Topical Bible: Prayer: Answered: Hannah, Asking to Give Birth to a Child

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Hannah's account is a profound testament to the power of prayer and God's faithfulness in answering the heartfelt petitions of His people. Her narrative is found in the book of 1 Samuel, where she is introduced as the wife of Elkanah and the mother of the prophet Samuel. Hannah's experience is a poignant example of how earnest prayer, coupled with faith and dedication, can lead to divine intervention.

Background

Hannah was one of two wives of Elkanah, the other being Peninnah. While Peninnah had children, Hannah was barren, which caused her deep distress and sorrow. In ancient Israel, childlessness was often seen as a source of shame and a sign of divine disfavor. Hannah's inability to conceive was a source of personal anguish and social reproach, exacerbated by Peninnah's provocations.

Hannah's Prayer

Hannah's response to her plight was to turn to the Lord in prayer. During one of the family's annual visits to the tabernacle at Shiloh, Hannah poured out her soul before the Lord. Her prayer was marked by deep emotion and sincerity. She made a vow, saying, "O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever come over his head" (1 Samuel 1:11).

Hannah's prayer was not just a request for a child but a commitment to dedicate that child to the Lord's service. Her vow reflected her deep faith and willingness to surrender her desires to God's greater purpose.

Eli's Blessing and God's Answer

As Hannah prayed silently, her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Eli, the priest, initially mistook her for being drunk. Upon realizing her sincerity, Eli blessed her, saying, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the petition you have asked of Him" (1 Samuel 1:17).

Hannah's demeanor changed after this encounter; she left with a renewed sense of peace and hope. In due time, God answered her prayer. "So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, 'Because I have asked for him from the LORD'" (1 Samuel 1:20).

Dedication of Samuel

True to her vow, once Samuel was weaned, Hannah brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. She presented him to Eli, saying, "I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him, I now dedicate the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the LORD" (1 Samuel 1:27-28). Samuel grew up in the service of the Lord and became one of Israel's greatest prophets.

Significance

Hannah's account highlights several key themes in the biblical understanding of prayer. It underscores the importance of approaching God with humility and sincerity, trusting in His timing and wisdom. Her narrative also illustrates the concept of making vows to God, demonstrating a willingness to align personal desires with divine purposes. Hannah's answered prayer not only fulfilled her personal longing but also contributed to God's larger plan for Israel through the life and ministry of Samuel.

Nave's Topical Index

1 Samuel 1:10-17,19,20
And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD, and wept sore.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Of Prayer --A Perpetual Exercise of Faith. The Daily Benefits ...
... we asked, being persuaded that he has answered our prayers ... or cellars will not prevent
him from asking for daily ... which believers open the door of prayer, as we ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 20 of prayera perpetual.htm

Jehovah
... to ask, the sight of the need is asking enough ... least of my father's house." And the
Lord answered him, saying ... Do we at all comprehend the meaning of this prayer? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/the god of all comfort/chapter 6 jehovah.htm

Christian Behavior
... will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress' (Genesis
35:3). Hannah would carry ... 7. Follow all this with prayer to God for them ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/christian behavior.htm

The Evangelical Revival.
... has the four grand parts of public prayer"deprecation, petition ... the one question
that must be answered in the ... were induced by the orator to give first copper ...
/.../chapter ix the evangelical revival.htm

Memoir of John Bunyan
... was like throwing pearls before swine"'He answered in a ... should, by intense thought,
by earnest prayer, and by ... much evil towards them that are asking the way ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/memoir of john bunyan.htm

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of ...
... hath shined in our hearts to give the light ... a creature, respecting his manhood, and
his birth, and his ... according to the limits thereof,] and prayer" (1 Timothy ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/an exposition on the first.htm