"Hannah, why are you crying?" her husband Elkanah asked. "Why won't you eat? Why is your heart so grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?" And her husband Elkanah would ask herThe name "Elkanah" in Hebrew means "God has created" or "God has possessed." Elkanah, as a husband, represents a figure of care and concern, reflecting the divine nature of God as a provider and protector. His role in this narrative is crucial as he attempts to comfort Hannah, showing the importance of spousal support in times of distress. Historically, Elkanah is a Levite, and his lineage is significant in the context of Israel's priestly heritage, emphasizing the spiritual backdrop of the story. Hannah, why are you crying?
The name "Hannah" means "grace" or "favor" in Hebrew, which is deeply ironic given her situation of barrenness, a condition often viewed as a lack of divine favor in ancient Israel. Elkanah's question highlights the emotional turmoil Hannah is experiencing. In the cultural context, a woman's worth was often tied to her ability to bear children, making Hannah's tears a reflection of societal pressure and personal grief. Why won’t you eat?
In ancient Near Eastern culture, eating was not just a physical necessity but a communal activity that signified joy and fellowship. Hannah's refusal to eat indicates a deep-seated sorrow that disrupts her participation in family and religious life. This phrase underscores the depth of her despair, as she is unable to partake in the celebratory aspects of life due to her unfulfilled longing for a child. Why is your heart grieved?
The heart in Hebrew thought is the center of emotion, will, and intellect. Elkanah's question points to the internal struggle Hannah faces, a grief that goes beyond physical barrenness to touch her very identity and purpose. This phrase invites readers to consider the profound impact of unfulfilled desires and the spiritual wrestling that accompanies such trials. Am I not better to you than ten sons?
Elkanah's rhetorical question reveals both his love for Hannah and a misunderstanding of her plight. The number "ten" in biblical terms often signifies completeness or perfection. Elkanah is expressing his devotion, suggesting that his love should be sufficient. However, this also highlights the cultural and personal expectations placed on women to bear children. His question reflects a tension between personal relationships and societal roles, inviting reflection on where true fulfillment is found. Persons / Places / Events 1. ElkanahA devout man from the hill country of Ephraim, Elkanah is the husband of Hannah and Peninnah. He is portrayed as a loving husband, particularly towards Hannah, despite her barrenness. 2. HannahOne of Elkanah's wives, Hannah is deeply distressed due to her inability to bear children. Her account is central to the account, highlighting themes of faith, prayer, and divine intervention. 3. PeninnahElkanah's other wife, who has children. She often provokes Hannah, exacerbating her distress over her barrenness. 4. RamahThe hometown of Elkanah and his family, located in the hill country of Ephraim. It serves as the setting for much of the early account. 5. ShilohThe religious center where the tabernacle was located during this period. Elkanah and his family would travel here annually to worship and sacrifice to the LORD. Teaching Points Understanding Emotional DistressElkanah's questions to Hannah reveal a lack of understanding of her deep emotional pain. This highlights the importance of empathy and sensitivity in relationships, especially when dealing with issues of grief and unfulfilled desires. Value Beyond CircumstancesElkanah's statement, "Am I not better to you than ten sons?" suggests that he sees his love as a source of comfort. This can remind us that our worth and joy should not solely depend on our circumstances or what we lack. The Role of Supportive RelationshipsWhile Elkanah's attempt to comfort Hannah may fall short, it underscores the importance of supportive relationships in times of distress. We are called to bear one another's burdens and offer genuine support. Turning to God in DistressHannah's account ultimately points to the power of turning to God in prayer when faced with deep sorrow. It encourages believers to seek God's presence and peace in times of trouble. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Elkanah's response to Hannah's distress reflect common misunderstandings in relationships today, and how can we learn to be more empathetic? 2. In what ways can we find value and contentment in our lives, even when our desires remain unfulfilled, as suggested by Elkanah's question to Hannah? 3. How can the dynamic between Hannah and Peninnah inform our understanding of dealing with difficult relationships and provocations? 4. What can we learn from Hannah's eventual response to her distress about the importance of prayer and seeking God in our struggles? 5. How do other biblical accounts of barrenness and divine intervention (such as Sarah, Rachel, and Elizabeth) enhance our understanding of God's faithfulness and timing in our lives? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 30The account of Rachel and Leah, where Rachel's barrenness and Leah's fertility create tension, mirrors the dynamic between Hannah and Peninnah. Philippians 4:6-7Encourages believers to present their requests to God with thanksgiving, similar to how Hannah eventually turns to prayer in her distress. Psalm 34:18Speaks of the LORD being close to the brokenhearted, which aligns with Hannah's experience of divine comfort and intervention. People Eli, Elihu, Elkanah, Ephah, Hannah, Hophni, Jeroham, Peninnah, Phinehas, Samuel, Tohu, ZuphPlaces Ramah, Ramathaim-zophim, ShilohTopics Afflicted, Better, Downhearted, Eat, Eatest, Elkanah, Elka'nah, Grieved, Hannah, Heart, Husband, Mean, Sad, Sons, Taking, Ten, Troubled, Weep, Weepest, WeepingDictionary of Bible Themes 1 Samuel 1:8 1653 numbers, 6-10
5198 weeping
5895 intimacy
5970 unhappiness 1 Samuel 1:1-8 5717 monogamy 1 Samuel 1:1-20 5225 barrenness
5733 pregnancy 1 Samuel 1:3-8 4476 meals
5702 husband 1 Samuel 1:4-8 5567 suffering, emotional 1 Samuel 1:6-16 5559 stress 1 Samuel 1:7-8 5844 emotions Library Of Self-Annihilation
Of Self-Annihilation Supplication and sacrifice are comprehended in prayer, which, according to S. John, is "an incense, the smoke whereof ascendeth unto God;" therefore it is said in the Apocalypse that "unto the Angel was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints'' (Chap. viii. 3). Prayer is the effusion of the heart in the Presence of God: "I have poured out my soul before God" saith the mother of Samuel. (1 Sam. i. 15) The prayer of the wise men at the feet of …
Madame Guyon—A Short and Easy Method of PrayerPrayer and Sacrifice Explained by the Similitude of a Perfume --Our Annihilation in this Sacrifice --Solidity and Fruitfulness of this Prayer as Set Forth in The
Prayer ought to be both petition and sacrifice. Prayer, according to the testimony of St John, is an incense, whose perfume rises to God. Therefore it is said in the Revelation (chap. viii. 3), that an angel held a censer, which contained the incense of the prayers of saints. Prayer is an outpouring of the heart in the presence of God. "I have poured out my soul before the Lord," said the mother of Samuel (1 Sam. i. 15). Thus the prayers of the Magi at the feet of the infant Jesus in the stable of …
Jeanne Marie Bouvières—A Short Method Of Prayer And Spiritual Torrents Home Dedication.
"The rose was rich in bloom on Sharon's plain, When a young mother with her first born thence Went up to Zion, for the boy was vowed Unto the Temple-service; by the hand She led him, and her silent soul, the while, Oft as the dewy laughter of his eye Met her sweet serious glance, rejoiced to think That aught so pure, so beautiful, was hers, To bring before her God!" Beautiful thought, and thrice beautiful deed,--fresh from the pure fount of maternal piety! The Hebrew mother consecrating her first-born …
Samuel Philips—The Christian Home John Newton 1Sam 1:10,18
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John Newton—Olney Hymns Hwochow Women's Bible Training School
COURSE OF STUDY FIRST TERM Book of Genesis. Gospel according to St. Luke or St. Mark. Acts of the Apostles, chapters i. to ix. "A Synopsis of the Central Themes of the Holy Bible." Reading Lessons, with necessary Explanation and Writing of Chinese Character. Arithmetic. Singing and Memorisation of Hymns. SECOND TERM Book of Exodus, Numbers, and 1 Samuel i. to xvi. The Gospel according to St. John. The Epistle of St James. "A Synopsis of the Central Themes of the Holy Bible"--(continued). Reading …
A. Mildred Cable—The Fulfilment of a Dream of Pastor Hsi's The Love of the Holy Spirit in Us.
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not."--Matt. xxvii. 37. The Scripture teaches not only that the Holy Spirit dwells in us, and with Him Love, but also that He sheds abroad that Love in our hearts. This shedding abroad does not refer to the coming of the Holy Spirit's Person, for a person can not be shed abroad. He comes, takes possession, and dwells in us; but that which is shed abroad …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit The Prophet Jonah.
It has been asserted without any sufficient reason, that Jonah is older than Hosea, Joel, Amos, and Obadiah,--that he is the oldest among the prophets whose written monuments have been preserved to us. The passage in 2 Kings xiv. 25, where it is said, that Jonah, the son of Amittai the prophet, prophesied to Jeroboam the happy success of his arms, and the restoration of the ancient boundaries of Israel, and that this prophecy was confirmed by the event, cannot decide in favour of this assertion, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament And V the Kingdom Undivided and the Kingdom Divided
THE HISTORICAL BOOKS: I and II Samuel. I and II Kings. I and II Chronicles. NOTE.--As these three pairs of books are so closely related in their historical contents, it is deemed best to study them together, though they overlap the two divisions of IV and V. I. CHARTS Chart A. General Contents +--+ " I AND II SAMUEL " +-------------+-----+------+ "Samuel "Saul "David " +-------------+-----+------+----------+ " " " " I AND II KINGS "NOTE.--Biblical …
Frank Nelson Palmer—A Bird's-Eye View of the Bible Divers Matters.
I. Beth-cerem, Nehemiah 3:14. "The stones, as well of the altar, as of the ascent to the altar, were from the valley of Beth-cerem, which they digged out beneath the barren land. And thence they are wont to bring whole stones, upon which the working iron came not." The fathers of the traditions, treating concerning the blood of women's terms, reckon up five colours of it; among which that, "which is like the water of the earth, out of the valley of Beth-cerem."--Where the Gloss writes thus, "Beth-cerem …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica Ramah. Ramathaim Zophim. Gibeah.
There was a certain Ramah, in the tribe of Benjamin, Joshua 18:25, and that within sight of Jerusalem, as it seems, Judges 19:13; where it is named with Gibeah:--and elsewhere, Hosea 5:8; which towns were not much distant. See 1 Samuel 22:6; "Saul sat in Gibeah, under a grove in Ramah." Here the Gemarists trifle: "Whence is it (say they) that Ramah is placed near Gibea? To hint to you, that the speech of Samuel of Ramah was the cause, why Saul remained two years and a half in Gibeah." They blindly …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica The King --Continued.
The years thus well begun are, in the historical books, characterized mainly by three events, namely, the bringing up of the ark to the newly won city of David, Nathan's prophecy of the perpetual dominion of his house, and his victories over the surrounding nations. These three hinges of the narrative are all abundantly illustrated in the psalms. As to the first, we have relics of the joyful ceremonial connected with it in two psalms, the fifteenth and twenty-fourth, which are singularly alike not …
Alexander Maclaren—The Life of David Nature of Covenanting.
A covenant is a mutual voluntary compact between two parties on given terms or conditions. It may be made between superiors and inferiors, or between equals. The sentiment that a covenant can be made only between parties respectively independent of one another is inconsistent with the testimony of Scripture. Parties to covenants in a great variety of relative circumstances, are there introduced. There, covenant relations among men are represented as obtaining not merely between nation and nation, …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting I Will Pray with the Spirit and with the Understanding Also-
OR, A DISCOURSE TOUCHING PRAYER; WHEREIN IS BRIEFLY DISCOVERED, 1. WHAT PRAYER IS. 2. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT. 3. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING ALSO. WRITTEN IN PRISON, 1662. PUBLISHED, 1663. "For we know not what we should pray for as we ought:--the Spirit--helpeth our infirmities" (Rom 8:26). ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. There is no subject of more solemn importance to human happiness than prayer. It is the only medium of intercourse with heaven. "It is …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Samuel
Alike from the literary and the historical point of view, the book[1] of Samuel stands midway between the book of Judges and the book of Kings. As we have already seen, the Deuteronomic book of Judges in all probability ran into Samuel and ended in ch. xii.; while the story of David, begun in Samuel, embraces the first two chapters of the first book of Kings. The book of Samuel is not very happily named, as much of it is devoted to Saul and the greater part to David; yet it is not altogether inappropriate, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 1 Samuel 1:8 NIV1 Samuel 1:8 NLT1 Samuel 1:8 ESV1 Samuel 1:8 NASB1 Samuel 1:8 KJV
1 Samuel 1:8 Commentaries
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