, pouring out her soul in complete and earnest surrender. Her prayer was honest and wholehearted, expressing both her pain and her dependence on the LORD. Psa 42:4 These things come to mind as I pour out my soul… Do not take your servant for a wicked woman, Hannah respectfully answers Eli after he mistakes her silent, tearful prayer for drunkenness. At Shiloh, where the tabernacle stood, such conduct would have appeared irreverent. She insists that her behavior does not arise from immorality or intoxication but from personal sorrow before the Lord. Jhn 7:24 Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging… for all this time I have been praying Her lips moved without audible words as she continued praying in the sanctuary. Though burdened by years of barrenness and Peninnah’s provocation, Hannah brought her distress directly to God rather than responding in bitterness. Luk 18:1 Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray… out of the depth of my anguish and grief.” Hannah’s grief was profound because childlessness brought both personal pain and social shame in Israel. Her prayer was joined to the vow that, if given a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord. God would answer by giving her Samuel, who later became Israel’s judge, prophet, and anointer of kings. Psa 130:1-2 A song of ascents. Out of the depths I cry to You, O LORD!… “Go in peace,” Eli sends Hannah away with a blessing after learning that her distress came from grief rather than drunkenness. Mrk 5:34 “Daughter,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.”… Eli replied, As Israel’s high priest and judge, his words carried public and religious authority. Gen 24:50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the LORD;…… “and may the God of Israel He appeals to the covenant God who rules over Israel and hears the cries of His people. Jos 7:13 Get up and consecrate the people, saying,… grant the petition Hannah had poured out her longing for a son before the Lord, presenting her petition—an earnest prayer for a child—and asking Him to end her barrenness. Est 5:8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases… you have asked of Him.” Eli expresses confidence that God can answer her request, and Hannah leaves encouraged by his blessing. Mat 7:7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find;… “May your maidservant find favor with you,” said Hannah. Hannah answered Eli with humility, receiving his blessing and leaving her petition before the Lord. Rut 2:13 “My lord,” she said, “may I continue to find favor”… Then she went on her way, She departed from the house of the Lord no longer overwhelmed by her grief. Act 8:39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit… and she began to eat, Having entrusted her distress to God, she returned to the sacrificial meal she had previously been unable to share. Act 27:35 After he had said this, Paul took bread and gave thanks… and her face was no longer downcast. Though her circumstances had not yet changed, Hannah’s confidence in the Lord had replaced her sorrow. Gen 40:7 So he asked the officials of Pharaoh who were in custody…
The Birth of SamuelElkanah and Hannah began the day at Shiloh with worship, honoring the Lord after Hannah had poured out her grief and made her vow. Their worship acknowledged that the Lord alone held power over her barrenness and future. Gen 22:3 So Abraham got up early the next morning,… and then they returned home to Ramah. Ramah was their home in the hill country of Ephraim. They left the tabernacle at Shiloh and returned to ordinary life, trusting God with the request Hannah had placed before Him. 1Sa 7:17 Then he would return to Ramah because his home was there… And Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, Their marital union followed their return home. God would answer Hannah’s prayer through the ordinary means of their marriage. Gen 4:1 And Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived… and the LORD remembered her. The Lord remembered Hannah, acting faithfully on her behalf, not because He had forgotten her, but because the appointed time had come to grant her a son. His answer would bring about Samuel’s birth and prepare the way for a pivotal period in Israel’s history. Gen 30:22 Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her… So in the course of time, In the course of time, the Lord fulfilled His promise to Hannah. After her season of sorrow and prayer, she conceived and gave birth to Samuel according to God’s purpose. Gen 21:2 So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age… Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. Her child was the Lord’s answer to the prayer she had poured out before Him at Shiloh. Samuel’s birth began the life of the man God would later use to lead Israel during the transition from the judges to the monarchy. 2Ki 4:17 But the woman did conceive, and at that time… She named him Samuel, She named him Samuel, “heard by God,” preserving in his name the memory of God’s mercy and her dependence on Him. Luk 1:60 But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.” saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.” Hannah openly credited the LORD, not circumstance or human effort, for the child she received. Gen 30:6 Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me;… Then Elkanah and all his house Elkanah led his entire household in the worship of the LORD at Shiloh. Though he lived in the hill country of Ephraim, he was a Levite, and his family participated together in the appointed worship of Israel. Deu 12:7 There, in the presence of the LORD your God,… went up to make the annual sacrifice to the LORD Shiloh stood in the central hill country, requiring an ascent from Elkanah’s home. The yearly sacrifice was a regular occasion for thanksgiving, fellowship, and offerings before the LORD at the tabernacle. Deu 16:16-17 Three times a year all your men appear before the LORD… and to fulfill his vow, Elkanah faithfully completed what he had promised to the LORD. Vows were binding commitments, and their fulfillment showed reverence for God and obedience to His command. Psa 116:14 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence… but Hannah did not go. Hannah remained at Ramah with Samuel rather than joining Elkanah’s annual journey to Shiloh. Her decision allowed her to care for the child until he was ready to be presented for the service she had vowed to the LORD. Gen 22:5 “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told his servants… “After the boy is weaned,” Children in ancient Israel were commonly weaned at about three years of age. Hannah used those early years to nurture Samuel before surrendering him to the care of the priests at Shiloh. Gen 21:8 So the child grew and was weaned, and Abraham held… she said to her husband, Elkanah accepted Hannah’s plan, recognizing both her responsibility as Samuel’s mother and her obligation to fulfill the vow made before the LORD. Num 30:6-8 If a woman marries while under a vow or rash promise… “I will take him to appear before the LORD Shiloh was Israel’s central place of worship, where the tabernacle stood and Eli served as priest. Hannah intended to bring Samuel there in fulfillment of her promise that he would belong to the LORD. Luk 2:22 And when the time of purification was complete… and to stay there permanently.” Samuel would remain at Shiloh for lifelong service rather than return home after the offering. Hannah’s willingness to give up the son for whom she had prayed reveals the seriousness of her vow and prepares for Samuel’s future ministry in Israel. Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy will follow me… “Do what you think is best,” her husband Elkanah replied, Elkanah supported Hannah’s decision to remain at home with Samuel rather than travel to Shiloh for the annual sacrifice. His consent reflects the trust and unity within their marriage, while also recognizing Hannah’s responsibility to fulfill the vow she had made to the LORD. Gen 16:6 “Here,” said Abram, “your servant is in your hands.… “and stay here until you have weaned him. Samuel would likely have remained with Hannah for several years before being weaned. This allowed her to provide the care needed during his earliest years before bringing him to serve at the tabernacle. Gen 21:8 So the child grew and was weaned, and Abraham held… Only may the LORD confirm His word.” Elkanah entrusted the outcome to the LORD, asking Him to establish what He had purposed concerning Samuel. Hannah’s vow and Samuel’s future service depended not merely on human intention but on God’s faithfulness. Jos 21:45 Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel… So Hannah stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him. Hannah faithfully cared for Samuel until the time came to bring him to Shiloh. Her willingness to release her long-awaited son demonstrated that her vow to the LORD governed her plans for his life. Exo 2:7-9 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter,… Once she had weaned him, Samuel was likely about three years old, an age when a child had passed the most vulnerable stage of early life. Hannah kept her vow after caring for him through his infancy. Gen 21:8 So the child grew and was weaned, and Abraham held… Hannah took the boy with her, She traveled to Shiloh to present Samuel for lifelong service to the LORD, honoring the promise she had made before his birth. 1Sa 2:19 Each year his mother would make him a little robe… along with a three-year-old bull, The bull was a costly sacrifice, expressing thanksgiving for Samuel’s birth and dedication. Gen 15:9 And the LORD said to him, “Bring Me a heifer, a goat, a ram,… an ephah of flour, The large measure of flour accompanied the sacrifice as part of the offering brought to the sanctuary. Num 15:4 then the one presenting his offering to the LORD… and a skin of wine. Wine was included for the drink offering, completing the gifts Hannah brought before the LORD. Exo 29:40 With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah… Though the boy was still young, Samuel was not yet old enough to serve independently, yet Hannah entrusted him to the care of Eli and the service of the sanctuary. 1Sa 2:18 Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD—… she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. Shiloh was Israel’s central place of worship, where the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant were kept. There Hannah formally gave Samuel to the LORD, beginning the life of the man who would later lead Israel as prophet and judge. 1Sa 3:3 Before the lamp of God had gone out, Samuel was lying down… And when they had slaughtered the bull, Hannah and Elkanah offered the sacrifice they had brought to Shiloh, approaching the Lord according to the worship God had appointed. The costly offering marked their gratitude for Samuel’s birth and accompanied the fulfillment of Hannah’s vow. Lev 1:5 And he shall slaughter the young bull before the LORD,… they brought the boy to Eli. Samuel was presented to Eli, the priest serving at the sanctuary in Shiloh, to begin a life set apart for the Lord’s service. Though still very young, he was entrusted to Eli’s care and instruction, beginning the work God would later use to call Israel back to faithful obedience. 1Sa 3:1 And the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli.… “Please, my lord,” Hannah speaks respectfully to Eli, recognizing his role as Israel’s high priest. The title expresses honor rather than worship. Gen 44:18 Then Judah approached Joseph and said, “Sir,… said Hannah, Having received the son for whom she prayed, Hannah now returns to Shiloh to fulfill her vow before the Lord. 1Sa 2:1 At that time Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the LORD;… “as surely as you live, my lord, She solemnly assures Eli that he has seen her before and recalls the events clearly. 1Sa 25:26 Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives… I am the woman who stood here beside you Earlier, Eli had mistaken her silent, grief-filled prayer for drunkenness. Her return shows that the Lord had answered her plea. 2Ki 8:5 And Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had brought… praying to the LORD. Hannah’s request for a son had included a promise to dedicate him wholly to the Lord’s service, a promise she is now prepared to keep. Dan 9:3 So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him… I prayed for this boy, Hannah had long suffered barrenness while living in Elkanah’s household. At the tabernacle in Shiloh, she poured out her grief before the LORD and asked for a son whom she would dedicate to His service. Samuel’s birth was the direct answer to that prayer. 2Ki 4:33-35 So he went in, closed the door behind the two… and since the LORD has granted me Hannah recognized that Samuel was given by the covenant God of Israel, not by human effort or chance. Her words honor the LORD’s faithfulness and acknowledge His rule over life and the future of His people. Psa 118:21 I will give You thanks, for You have answered me… what I asked of Him, The child she received was the son she had specifically requested. Hannah would soon fulfill her vow by bringing Samuel to Shiloh and placing him under Eli’s care for service before the LORD. 1Ki 3:13 Moreover, I will give you what you did not request… I now dedicate the boy to the LORD. Hannah fulfills the vow she made before Samuel’s birth, returning to God the son He graciously gave her. Though Samuel was young, she entrusted him to serve at the tabernacle in Shiloh under Eli’s care, recognizing that he belonged to the LORD. Luk 2:22-23 And when the time of purification was complete… For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the LORD.” Samuel’s dedication was lifelong, setting him apart for God’s service rather than for an ordinary family inheritance. Hannah’s faith is evident in her willingness to surrender her only son after waiting so long for him. Jdg 13:5 For behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son.… So they worshiped the LORD there. Hannah, Elkanah, and those with them responded to God’s faithfulness with worship at Shiloh. Samuel’s dedication became an occasion to honor the LORD, whose answer to Hannah’s prayer had brought lasting change to Israel. Gen 22:5 “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told his servants… This is a draft of the Berean Study Bible. Please send all comments and recommendations to bereanstudybible@aol.com. Bible Hub |
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