Topical Bible: Answers To Prayer: Hannah

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Hannah, a central figure in the opening chapters of the First Book of Samuel, is a profound example of faith and answered prayer in the Hebrew Scriptures. Her account is a testament to the power of earnest supplication and the fulfillment of divine promises.

Background

Hannah was one of the two wives of Elkanah, a man from the hill country of Ephraim. While Elkanah's other wife, Peninnah, had children, Hannah was barren, which caused her deep distress and societal shame. Peninnah would provoke Hannah, exacerbating her sorrow (1 Samuel 1:6-7).

Hannah's Prayer

During one of the family's annual pilgrimages to the tabernacle at Shiloh, Hannah's anguish reached a peak. In her deep bitterness of soul, she prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly. 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 marked by sincerity and desperation, as she poured out her heart before God. Her vow to dedicate her son as a Nazirite demonstrated her willingness to give back to God what she desired most.

Eli's Blessing and God's Answer

Eli, the priest at Shiloh, initially misunderstood Hannah's silent prayer, mistaking her for being drunk. Upon realizing her true state, 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 spirit, trusting in God's provision. In due time, the LORD remembered Hannah, and she conceived and bore a son, whom she named Samuel, meaning "heard of God," because she said, "I have asked for him from the LORD" (1 Samuel 1:20).

Fulfillment of the Vow

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). Hannah's faithfulness in fulfilling her vow exemplifies her deep commitment to God.

Hannah's Song of Praise

In response to God's answer to her prayer, Hannah offered a song of thanksgiving, recorded in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Her prayer of praise exalts the LORD's sovereignty, justice, and faithfulness. It reflects themes of divine reversal, where the humble are exalted, and the mighty are brought low, foreshadowing the broader biblical narrative of God's redemptive work.

Legacy

Hannah's account is a powerful illustration of how God hears and responds to the heartfelt prayers of His people. Her faith and dedication not only resulted in the birth of Samuel, one of Israel's greatest prophets and judges, but also set a precedent for the power of prayer and the importance of keeping one's vows to God. Her narrative continues to inspire believers to approach God with sincerity and trust in His perfect timing and will.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Samuel 1:27
For this child I prayed; and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of him:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

God's Pathway to Human Hearts.
... instances of delayed, or qualified answers to prayer. ... all the instances of hindered
prayer with which ... are Moses' request to enter Canaan; Hannah's prayer for a ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on prayer/gods pathway to human hearts.htm

That More Might be Given and Gotten.
... to the end kept deepening the brain impression through eyeballs that God answers
prayer. ... And Hannah's exultant song of praise reveals the fineness to which the ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on prayer/that more might be given.htm

Prayer --Fills Man's Poverty with God's Riches
... affirm that God answers prayer, and answers by giving ... Hannah's statement to Eli and
her defense against his ... James says of Elijah that he "prayed with prayer.". ...
/.../bounds/the reality of prayer/ii prayerfills mans poverty with.htm

A Poor Man's Cry, and what came of It
... and the Lord heard them." Are you at this service, Hannah? ... Prayer has done this for
you. ... God answers the supplications of his believing people; and of this we ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/a poor mans cry and.htm

Bear up the Hands that Hang Down, by Faith and Prayer...
... press and pray, and hear no voice, but stay till God answers. ... Hannah's praying gave
Samuel to Israel. ... past age as she was, in answer to the prayer of Zacharias ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/purpose in prayer/chapter ix bear up the.htm

That we Ought to Give Ourselves to God with Regard to Things Both ...
... by Ezra, by Daniel and Elijah, by Hannah and Samuel ... and cried in vain for the answers
that could ... Their favoured dispensation of prayer was forgotten; they knew ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/purpose in prayer/chapter ii that we ought.htm

Book ii. Jerome Answers the Second, Third, and Fourth Propositions ...
... Jerome answers the second, third, and fourth propositions of Jovinianus. ... The case
is different if this prayer belongs to the Catechumens ... [4797] Hannah, the wife ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/book ii jerome answers the.htm

Of Prayer --A Perpetual Exercise of Faith. The Daily Benefits ...
... Mediator and Intercessor, with answers to the leading arguments urged in support
of the intercession of saints, sec.20-27. VI. The nature of prayer, and some ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 20 of prayera perpetual.htm

The Ark of his Covenant
... was seen in his temple the ark of his covenant?" Miss Hannah More very ... it is a part
of the covenant that God hears prayer, that God answers our petitions ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 41 1895/the ark of his covenant.htm

The Resurrection of Lazarus
... concerning his promise, as some men count slackness: for his very delays are answers. ...
Such was Hannah's prayer for a son, "She spake not, only her lips moved ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/the resurrection of lazarus.htm