Barnes, “Ramathaim-zophim may signify “the two hills 1Sa_9:11-13 of the watchmen,” so called from its being a post from which the watchmen looked out. But since Zuph is the name of the head of the family, it is more probable that Zophin means the Zuphites, the sons of Zuph (see Zophai, 1Ch_6:26), from whom the land about Ramah was called “the land of Zuph,” 1Sa_9:5. There is reason to believe that Elkanah - an Ephrathite, or inhabitant of Bethlehem 1Sa_17:12; Rth_1:2 and of the territory of the tribe of Ephraim 1Ki_11:26 - the father of Samuel, represents the fifth generation of settlers in Canaan, and therefore that Samuel was born about 130 years after the entrance into Canaan - four complete generations, or 132 years - and about 40 years before David.”

1. I SAMUEL 1 COMME

2. TARY
Written and edited by Glenn Pease
PREFACE
Any author I quote who does not wish their wisdom included in this study can let me know,
and I will remove it. My e-mail is glenn_p86@yahoo.com
Attention: This is the same as Hannah's Prayer vol. 1
The Birth of Samuel
1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a
Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name
was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son
of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
1. Barnes, “Ramathaim-zophim may signify “the two hills 1Sa_9:11-13 of the watchmen,”
so called from its being a post from which the watchmen looked out. But since Zuph is the
name of the head of the family, it is more probable that Zophin means the Zuphites, the
sons of Zuph (see Zophai, 1Ch_6:26), from whom the land about Ramah was called “the
land of Zuph,” 1Sa_9:5. There is reason to believe that Elkanah - an Ephrathite, or
inhabitant of Bethlehem 1Sa_17:12; Rth_1:2 and of the territory of the tribe of Ephraim
1Ki_11:26 - the father of Samuel, represents the fifth generation of settlers in Canaan, and
therefore that Samuel was born about 130 years after the entrance into Canaan - four
complete generations, or 132 years - and about 40 years before David.”
2. Clarke, “Ramathaim-zophim - Literally, the two high places of the watchman; these
were, no doubt, two contiguous hills, on which watchtowers were built, and in which
watchmen kept continual guard for the safety of the country and which afterwards gave
name to the place.
3. Gill, “

3. ow there was a man of Ramathaimzophim, of Mount Ephraim,.... Ramathaim is

4. a word of the dual number, and signifies two Ramahs; the city consisted of two parts, being
built perhaps on two hills, and were called Zophim; because, as the Rabbins say, they
looked one to another; or rather, because situated on eminences, there were watchtowers in
them, where watchmen were placed; or because they were inhabited by prophets, who were
sometimes called watchmen, Eze_3:17 and here is thought to be a school of the prophets,
see 1Sa_19:19 and which seems to be countenanced by the Targum, in which the words are
paraphrased thus, "and there was one" man of Ramatha, of the disciples of the prophets;
or, as others think, the sense is this, this man was one of the Ramathites, the inhabitants of
Ramah, and of the family of Zuph, or the Zuphites, which gave the name to the land of
Zuph, and the grand ancestor of Elkanah is in this verse called Zuph, see 1Sa_9:5.
According to Jerom (e), this is the same with Arimathaea, of which Joseph was, Mat_27:57
for thus he writes,"Armatha Sophim, the city of Helcanah and Samuel, in the Thamnitic
region near Diospolis (or Lydda), from whence was Joseph, who in the Gospels is said to be
of Arimathaea;''but Reland (f) thinks it cannot be the same that was about Lydda, which
was all a champaign country; whereas this was in the mountains of Ephraim, which must
be sought to the north of Jerusalem, and not the west, and so it follows:
of Mount Ephraim: which is added to distinguish it from other Ramahs in several tribes, as
in Benjamin,

5. aphtali, &c. though this may refer not to the situation of Ramathaim, but to
the country of this man, who was originally of Mount Ephraim, as was the Levite in
Jdg_19:1 who was the cause of much evil to Israel, as this was of great good, as Kimchi
observes:
and his name was Elkanah; which signifies "God hath possessed"; that is, possessed him,
or he was in possession of God; he had an ancestor of the same name, 1Ch_6:23. This man
was a Levite, one of the Kohathites, and a descendant of Korah; so that the famous prophet
Samuel was of the sons of Korah:
the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph; the three last of
these names are somewhat differently read in 1Ch_6:26, where they are Eliab,

6. ahath,
Zophai; and in 1Ch_6:34. Eliel, Toah, Zuph:
an Ephrathite; which appellation is to be connected, according to Kimchi, not with
Elkanah, but with Zuph; though neither of them were so called from Bethlehemjudah, the
inhabitants of which were indeed called Ephrathites from Ephratah, another name of it; so
Elimelech, and his sons Mahlon and Chilion, being of that city, were so called, Rth_1:2 not
from their being of the tribe of Ephraim, as Jeroboam of that tribe is called an Ephrathite,
1Ki_11:26, see Jdg_12:5 for these were Levites, the descendants of Kohath, in the line of
Korah; but because they sojourned in Mount Ephraim, or dwelt there, as Elkanah did; and
it is well known that the Kohathites had cities given them in the tribe of Ephraim,
Jos_21:5.”
4. Henry, “We have here an account of the state of the family into which Samuel the
prophet was born. His father's name was Elkanah, a Levite, and of the family of the
Kohathites (the most honourable house of that tribe) as appears, 1Ch_6:33, 1Ch_6:34. His

7. ancestor Zuph was an Ephrathite, that is, of Bethlehem-Judah, which was called
Ephrathah, Ruth, Rth_1:2. There this family of the Levites was first seated, but one branch
of it, in process of time, removed to Mount Ephraim, from which Elkanah descended.
Micah's Levite came from Bethlehem to Mount Ephraim, Jdg_17:8. Perhaps notice is taken
of their being originally Ephrathites to show their alliance to David. This Elkanah lived at
Ramah, or Ramathaim, which signifies the double Ramah, the higher and lower town, the
same with Arimathea of which Joseph was, here called Ramathaim-zophim. Zophim
signifies watchmen; probably they had one of the schools of the prophets there, for prophets
are called watchmen: the Chaldee paraphrase calls Elkanah a disciple of the prophets. But it
seems to me that it was in Samuel that prophecy revived, before his time there being, for a
great while, no open vision, 1Sa_3:1.

8. or is there any mention of a prophet of the Lord
from Moses to Samuel, except Jdg_6:8. So that we have no reason to think that there was
any nursery or college of prophets here till Samuel himself founded one, Jdg_19:19,
Jdg_19:20. This is the account of Samuel's parentage, and the place of his nativity. Let us
now take notice of the state of the family.”
5. Kyle, “This Ramah (which is invariably written with the article, ha-Ramah), where
Samuel was not only born (1Sa_1:19.), but lived, laboured, died (1Sa_7:17; 1Sa_15:34;
1Sa_16:13; 1Sa_19:18-19, 1Sa_19:22-23), and was buried (1Sa_25:1; 1Sa_28:3), is not a
different place, as has been frequently assumed..”
2 He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the
other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah
had none.
1. Hannah means beauty or charm; other say grace or graciousness, and is the same as
Annah. Peninnah means a pearl, or jewel, and is the same as Margaret.
1B. Brian Bill, “The wife’s chief role in those days was to provide children. A barren womb
was considered a curse and Hannah would have been looked down upon. She was
spiritually disturbed, socially disgraced, and emotionally depressed. She joins a long line of
other women of faith who battled barrenness: Sarah (Abraham’s wife), Rebekah (Isaac’s
wife), Rachel (Jacob’s wife), Ruth (Boaz’s wife), and Elizabeth (John the Baptist’s mother).
In Scripture most of the childless women are righteous women.”
1C. “Abraham and Sarah had no children. Isaac and Rebekah had no children. Jacob and
Rachel had no children. Manoah had no children. Hannah had no children. The Shunamite
had no children. Zacharias and Elizabeth had no children. Till it came to be nothing short
of the mark of a special election, and a high calling, and a great coming service of God in
Israel to have no children. Time after time, time after time, till it became nothing short of a

9. special providence, those husbands and wives whose future children were predestined to be
patriarchs, and prophets, and judges, and forerunners of Jesus Christ in the house of
Israel, began their married life with having no children.

10. ow, why was that ? Well, we may
make guesses, and we may propose reasons for that perplexing dispensation, but they are
only guesses and proposed reasons. We do not know. We cannot guess ; for it is only those
who are intimately and eminently godly, and who are at the same time childless, who can
have any experience and assurance of what God s motives are in that matter.
And I do not know that any of that inner circle have anywhere come out and broken the
divine silence. All the more Why is it? Is it to spare and shield them from the preoccupation
and the dispersion of affection, and from the coldness and the rudeness and the neglect of
one another that so many of their neighbors suffer from ? And is it to teach them a far finer
tenderness, and a far rarer honor, and a far sweeter solicitude for one another ? Or, on the
other hand, is it out of pure jealousy on God s part ? Is it that He may be able to say to
them, Am I not better to thee than ten sons ?” author unknown
2. Barnes, “The frequent recurrence of the mention of barrenness in those women who
were afterward famous through their progeny (as Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel) coupled with
the prophetic language of Hannah’s song in 1 Sam. 2, justifies us in seeking a mystical
sense. Besides the apparent purpose of marking the children so born as raised up for
special purposes by divine Providence, the weakness and comparative barrenness of the
Church of God, to be followed at the set time by her glorious triumph and immense
increase, is probably intended to be foreshadowed.”
3. Gill, “Very likely Hannah was his first wife, and having no children by her, he took
Peninnah, who proved to be a rough diamond: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah
had no children; how many Peninnah had is not said, perhaps ten; see 1Sa_1:8 and that
Hannah had none was not because she was naturally barren, but because the Lord had
shut up her womb, or restrained her from bearing children, to put her upon praying for
one, and that the birth of Samuel might be the more remarkable.”
4. Polygamy developed as a means to assure every man and woman a chance to be in the
blood line of the Messiah. Elkanah loved Hannah, but he needed more than love to get a
child, and so he took another wife. Had he been patient it would have worked out, for later
they had three sons and two daughters. It looked like that would never happen, however,
and so he rushed into polygamy. God allowed it, even though not his ideal for marriage, but
it was necessary for everyone to have the chance to be in that special bloodline.

11. obody can
get in that line anymore since the Messiah has come, and so polygamy does not have any
justification for today.
3 Year after year this man went up from his town to
worship and sacrifice to the LORD Almighty at

12. Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of
Eli, were priests of the LORD .
1. Barnes, “The Lord of Hosts - This title of Yahweh which, with some variations, is found
upward of 260 times in the Old Testament, occurs here for the first time. The meaning of
the word “hosts” is doubtless the same as that of “army” Dan_4:35 and includes all the
myriads of holy Angels who people the celestial spheres 1Ki_22:19. It is probably with
reference to the idolatrous worship of the Host of heaven that the title the “Lord of Hosts”
was given to the true God, as asserting His universal supremacy (see

13. eh_9:6). In the

14. ew
Testament the phrase only occurs once Jam_5:4.
2. Clarke, “Went up out of his city yearly to worship - As the ark was at Shiloh, there was
the temple of God, and thither all the males were bound by the law to go once a year, on
each of the great national festivals: viz., the passover, pentecost, and feast of tabernacles.
The Lord of hosts - יהוה צבאות Yehovah tsebaoth, Jehovah of armies. As all the heavenly
bodies were called the hosts of heaven, צבא השמים tseba hashshamayim, Jehovah being
called Lord of this host showed that he was their Maker and Governor; and consequently
He, not they, was the proper object of religious worship. The sun, moon, planets, and stars,
were the highest objects of religious worship to the heathens in general. The Jewish
religion, teaching the knowledge of a Being who was the Lord of all these, showed at once
its superiority to all that heathenism could boast. This is the first place where Lord of hosts
is mentioned in the Bible; and this is so much in the style of the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah,
etc., that it gives some weight to the supposition that this book was written by a person who
lived in or after the times of these prophets.
3. Gill, “ This man went up out of his city yearly,.... From year to year; or, as the Targum,
from the time of the solemn appointed feast to the solemn appointed feast, from one to
another; there were three of them in the year, at which all the males in Israel were to
appear at the tabernacle; and being a Levite, this man was the more careful to observe this
rule. He is said to "go up" out of his city, which was Ramathaim or Ramah; for though it
was built on an eminence, from whence it had its name, yet Shiloh, whither he went, was
higher; that being, as Adrichomius says (a), on the highest mountain of all round about
Jerusalem, and the highest of all the mountains of the holy land. So that as he first went
down the hill from Ramah, he went up an high ascent to Shiloh, which is the place he went
up to as follows:
to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh; where the tabernacle was, the
place of worship, and the altar of burnt offerings, on which sacrifices were offered. This
place, according to Bunting (b), was twelve miles from Ramah, though others say it was not
more than seven miles from it; hither he went to worship, or bow before the Lord; to pray
unto him, as it is commonly interpreted; and being put before sacrifice, is said to be
preferable to that, and more acceptable to God, and more eligible to be done in the
tabernacle or temple than at home; see Luk_18:10 and though he is said to go up to

15. sacrifice, it is not to be understood of his performing it himself, but by others, by the priest;
for he himself was a Levite and could not offer sacrifices. This is the first time that mention
is made of this title of Jehovah, Lord of hosts, of all the hosts and armies in heaven and in
earth, the Lord of Sabaoth, as in Jam_5:4 from צבא , an "host", or army; and from hence
the Heathens called some of their deities by the name of Sabazius, as Jupiter Sabazius (c);
and the Phrygians and Thracians used to call Bacchus Sabazius, and other Grecians
following them did the same.”
4. Hophni and Phinehas are just mentioned here, but later we learn that they were very
wicked men. The wickedness of the priests did not make the faithful worship of the people
any less valid in the eyes of God. Many a leader of God's people may fail to be all God
expects, but their failure does not invalidate the faith of those who come to acknowledge
God as their Lord.
5. David Guzik, “Shiloh was the central city of Israel, the religious center, for almost four
hundred years. The tabernacle - the majestic tent God command Moses to build when they
came out of Egypt, was erected there, and in it sat the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark was
the symbolic throne of God among Israel, the sacred chest containing the stone tablets of
the Ten Commandments. At the Ark, once a year, the high priest would make atonement
for the sins of the nation. Though it was hidden, it was a powerful and important part of
Israel’s religious life. Today, if you visit Shiloh, you can see the bare, ancient outline of
ruined walls of stone, walls that had once surrounded Israel’s tabernacle for almost 400
years. On the heights you can see desolate, fruitless hills all around; rocky and bare, except
for a distant Israeli neighborhood.”
4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he
would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah
and to all her sons and daughters.
1. Elkanah would offer an animal in sacrifice, but a large portion of that would be returned
to him for celebration of a feast. He would dish out a portion to each member of his family.
Here is says to all her sons and daughters, and so Peninnah was a mother of a large number
of children. She was very fertile, and this made her all the more frustrated, because all her
children did not win for her the deep love Elkanah had for Hannah. “How can he love her
more than me when I have given him this large family of sons and daughters?” This kind of
question had to run through her mind often, and it led her to be mean to Hannah.
5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he

16. loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb.
1. He gave double to Hannah because he loved her in a special way, and he knew she felt
inferior to Peninnah because she did not have a child. Elkanah wanted her to know that he
loved her greatly even though she had not given him a child. He was happy with her
regardless of her lack of motherhood. It is obvious as we read on that Peninnah was
envious of Hannah because she had her husbands deepest devotion and love that was
greater than what she had even though she had given him children. Here we see the
problem with polygamy, for one wife always tends to be loved more than another, and so it
opens the door to jealousy and conflict.
2. We do not know if this double portion encouraged Hannah or not. We do not get any of
her thoughts. She may have thought, “He cannot get me pregnant, but he is trying to fatten
me up with feeding me twice as much as Peninnah who is always fat with child.” He was
doing what he thought was a positive thing, but men do not always know how their positive
thing will be taken by their wives. Hannah was sad, but at least she was not hungry, for she
was well fed. Usually it is wives who feed their husbands well, and by so doing express their
love for him. This is a rare way for men to express their love, unless they are the cook in the
family, and many are that, but still they are the minority. Saying “I love you” with food is
probably more common that we realize.
3. Henry, “They had different blessings: Peninnah, like Leah, was fruitful and had many
children, which should have made her easy and thankful, though she was but a second wife,
and was less beloved; Hannah, like Rachel, was childless indeed, but she was very dear to
her husband, and he took all occasions to let both her and others know that she was so, and
many a worthy portion he gave her (1Sa_1:5), and this should have made her easy and
thankful. But they were of different tempers: Peninnah could not bear the blessing of
fruitfulness, but she grew haughty and insolent; Hannah could not bear the affliction of
barrenness, but she grew melancholy and discontented: and Elkanah had a difficult part to
act between them.”
4. Prov 30:15-16 There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It
is enough: The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and
the fire that saith not, It is enough.” The barren womb makes a wife so hunger for a baby
that they will do most anything to become fertile, and this may be why God closes the
womb of so many great mothers in the Bible. It is a way to make them the greatest mothers
possible when he opens their womb. So many of the great men of the Bible were born to
mothers who could not have children until God opened their womb. They were special
mothers because of their gratitude to God for giving them a child. A barren womb is a
strong motivation to pray for God to come to the rescue, and he loves to respond to such
prayers. Gen 25:21 And Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren:
and the LORD was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. (KJV) Gen 30:22

17. And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.”
5. It seems that when God wants a special man on the stage of history, to achieve his goals
in history, he begins with a barren woman who will so love and treasure the gift of her son
that he will become that special man God is looking for to make a difference. Hannah was
his channel to bring forth Samuel, who was greatly used of God in the history of his people.
6 And because the LORD had closed her womb, her
rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.
1. Peninnah was not very nice to Hannah because Hannah had a deeper relationship with
their husband. She probably made snide remarks about her barrenness and inability to
give her husband what she had given him. It was a constant irritation to be reminded that
she could not give him a child. This was a dysfunctional home with persistent and perpetual
irritation, and you can count on it that it was irritating to Elkanah as well, for he could see
in the face of his most loved Hannah that she was miserable. It was not a happy home.
2. Jamison, “The conduct of Peninnah was most unbecoming. But domestic broils in the
houses of polygamists are of frequent occurrence, and the most fruitful cause of them has
always been jealousy of the husband’s superior affection, as in this case of Hannah.”
3. Gill, “That is, Peninnah, the other wife of Elkanah; for when a man had more wives, two
or more, they were usually at enmity to one another, as the two wives of Socrates were,
being always jealous lest one should have more love and respect than the other from the
husband; and this woman provoked Hannah one time after another, and continually, by
upbraiding her with her barrenness; and this was another reason why Elkanah did all he
could to comfort her, not only because the Lord had restrained her from bearing children,
but because also she that envied and emulated her sadly provoked her:
for to make her fret; and be uneasy, and murmur at and complain of her unhappy
circumstances: some render it, "because she thundered" (l) against her; that is, Peninnah
was exceeding loud and clamorous with her reproaches and scoffs, which were grievously
provoking to Hannah. So said Socrates, when Xantippe first scolded at him, and then
poured foul water on him: did not I say, says he, that Xantippe first thunders, and then
rains?”
4. Brian Bill, “Verse 6 describes the character and personality of Penninah: “…her rival
kept provoking her in order to irritate her.” She couldn’t just be thankful that she had
children but felt the need to needle and harass Hannah. The word “provoke” literally
means, “to cause her thunder.” She’s trying to get Hannah to blow her top! The word
“irritate” refers to being stirred up inwardly. Verse 7 reveals that Penninah did this every

18. year when they went to Shiloh. It bothered Hannah so much that she would weep and not
be able to eat. This word means that she mourned deeply with so much grief that she lost
her appetite. Some of you are in the middle of this kind of anguish right now.”
7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah
went up to the house of the LORD , her rival provoked
her till she wept and would not eat.
1. This was not a one time event, but something that went on for years. When two wives are
rivals like this, it make polygamy a curse, and poor Hannah had to endure this rivalry and
provoking to the point of breaking down and crying. She was so upset that she had no
appetite. This is a common experience for those in depression, and Hannah could not help
being depressed. She had to live with this woman who made her feel like a worthless human
being with no earthly value. We see just how crazy life can become when there is rivalry in
the home. Hannah was getting double portions of food just at the time when she was so
upset she lost her appetite and could not eat. Her curse of living with another wife was
dominating her blessing of having a husband who loved her enough to give her double
portions. What good is double when you don't feel hungry? This is a truly sad picture of a
very unhappy woman. It seems that nothing is going right in her life. By the way,
remember that this was a time of celebration where people were to be thankful and full of
joy and rejoicing.
2. Henry, “ Peninnah was extremely peevish and provoking. [1.] She upbraided Hannah
with her affliction, despised her because she was barren, and gave her taunting language,
as one whom Heaven did not favour. [2.] She envied the interest she had in the love of
Elkanah, and the more kind he was to her the more was she exasperated against her, which
was all over base and barbarous. [3.] She did this most when they went up to the house of
the Lord, perhaps because then they were more together than at other times, or because
then Elkanah showed his affection most to Hannah. But it was very sinful at such a time to
show her malice, when pure hands were to be lifted up at God's altar without wrath and
quarrelling. It was likewise very unkind at that time to vex Hannah, not only because then
they were in company, and others would take notice of it, but then Hannah was to mind her
devotions, and desired to be most calm and composed, and free from disturbance. The
great adversary to our purity and peace is then most industrious to ruffle us when we
should be most composed.”
8 Elkanah her husband would say to her, "Hannah,

19. why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are
you downhearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten
sons?"
1. Like a typical man Elkanah does not get it why she is so upset. He does encourage her by
declaring his love for her to be strong. He should mean more to her than a house crawling
with sons. Get over it Hannah, and stop fretting about your childless state. It was
wonderful that her husband felt this way, and that he did not join Peninnah in putting her
down as a failure. Many husbands would favor the wife with children and put Hannah
away, but he loved her in whatever state she was in. It was not enough for her, however, for
in that culture women had to have a child to feel fulfilled, for that was the only way they
could possibly be in the blood line to the Messiah.
1B. Brian Bill, “I might be going out on a limb here but it seems like Elkanah is doing what
many of us husbands do when our wives are upset. Instead of listening to her pain, he
seems to be rationalizing her problems and feelings. He’s trying to solve when he should be
seeking to understand. He’s basically saying, “Baby, you’ve got me (or at least part of me),
what more could you want?” I picture him holding up his fingers and saying, “Hannah
honey, don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?” I’m not sure he really understood how
deeply she wanted to have a child. After all, it’s possible to love one’s husband and still
want to have children. Some of you have been hit with some insensitive comments, either by
your husband, or from others. God understands your pain.”
2. Henry, “Elkanah said what he could to her to comfort her. She did not upbraid him with
his unkindness in marrying another wife as Sarah did, nor did she render to Peninnah
railing for railing, but took the trouble wholly to herself, which made her an object of much
compassion. Elkanah showed himself extremely grieved at her grief (1Sa_1:8): Hannah,
why weepest thou? [1.] He is much disquieted to see her thus overwhelmed with sorrow.
Those that by marriage are made one flesh ought thus far to be of one spirit too, to share in
each other's troubles, so that one cannot be easy while the other is uneasy. [2.] He gives her
a loving reproof for it: Why weepest thou? And why is thy heart grieved? As many as God
loves he rebukes, and so should we. He puts her upon enquiring into the cause of her grief.
Though she had just reason to be troubled, yet let her consider whether she had reason to
be troubled to such a degree, especially so much as to be taken off by it from eating of the
holy things.

20. ote, Our sorrow upon any account is sinful and inordinate when it diverts us
from our duty to God and embitters our comfort in him, when it makes us unthankful for
the mercies we enjoy and distrustful of the goodness of God to us in further mercies, when
it casts a damp upon our joy in Christ, and hinders us from doing the duty and taking the
comfort of our particular relations. [3.] He intimates that nothing should be wanting on his
part to balance her grief: “Am not I better to thee than ten sons? Thou knowest thou hast
my entire affection, and let that comfort thee.”

21. ote, We ought to take notice of our

22. comforts, to keep us from grieving excessively for our crosses; for our crosses we deserve,
but our comforts we have forfeited. If we would keep the balance even, we must look at
that which is for us, as well as at that which is against us, else we are unjust to Providence
and unkind to ourselves. God hath set the one over-against the other (Ecc_7:14) and so
should we.”
3. Elkanah loved Hannah deeply, but he had to deal with the reality of the law just as
Hannah did. If she did have a child, it would still always be in second place to the firstborn
son of her rival. Being loved the best did not change the demand of the law. We read of it in
Deut. 21:15-17, “If a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear
him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love, 16 when he wills his
property to his sons, he must not give the rights of the firstborn to the son of the wife he
loves in preference to his actual firstborn, the son of the wife he does not love. 17 He must
acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all
he has. That son is the first sign of his father's strength. The right of the firstborn belongs
to him.” They were locked into a situation that was sad for their future, and this played a
key role in the future of their child Samuel. He was cut off from the inheritance, but he
became one who inherited a call of God to be one of the greatest servants of God of all time.
4. Francis Cox, “She might have demanded why her husband, instead of asking her to
conceal her sorrows, did not rather reprove the provoking conduct of Peninnah, and silence
her exasperating tongue? Availing herself of the decided preference shown her, she might
have aimed at making her husband a party in the dispute; and, by his means, have
triumphed over her adversary. But Hannah was influenced by far different sentiments. To
her husband's remonstrances she appears to have returned no answer: nor was it a sullen
silence; for she took food, interrupted no longer the festivities of the occasion, but, painful
as the struggle must have been, heroically concealed her own feelings till the termination of
the public solemnities.”
5. Grace Aguilar, “For how may man, even when most loving, most beloved, so know the
secret nature of a woman s heart, as to bring the balm it seeks, and give the strength it
needs ? Elkanah s words reveal the extent and truth of his love ; and had it not been for the
daily provocations of Peninnah, he might indeed have been to Hannah " better than ten
sons :" but she had griefs and trials of which he knew nothing, peculiarly her own, as what
woman has not? and these, in childlike faith and voiceless prayer, she brought unto her
God. The condition of married women amongst the Jews, in the time of the Judges, must
have been perfectly free and unrestrained. We find her rising up after they had eaten ana
drunk in Shiloh, and without even imparting her intentions to her husband, much less
asking his consent, going perfectly unattended and unrebuked to the temple of the Lord.
There, in bitterness of soul weeping, she prayed unto the Lord of Hosts.”

23. 9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in
Shiloh, Hannah stood up.

24. ow Eli the priest was
sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the LORD's
temple. [2]
1. Barnes, “ Rather, “after she had eaten and after she had drunk,” which is obviously
right. Hannah, in the bitterness of her spirit, could not enjoy her feast, and so, after eating
and drinking a little, she arose and went to the temple, leaving her husband and Peninnah
and her children at table, where she still found them on her return 1Sa_1:18.
Upon a seat ... - Rather, “upon the throne,” the pontifical chair of state 1Sa_4:13, which
was probably set at the gate leading into the inner court of the tabernacle.
The temple of the Lord - The application of the word temple to the tabernacle is found
only here, 1Sa_3:3; and Psa_5:7; and the use of this word here is thought by some an
indication of the late date of the composition of this passage.”
2. Gill, “After dinner, after Elkanah and Peninnah, and their children, had eaten heartily,
and drank freely, and made a comfortable meal, and even a feast of it, at the place where
the tabernacle and altar were, and their peace offerings were offered up, part of which they
had been regaling themselves with. The Targum is,"after she had eaten in Shiloh, and after
she had drank;''for upon the entreaty of her husband, and to make him easy, she might be
prevailed upon to eat somewhat, though it might be but little; and to drink, though it was
but water; for as for wine and strong drink, she declares afterwards she had not drank,
1Sa_1:15.
now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord; for so the tabernacle
was called, and sometimes the temple is called a tabernacle, Jer_10:20.

25. ow at the door
posts and side of the threshold of the temple of the Lord, as the Targum; at the entrance of
the great court of the Israelites, Eli had a seat placed, on which he sat; this must be at the
gate of the court of the tabernacle, by the pillars of it; for in the court itself none afterward
might sit but kings of the family David (n); here Eli sat as an high priest and judge, give
advice in difficult cases, and to try and judge all causes that were brought before him; some
say (o) that he was on this day constituted an high priest, and others say (q) he was now
made a judge; but no doubt he was both high priest and judge before this time.”
10 In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and
prayed to the LORD .

26. 1. Where do you go when life is barren of all joy and comfort? Hannah knew there was
only one place to go in her sad state, and that was to prayer to her Lord. Bitterness filled
her rather than the joy that should have been her portion. In tears of deep sadness she
prayed to the Lord.
1B. Francis Cox, “"After they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk," Hannah
continued in "bitterness of soul," and rose up to withdraw. But whither did she go?
Whither, under circumstances like these, was it natural for her to fly? Perhaps into solitude
to bemoan her sad situation, to pour out her unrestrained tears, to anathematize her
insulting rival, to plot revenge, to curse the day of her birth. The stream of grief and
complaint might be expected to flow, in the secret hour, with accelerated force and rapidity,
proportioned to the restraint which publicity had imposed. She did not, however, yield to
this influence, or retire for such a purpose. Perhaps she withdrew to seek the counsel of a
friend, or solicit the prompt interference of others who pitied her sufferings, to check
Peninnah, or to stimulate Elkanah to stronger measures. Such a proceeding was not
unlikely; it was not, however, the one she adopted. Perhaps, then, it may be supposed, she
went home to wait for some favourable opportunity of urging her husband to discard
Peninnah, and of exasperating his prejudices against her. It was indeed natural for her to
pursue either or of all these courses; but she chose a different one. The pious mourner has
another and a better resource. If she look around her for comfort in vain, she can look
above. She may be pressed on every side--difficulties and distresses accumulating in every
direction--foes behind, and seas of trouble before--but the opening into heaven is free; the
ear of mercy is not shut; the way of access to God never can be closed! "And she vowed a
vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid,
and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a
man-child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no
razor come upon his head."
1C. Brian Bill, “Her weeping led to worship as her tears mingled with her prayers. The
kind of prayer that arises from the bitterness of the soul is far different than the dry
prayers that I sometimes utter. When tears are in our eyes, our prayer comes from the
heart. Alan Redpath has said, “When God has an impossible task, he takes an impossible
person and crushes her.” Chuck Swindoll adds, “This is how God often deals with strong
willed and stubborn people.” Hannah is definitely broken. The description of God as “The
Lord Almighty” means, “The Lord of Hosts.” The hosts refer to all the armies of heaven. The
Lord Almighty has all the hosts of heaven ready to do His work. She is appealing to His
power and authority, because she knows there is nothing she can do.”
2. Henry, “They are at Shiloh, at the door of the tabernacle, where God had promised to
meet his people, and which was the house of prayer. They had recently offered their peace-offerings,
to obtain the favour of God and all good and in token of their communion with
him; and, taking the comfort of their being accepted of him, they had feasted upon the
sacrifice; and now it was proper to put up her prayer in virtue of that sacrifice, for the
peace-offerings, for by it not only atonement is made for sin, but the audience and
acceptance of our prayers and an answer of peace to them are obtained for us: to that

27. sacrifice, in all our supplications, we must have an eye.

28. ow concerning Hannah's prayer
we may observe,
The warm and lively devotion there was in it, which appeared in several instances, for our
direction in prayer. (1.) She improved the present grief and trouble of her spirit for the
exciting and quickening of her pious affections in prayer: Being in bitterness of soul, she
prayed, 1Sa_1:10. This good use we should make of our afflictions, they should make us the
more lively in our addresses to God. Our blessed Saviour himself, being in an agony, prayed
more earnestly, Luk_22:44. (2.) She mingled tears with her prayers. It was not a dry prayer:
she wept sore. Like a true Israelite, she wept and made supplication (Hos_12:4), with an eye
to the tender mercy of our God, who knows the troubled soul. The prayer came from her
heart, as the tears from her eyes.”
3. The Jewish author Dr. Leila Bronner gives us some information on this prayer that is
very interesting and hard to find elsewhere. She wrote, “Hannah's prayer is a personal
petition that is at once request, expostulation, and vow. Moreover, as the only petitioner in
the Bible accused of drunkenness, she answers with great eloquence and confidence,
enough to elicit the blessings of the priest Eli. Altogether, Hannah is a curious combination
of assertiveness and humility. On the one hand, she is single-minded in her determination
to have a child: she goes to the shrine alone, after making a scene, to make a request that
her own husband explicitly finds unnecessary; he has said to her, "Hannah, why weepest
thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than
ten sons?" (1 Sam. 1:8). On the other hand, in her prayer and her answer to Eli, she
presents herself as a person deserving attention not because she is great in virtue and
power but because she is a sincere and unhappy servant of God.
As Hannah is the only woman whose prayer to God is recorded in the Bible, one would
expect the rabbis to seize on her prayer as the definitive instance of how women but not
men should pray. The rabbis do no such thing. Instead, they use her prayer to teach how all
people, male and female, should pray. Despite their marked gender consciousness, the
rabbis never once comment on the fact that Hannah is female when discussing her brilliant
aptitude for prayer. They seem to look past Hannah's gender to her humanity to
emphasize that in personal prayer there is only a human trying to communicate with God.
The key to having children is in God's hands, and a son was the great prize offered to
women of the Bible. The pain of infertility is in the stories of the barren women in the
Bible: Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Hannah, and Samson's mother. Each of these women has a
traumatic time until she is released from her infertility by divine intercession. Despite the
notable similarities between the prayer of Hannah and the prayers of Moses and Hezekiah
in terms of emotion, there are notable differences as well. Hannah is the only woman and
the only petitioner who prays in a shrine, of course, but she also approaches God
differently. She is the only one to make a vow, and she is most humble of the three.
Many of the stories in the Babylonian Talmud show Hannah trying different tactics to
attract the attention of God. They have her point out to God, "Of all the hosts and hosts
that Thou has created in Thy world, is it so hard in Thy eyes to give me one son?" In the

29. same vein, although much more contrived, is this supposed petition: "Sovereign of the
Universe, among all the things that Thou hast created in a woman, Thou hast not created
one without a purpose, eyes to see, ears to hear, a nose to smell, a mouth to speak, hands to
do work, legs to walk with, breasts to give suck. These breasts that Thou has put on my
heart, are they not to give suck? Give me a son that I may suckle with them!" (b.Ber.31b).
Most of the other petitioners of the Bible are kings and prophets, heroes and sages. Thus,
Hannah's story allows that rabbis to demonstrate that the commoner is as likely as the
prophet to get an answer from God if the prayer is offered with a humble heart and with
sincerity.”
4. John

30. ewton,
When Hannah, pressed with grief,
Poured forth her soul in prayer;
She quickly found relief,
And left her burden there:
Like her, in every trying case,
Let us approach the throne of grace.
When she began to pray,
Her heart was pained and sad;
But ere she went away,
Was comforted and glad:
In trouble, what a resting place,
Have they who know the throne of grace!
Though men and devils rage,
And threaten to devour;
The saints, from age to age,
Are safe from all their pow’r:
Fresh strength they gain to run their race,
By waiting at the throne of grace.
Eli her case mistook,
How was her spirit moved
By his unkind rebuke?
But God her cause approved.
We need not fear a creature’s face,
While welcome at the throne of grace.
She was not filled with wine,
As Eli rashly thought;
But with a faith divine,
And found the help she sought:
Though men despise and call us base,
Still let us ply the throne of grace.
Men have not pow’r or skill,

31. With troubled souls to bear;
Though they express good-will,
Poor comforters they are:
But swelling sorrows sink apace,
When we approach the throne of grace.

32. umbers before have tried,
And found the promise true;

33. or one been yet denied,
Then why should I or you?
Let us by faith their footsteps trace,
And hasten to the throne of grace.
As fogs obscure the light,
And taint the morning air;
But soon are put to flight,
If the bright sun appear;
Thus Jesus will our troubles chase,
By shining from the throne of grace.
11 And she made a vow, saying, "O LORD Almighty, if
you will only look upon your servant's misery and
remember me, and not forget your servant but give
her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the
days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his
head."
1. Give me a son and I will give him back to serve you for the rest of his life. She just
desperately wanted to have a son, and if she had to give him up to God's service to get him,
then so be it. I will do anything to have this child.
2. Jamison, “she prayed ... she vowed a vow — Here is a specimen of the intense desire that
reigned in the bosoms of the Hebrew women for children. This was the burden of Hannah’s
prayer; and the strong preference she expressed for a male child originated in her purpose
of dedicating him to the tabernacle service. The circumstance of his birth bound him to
this; but his residence within the precincts of the sanctuary would have to commence at an
earlier age than usual, in consequence of the

34. azarite vow.

35. 3Henry, “She was very particular, and yet very modest, in her petition. She begged a child,
a man-child, that it might be fit to serve in the tabernacle. God gives us leave, in prayer, not
only to ask good things in general, but to mention that special good thing which we most
need and desire. Yet she says not, as Rachel, Give me children, Gen_30:1. She will be very
thankful for one. (4.) She made a solemn vow, or promise, that if God would give her a son
she would give him up to God, 1Sa_1:11. He would be by birth a Levite, and so devoted to
the service of God, but he should be by her vow a

36. azarite, and his very childhood should
be sacred. It is probable she had acquainted Elkanah with her purpose before, and had had
his consent and approbation.

37. ote, Parents have a right to dedicate their children to God,
as living sacrifices and spiritual priests; and an obligation is thereby laid upon them to
serve God faithfully all the days of their life.

38. ote further, It is very proper, when we are in
pursuit of any mercy, to bind our own souls with a bond, that, if God give it us, we will
devote it to his honour and cheerfully use it in his service.

39. ot that hereby we can pretend
to merit the gift, but thus we are qualified for it and for the comfort of it. In hope of mercy,
let us promise duty”
4. Clarke, “I will give him unto the Lord - Samuel, as a descendant of the house of Levi,
was the Lord’s property from twenty-five years of age till fifty; but the vow here implies
that he should be consecrated to the Lord from his infancy to his death, and that he should
not only act as a Levite, but as a

40. azarite, on whose head no razor should pass.”
5. Davis: “In great bitterness of soul (v. 10; cf. II Kings 4:27) she prayed to the Lord and
the essence of this prayer is wrapped up in two words found in verse 11, ‘remember
me.’ These words have a familiar ring to them. They represent the prayer of a soul in
desperate need. One is reminded of the simplicity of Samson’s prayer recorded in
Judges 16:28. In blindness and helplessness he cried out to his God and asked to be
‘remembered.’ This prayer was also found on the lips of a man being crucified at
Calvary. One of the malefactors who was hanged with Jesus looked to Him with faith
and said, ‘Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom’ (Luke 23:42). The
sincerity and the simplicity of this pleas were quickly recognized by the Lord, and He
replied, ‘To day shalt thou be with me in paradise (Luke 23:42).”
6. Gill, “And she vowed a vow,.... Which might be confirmed by her husband; otherwise the
vow of a woman, if disapproved of by her husband, was not valid,

41. um_30:8 and Elkanah
might make the same vow his wife did, and so it stood; for as this was a vow of

42. azariteship, it is a tradition of the Jews (r), that a man may vow his son to be a

43. azarite,
but a woman may not; but as this instance contradicts the tradition, they endeavour to
explain away this vow, as it may respect a

44. azarite, as will be observed hereafter:
and said, O Lord of hosts; this is properly the first time this title was used by any that we
know of; for though it is expressed in 1Sa_1:3 there it is used as the words of the writer of
this history, and so long after this prayer was put up; See Gill on 1Sa_1:3; and it is an
observation in the Talmud (s), that from the day God created the world, no man called him
the Lord of hosts till Hannah came and called him so:

45. if thou wilt indeed look upon the affliction of thine handmaid the sorrow of heart she had,
the reproach she met with, on account of her having no children:
and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid; which petitions are the same in other
words, and are repeated to denote her vehemence and importunity in prayer, and may
allude to usages among men, that will look upon a person in distress, and turn away and
forget them, and never think of them more; which she deprecates may not be her case with
God:
but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child; or, "a seed of men" (t); a son in the midst of
men, as the Targum; such as is desirable by men, as a male child for the most part is;
though some Jewish writers interpret it of the seed of righteous, wise, and understanding
men, such as be fit to serve the Lord, which seems to be a sense foreign to the text; a man
child she asks, because no other could serve the Lord in the temple; and that she meant by
this phrase such an one is clear, because she vowed that a razor should not come on its
head, which is never said of females, as Kimchi observes:
then will I give him unto the Lord all the days of his life; to serve him, and minister unto
him in the sanctuary; being born a Levite, it was incumbent on him to serve the Lord, and
he had a right to his service; but then a common Levite did not enter on it until twenty five
or thirty years of age, and was not always serving, but was dismissed from it at fifty

46. um_8:24; but the child she vows, if the Lord would give her such an one, should be
trained up in his service from his infancy, and continue it all the days of his life; and was to
be also a perpetual

47. azarite, as Samson was, as follows:
and there shall no razor come upon his head; as was not to come upon a

48. azarite, during
his

49. azariteship,

50. um_6:5 and as such a vow made by a woman contradicts the tradition
of the Jews before mentioned, they give another sense of this clause; as the Targum, which
paraphrases it,"and the fear of man shall not be upon him;''but about this there is a
division (u); but that Samuel was

51. azarite, and a perpetual one, is the sense of their best
interpreters.”
7. Ron Daniel, “Hannah prayed in her vow, "...a razor shall never come on his head." This
might seem like a strange promise: "Lord, if you give me a son, I'll make sure he never gets
a haircut." It could be that she is promising that he will be a

52. azirite for life. Remember
that the

53. azirite vow was first brought up back in

54. umbers 6. It was made by a man or
woman to dedicate themselves to the Lord. It was a time of separating oneself unto the
Lord. The

55. azirite abstained from the fruit of the vine: not only alcohol, but also vinegar,
grape juice, grapes, and raisins. He did not cut his hair during the time of his vow, and he
was not to be defiled by touching a corpse. It is possible, though not conclusive here, that
Hannah was promising the Lord that this boy would be a

56. azirite for life, just as Samson
had been called to be (though didn't do a very good job of it).”
8. Joe Guglielmo, “Remember that this time frame was during or around the time of
Samson. And it is possible that the birth of Samson had reached Hannah. That she heard

57. how God opened the womb of Manoah's wife and she bore a son, Samson. And how this
child was to be a

58. azarite from birth. And so Hannah's request is no longer self-motivated,
but she was willing to give this child back to the Lord. This vow of the

59. azarite is found in

60. umbers 6:1-18 and seen in Samson in Judges 13:2-5. And it means "to separate" or "to
consecrate" oneself to God.”
9. Francis Cox, “This solemn address to Heaven exemplifies some of the essential qualities
of genuine prayer. It is marked by reverence and godly fear; for she appeals to "the Lord of
hosts," whose prerogative it is to marshal the celestial armies, and to regulate with
undeviating skill and irresistible influence the affairs of this lower world: it displays
profound humility; for she repeats the simple and self-abasing term, "thine handmaid:" it
expresses submission and dependence of spirit; for she refers with implicit obedience to the
determinations of the divine will, as comprising whatever is best calculated to promote her
real interests, though without presumption, she solicits Omnipotent interference to remove
her affliction, if it should comport with the arrangements, and seem proper to the wisdom
of God; it manifests an importunity which will always operate with more or less intenseness
in every genuine prayer. Her solemn vow, her judicious repetitions, her whole phraseology,
evince this prevailing disposition. She kindles with holy fervor, and seems to stretch forth
her eager hand to take the blessing which she cannot persuade herself will be refused. She
is fully aware that power and goodness combine in perfect proportions to influence the
dispensations of the God whom she addresses, and pleads with success, because she pleads
with fervor.”
12 As she kept on praying to the LORD , Eli observed
her mouth.
1. She was focused on the Lord, but Eli was focused on her, and she seemed to be acting
strange. He saw her mouth move but there was no sound coming out.
2. Gill, “And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord,.... Being very
earnest and importunate with him to grant her request, and therefore repeated her
petition, and prolonged her prayer, being unwilling to let the Lord go, until she had a
promise, or some satisfaction, that she should have the thing she liked; some think she
continued an hour in prayer: that Eli marked her mouth; observed the motion of her lips,
and no doubt her distorted countenance, and uplifted eyes and hands, but chiefly the
former; not knowing what the woman was at, and what could be the meaning of such
motions.”
3. Brian Bill, “It’s significant that verse 12 says, “she kept on praying to the Lord.” This
wasn’t just a quick popcorn prayer. This was a repeated request, bathed in tears.

61. otice
also that she prayed this prayer in her heart, not audibly like most Hebrews prayed. She

62. prayed secretly, not wanting to draw any attention to herself. We don’t have to always pray
out loud, but simply pray from our heart because our thoughts are as words to God. Her
quiet prayer had an unfortunate consequence when Eli, the priest, accused her of being
drunk. That says a lot about the culture at that time – there were probably drunken people
around the temple and Eli thought she was one of them.”
13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were
moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she
was drunk
1. The fact that Eli thought she was drunk indicates that people were likely to get drunk
with wine at these feasts and celebrations. It was far less of a problem in that day for they
did not drive home at 70 miles per hour, but walked or rode a donkey. Their statistics for
people killed on the road were extremely different from ours.

63. evertheless, it was not
acceptable for a woman to come to the tabernacle drunk, and carrying on in such a strange
fashion. He had to scold her and urge her to do away with her wine.
2. Henry, “ She spoke all this so softly that none could hear her. Her lips moved, but her
voice was not heard, 1Sa_1:13. Hereby she testified her belief of God's knowledge of the
heart and its desires. Thoughts are words to him, nor is he one of those gods that must be
cried aloud to, 1Ki_18:27. It was likewise an instance of her humility and holy
shamefacedness in her approach to God. She was none of those that made her voice to be
heard on high, Isa_58:4. It was a secret prayer, and therefore, though made in a public
place, yet was thus made secretly, and not, as the Pharisees prayed, to be seen of men. It is
true prayer is not a thing we have reason to be ashamed of, but we must avoid all
appearances of ostentation. Let what passes between God and our souls be kept to
ourselves.”
3. Gill, “

64. ow Hannah, she spake in her heart,.... It was mental prayer she used, some
ejaculations of her mind she sent up to God, which she was sensible were well known to
him, and she needed not to express vocally: only her lips moved; as her heart spoke, and
sent up her petitions, as if she had used words and phrases in form: but her voice was not
heard: that she might not seem to be ostentatious in her prayer, and that she might not
interrupt others in their devotions; and she knew that her voice was not necessary with
respect to God: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken; by the motions she made, and
gestures she used, as if she was muttering something to herself, and by her long
continuance therein, and it being after a feast she had been at with her husband, and the
rest of the family; from all which Eli concluded this must be her case.”
4. Rev. Jeanette Mathews, “

65. ow the Priest Eli was definitely not a feminist. He was hardly

66. even a man of understanding – I have a book in my office entitled "Basic pastoral care and
counseling". It strikes me that Eli doesn't even have a basic concern for this woman in his
church. Where Elkanah recognized his wife as a person in her own right, Eli doesn't even
seem to expect a woman to have a spiritual dimension. His only explanation for this
distressed woman at the altar was that she was under the influence of alcohol. This is a
classic case of prejudice - what Eli expected or didn’t expect colored what he saw. One
commentary put it this way: "difficult as it is to grasp someone else's pain, it is easy to
judge another's behavior."
But Hannah stood up for herself. She spoke respectfully to Eli, but she made an important
political and social statement. In effect she asked for the empathy that we all should use in
our relationships with others – there is a common saying "Do not criticize a person until
you have walked a mile in their shoes". And Eli to his credit accepted her explanation and
affirmed her prayer. And before we judge Eli too harshly we should recognize that perhaps
he did have some excuse for not expecting to see a woman in prayer: Because until that
time there had been no record of private prayer in the temple - the "house of the Lord"
was a place for animal sacrifice, for public liturgy marked by high ritual and incense, for
priests to stand in the place of ordinary people. Any speech in the place of worship until
that time had been public, representative, communal. Hannah as an individual in prayer
speaking "in her heart" was acting audaciously for her time. She had risen and entered the
temple on her own - no sacrifice, no priest to intercede, no liturgical convention: her deep
need had caused her to bring her own request to her God.”
14 and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting
drunk? Get rid of your wine."
1. Her day could not get worse she thought, but then the priest approaches her and
assuming she is loaded with wine, and in a drunken state from her excessive celebrating at
the feast, and tells her to lay off the wine, and get rid of it. This was a fine way to top off her
day with the religious leader of her people labeling her a drunk. Even the best of men can
be fools and cruel by jumping to conclusions. Don't make up your mind about another
persons behavior until you get the facts. A woman known only as Sarah wrote what she
called A different kind of prayer..... I want to share a portion of it because it reminds us that
we often make judgments about people before we know any of the circumstance that are
behind their behavior.
Heavenly Father, Help us remember that that the jerk

67. who cut us off traffic last night is a single mother
who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to
cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and
spend a few precious moments with her children.
Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed,
disinterested young man who can't make change
correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student,
balancing his apprehension over final exams with his
fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.
Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging
for money in the same spot every day (who really ought
to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only
imagine in our worst nightmares.”
2. Henry, “The hard censure she fell under for it. Eli was now high priest, and judge in
Israel; he sat upon a seat in the temple, to oversee what was done there, 1Sa_1:9. The
tabernacle is here called the temple, because it was now fixed, and served all the purposes of
a temple. There Eli sat to receive addresses and give direction, and somewhere (it is
probable in a private corner) he espied Hannah at her prayers, and by her unusual manner
fancied she was drunken, and spoke to her accordingly (1Sa_1:14): How long wilt thou be
drunken? - the very imputation that Peter and the apostles fell under when the Holy Ghost
gave them utterance, Act_2:13. Perhaps in this degenerate age it was no strange thing to see
drunken women at the door of the tabernacle; for otherwise, one would think, the vile lust
of Hophni and Phinehas could not have found so easy a prey there, 1Sa_2:22. Eli took
Hannah for one of these. It is one bad effect of the abounding of iniquity, and its becoming
fashionable, that it often gives occasion to suspect the innocent. When a disease is
epidemical every one is suspected to be tainted with it.

68. ow, (1.) This was Eli's fault; and a
great fault it was to pass so severe a censure without better observation or information. If
his own eyes had already become dim, he should have employed those about him to
enquire. Drunkards are commonly noisy and turbulent, but this poor woman was silent
and composed. His fault was the worse that he was the priest of the Lord, who should have
had compassion on the ignorant, Heb_5:2.

69. ote, It ill becomes us to be rash and hasty in our
censures of others, and to be forward to believe people guilty of bad things, while either the
matter of fact on which the censure is grounded is doubtful and unproved or is capable of a
good construction. Charity commands us to hope the best concerning all, and forbids
censoriousness. Paul had very good information when he did but partly believe (1Co_11:18),
hoping it was not so. Especially we ought to be cautious how we censure the devotions of
others, lest we call that hypocrisy, enthusiasm, or superstition, which is really the fruit of an
honest zeal, and it is accepted of God. (2.) It was Hannah's affliction; and a great affliction
it was, added to all the rest, vinegar to the wounds of her spirit. She had been reproved by
Elkanah because she would not eat and drink, and now to be reproached by Eli as if she
had eaten and drunk too much was very hard.

70. ote, It is no new thing for those that do
well to be ill thought of, and we must not think it strange if at any time it be our lot.”

71. 3. Gill, “And Eli said unto her, how long wilt thou be drunken?.... What, every day drunk?
what, continually in this wicked practice? when will it be stopped? for Eli might have
observed on other days, and at other times, odd looks, and a strange behaviour in her,
which he took for the effects of drinking too much wine: or how long will this drunken fit
last? she had been a considerable time as he thought in it, and it was not gone off yet: the
Targum is,"how long wilt thou behave like a fool, or a mad woman?''as drunken people
generally do act, as if they were fools, or mad:
put away thy wine from thee; not as if she had any with her there to drink of, but he
advises her, since it had such an effect upon her, to abstain from it, and wholly disuse it,
and so break off such an habit and custom she had got into; or he would have her go home
and sleep it out, and wait till she had digested it, and the strength of it was gone off, before
she came to such a place of devotion and worship; from hence the Jews say (w) it may be
learnt, that a drunken person ought not to pray.”
4. Francis Cox, “It may be admitted, as an extenuation of this rude attack, that the good
priest was jealous for the honor of his God, whose temple he supposed was suffering
profanation by indecent conduct: and that, instead of turning tale-bearer and whisperer, he
openly expressed his sentiments to the party concerned, affording an opportunity for
acknowledgment or explanation. Still his precipitancy cannot be justified. It was his duty to
have obtained better evidence, before he ventured upon such a crimination; or, at least, to
have been more ceremonious and considerate. Reproof may be well merited; but, in order
that its end be answered, it should be properly administered.”
15 "

72. ot so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman
who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine
or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD .
1. She did not lash out at Eli for being such a jerk as to accuse her of coming to church
drunk. She just corrects his misunderstanding without taking offense. She knew he had no
idea of what she was going through, and so she just tells it like it is. She is a deeply troubled
woman pouring out her distressed soul to the Lord. I am drunk with sorrow and not with
wine.
2. Gill, “ And Hannah answered and said, no, my lord,.... That is not my case, you have
greatly mistaken it; she answered with great mildness and meekness, without falling into a
passion at such a scandalous imputation upon her, and with great respect and reverence to
Eli, suitable to his office; so in later times the high priest used to be addressed after this
manner, particularly on the day of atonement, "Lord high priest", do so and so (x); indeed
these words of Hannah are interpreted as not so very respectful, as if the sense was, not a
lord art thou in this matter; nor does the Holy Ghost dwell upon thee (y); which thou hast
sufficiently shown, or thou wouldest never have suspected me of drunkenness:

73. I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: depressed with trouble and grief on account of
afflictions; if she was drunk, it was not with wine, but with sorrow: or "a woman of a hard
spirit" (z); which is sometimes taken in an ill sense, and, according to Abarbinel, is here
denied by her, who connects this clause with the preceding thus; not, my lord, am I a
woman of a hard spirit, or such a hardened wretch, and such an impudent woman, as I
must be, were it so, to come drunk into the house of God, and pretend to pray unto him:
I have drank neither wine nor strong drink; not any sort of intoxicating liquors that day,
neither wine new or old, as the Targum: but have poured out my soul before the Lord: the
affliction of it, as the same paraphrase; the grievances and distresses, the complaints of her
soul, which were many, and which she had poured out before the Lord freely and
plentifully, and which had taken up some time to do it; see Psa_42:8 where phrases similar
to this are used, and which seem to be taken from hence.”
3. Henry, “Hannah's humble vindication of herself from this crime with which she was
charged. She bore it admirably well. She did not retort the charge and upbraid him with
the debauchery of his own sons, did not bid him look at home and restrain them, did not
tell him how ill it became one in his place thus to abuse a poor sorrowful worshipper at the
throne of grace. When we are at any time unjustly censured we have need to set a double
watch before the door of our lips, that we do not recriminate, and return censure for
censure. Hannah thought it enough to vindicate herself, and so must we, 1Sa_1:15,
1Sa_1:16. (1.) In justice to herself, she expressly denies the charge, speaks to him with all
possible respect, calls him, My lord, intimates how very desirous she was to stand right in
his opinion and how loth to lie under his censure. “

74. o, my lord, it is not as you suspect; I
have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, not any at all” (though it was proper enough to
be given to one of such a heavy heart, Pro_31:6), “much less to any excess; therefore count
not thy handmaid for a daughter of Belial.”

75. ote, Drunkards are children of Belial (women-drunkards,
particularly), children of the wicked one, children of disobedience, children
that will not endure the yoke (else they would not be drunk), more especially when they are
actually drunk. Those that cannot govern themselves will not bear that any one else should.
Hannah owns that the crime would have been very great if she had indeed been guilty of it,
and he might justly have shut her out of the courts of God's house; but the very manner of
her speaking in her own defence was sufficient to demonstrate that she was not drunk.”
4. F. B. Meyer, “Hannah's soul was fall of complaint and grief, which flowed over into her
face and made it sorrowful. But when she had poured out her soul before the Lord,
emptying out all its bitterness, the peace of God took the place of her soul anguish, she went
her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. What a glad exchange! How
great the contrast! How much the better for herself, and for her home!
Is your face darkened by the bitterness of your soul? Perhaps the enemy has been vexing
you sorely; or there is an unrealized hope, an unfulfilled purpose. in your life; or,
perchance, the Lord seems to have forgotten you. Poor sufferer, there is nothing for it but
to pour out your soul before the Lord. Empty out its contents in confession and prayer. God

76. knows it all; yet tell Him, as if He knew nothing. "Ye people, pour out your hearts before
Him. God is a refuge for us." "In everything, by prayer and supplication make your
requests known unto God."
As we pour out our bitterness, God pours in his peace. Weeping goes out of one door whilst
joy enters at another. We transmit the cup of tears to the Man of Sorrows, and He hands it
back to us filled with the blessings of the new covenant. Some day you will come to the spot
where you wept and prayed, bringing your offering of praise and thanksgiving.”
16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I
have been praying here out of my great anguish and
grief."
1. Gill, “ Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial,.... A yokeless, a lawless,
impudent, and abandoned creature; one of the most wicked, vilest, and most profligate
wretches; as she must be to come drunk into the sanctuary of God; see 1Sa_25:17.
Drunkenness in man is au abominable crime, but much more in a woman. The Romans (a)
forbad wine to women, and drunkenness in them was a capital crime, as adultery, or any
other; and indeed a drunken woman is liable to all manner of sin: for out of the abundance
of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto; out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth will speak, whether it is matter of trouble or of joy; the heart of Hannah was full of
grief, and her mouth full of complaints, on which she long dwelt, in order to give vent
thereunto, and ease herself.”
2. Henry, “In justice to him, she gives an account of her present behavior, which had given
occasion to his suspicion: “I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit, dejected and discomposed,
and that is the reason I do not look as other people; the eyes are red, not with wine, but
with weeping. And at this time I have not been talking to myself, as drunkards and fools do,
but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord, who hears and understands the
language of the heart, and this out of the abundance of my complaint and grief.” She had
been more than ordinarily fervent in prayer to God, and this, she tells him, was the true
reason of the transport and disorder she seemed to be in.

77. ote, When we are unjustly
censured we should endeavour, not only to clear ourselves, but to satisfy our brethren, by
giving them a just and true account of that which they misapprehended.”
17 Eli answered, "Go in peace, and may the God of

78. Israel grant you what you have asked of him."
1. When Eli became aware of her battle, he was supportive and encouraging to her. He sent
her away with his blessing, and with a prayer that her prayer might be answered.
1B. Francis Cox, “Eli, perceiving his mistake, disdains to persist in it. Like a man of
integrity and piety, he corrects himself at once, dismisses her with a blessing, and prays for
her success. This was making the best possible reparation, and it was done with a
promptness which evinced its sincerity. The good man was as ready to express his
approbation, when convinced of Hannah's innocence, as he had been to censure her
conduct, when he imagined it to be culpable.”
2. Henry, “ The atonement Eli made for his rash unfriendly censure, by a kind and fatherly
benediction, 1Sa_1:17. He did not (as many are apt to do in such a case) take it for an
affront to have his mistake rectified and to be convinced of his error, nor did it put him out
of humour. But, on the contrary, he now encouraged Hannah's devotions as much as before
he had discountenanced them; not only intimated that he was satisfied of her innocency by
those words, Go in peace, but, being high priest, as one having authority he blessed her in
the name of the Lord, and, though he knew not what the particular blessing was that she
had been praying for, yet he puts his Amen to it, so good an opinion had he now conceived
of her prudence and piety: The God of Israel grant thee thy petition, whatever it is, that thou
hast asked of him.

79. ote, By our meek and humble carriage towards those that reproach us
because they do not know us, we may perhaps make them our friends, and turn their
censures of us into prayers for us.”
3. Gill, “Then Eli answered and said, go in peace,.... He found he was mistaken in her, and
that her discourse was not only sober and rational, but religious and spiritual; and
therefore dismisses her in peace, and bids her not distress herself with what he had said to
her, nor with anything she had met with from others, or from the Lord; but expect peace
and prosperity, and particularly success in what she had been engaged, and had been
solicitous for:
and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him; which may be
considered either as a prayer for her, he joining with her in a request to the Lord, that what
she had asked might be granted; or as a prophecy that so it would be, it being revealed to
him by the Holy Ghost, as the high priest of the Lord; or impressed by an impulse upon his
spirit that the favour asked would be given; and therefore she might go home in peace, and
with satisfaction of mind.”
4. “Possibly Eli never knew how great and good a deed he had done that day, but it is well
we should know it, for it marked the turn of the tide in Hannah s life. Had not the priest of
God, Jehovah s vicegerent, linked his prayer with her own, and, with the ready instinct of
her sex for favorable omens even in matters of religion, Hannah now saw that her prayer,

80. joined with that of the priest, would indeed be answered and her desire fulfilled. On that
supposition alone can the words of ver. 18 be explained : " So the woman went her way,
and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad." author unknown
18 She said, "May your servant find favor in your
eyes." Then she went her way and ate something, and
her face was no longer downcast.
1. Hannah was greatly helped by her prayer and her conversation with Eli, for she went
away to go back to the table and eat some of her abundant plate of food. The rest of the
family must have been pleasantly surprised, for she came back with a face no longer
downcast, but uplifted and bright with a new spirit of hope. She may not have been the life
of the party, but at least she was now one of the celebrators at the feast.
1B. Joe Guglielmo, “What has changed in her situation? She is still barren. She has no son.
And yet there is joy in her heart. Her countenance has changed. That sadness on the inside
has changed to happiness and has now burst forth outwardly. She is eating again and
joining in on the activities of this festive time. But why? Because of what Eli said. She
believed that God spoke through Eli and that encouraged her. She believed by faith the
word of God and that was reflected in her actions.”
1C. Francis Cox, “Restored to tranquility and happiness, Hannah withdrew from the
temple, and "her countenance was no more sad." Her innocence was apparent to the priest,
her petition heard in heaven. She went up weeping, she returned rejoicing. Devotion had
pacified her troubled breast, and since "committing her way to the Lord," the tide had
ebbed, the sky had cleared. She knew that her request would be granted, or, if denied, that
she should see occasion ultimately to feel perfect acquiescence and satisfaction in the
determinations of Providence. She, therefore, wiped away her tears, and dismissed her
anxiety. Such is the relief afforded by humble prayer. How often has sorrow been
transformed into joy by religious exercises! From the dark vale of life, where the winds
blow and the rains descend, how often has the pious mourner ascended to that sacred
mount of communion with God, the closet, or to the "holy hill of Zion," and dwelt in the
sunshine of heaven! Agitated no longer with conflicting elements, and mysterious events,
the clouds have appeared far, far below; while the omnipotent hand has been seen engaged
in regulating their movements, directing their course, and preparing to disperse them in
every direction.
It is obvious that no combination of happy circumstances, no human power, no earthly
friendship, could have afforded substantial consolation to Hannah, if she had not repaired
to the mercy-seat. Already had her affectionate husband attempted, in vain, to sooth her

81. grief. He had renewed his love, wiped off her tears, kindly remonstrated and reasoned with
her.--Hannah! "am not I better to thee than ten sons?" Ah! what avails it! Elkanah can
sympathize, but he cannot relieve--he can reason, but he cannot remove the cause of her
sorrows--he cannot turn the course of nature, or renew the springs of existence--he cannot
change weakness for strength, or convert barrenness into fertility: but he who has all
resources in his hands, all elements and worlds at his disposal, can; and, at the voice of
prayer, will accomplish the holy desires of the mind.
Henceforward, the sacred narrative omits the name of Peninnah, and there is nothing in
her history to induce a wish to penetrate the concealing veil. She was, in fact, originally
introduced to notice for the purpose of illustrating the more valuable qualities of Hannah,
whose excellence continues to shine with undiminished luster to the end of her days. It is
indeed profitable, as a warning, to contemplate specimens of moral deformity as well as
examples of moral worth; but we naturally hasten from the offensive, to the pleasing and
attractive forms of female character. Peninnah perishes unregretted from the page--
Hannah continues to adorn it, and obtains an everlasting remembrance.”
2. Henry, “The great satisfaction of mind with which Hannah now went away, 1Sa_1:18.
She begged the continuance of Eli's good opinion of her and his good prayers for her, and
then she went her way and did eat of what remained of the peace-offerings (none of which
was to be left until the morning), and her countenance was no more sad, no more as it had
been, giving marks of inward trouble and discomposure; but she looked pleasant and
cheerful, and all was well. Why, what had happened? Whence came this sudden happy
change? She had by prayer committed her case to God and left it with him, and now she
was no more perplexed about it. She had prayed for herself, and Eli had prayed for her;
and she believed that God would either give her the mercy she had prayed for or make up
the want of it to her some other way.

82. ote, Prayer is heart's-ease to a gracious soul; the
seed of Jacob have often found it so, being confident that God will never say unto them,
Seek you me in vain, see Phi_4:6, Phi_4:7. Prayer will smooth the countenance; it should do
so.”
3. Barnes, “A beautiful example of the composing influence of prayer. Hannah had cast her
burden upon the Lord, and so her own spirit was relieved of its load. She now returned to
the family feast, and ate her portion with a cheerful heart.”
4. Gill, “And she said, let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight,.... She had found favour
in his sight she perceives, and she desires it might be continued and increased; and that as
he had prayed for her, he would still use his interest at the throne of grace for her: so the
woman went her way; took her leave of Eli, and went from the tabernacle to her husband:
and did eat; what remained of the peace offerings, which were to be eaten that night, and
not left till the morning; and though she would not eat her dinner, her heart was so full of
grief, yet she could now make a good supper, being eased and relieved in her mind: and her
countenance was no more sad; sorrowful and dejected, but cheerful, brisk, and lively;
believing that her prayers, and those of the high priest, would be answered.”

83. 19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped
before the LORD and then went back to their home at
Ramah. Elkanah lay with Hannah his wife, and the
LORD remembered her.
1. Hannah was in a far better mood now, and this is always a sign to a husband that love
making is potential, and that is just what they did when they got home to their own bed.
God was mindful of her earnest prayer, and by means of power that only he has, he made
her body do what it could not do before, and her potential for childbirth began to unfold.
We cannot imagine that this was the first time Hannah pleaded with God to change her
body so she could conceive a child, but this time it seems she had a more determined spirit,
and desperately wanted this child as never before. Her sorrow had reached a depth where
she could endure it no longer, and she cried out to God for relief. Maybe it was before this
time a desire, but she also loved being free from child care like her sister wife. Maybe she
liked the independence and special time she had with her husband without children.
Whatever the case, this prayer had made it through to God, and he was paying attention to
her need for a child. Here we have a perfect example of how God demands that there be
human cooperation in achieving an answer to prayer. Had they never gone to bed with each
other no amount of prayer would have led to an answer to her prayer. God expects us to be
partners with him in achieving goals that call for a combination of human and divine
effort. Prayer without sex never leads to motherhood, with the exception of the virgin
Mary. Science has come up with a way to get a baby without sex as a personal relationship,
but that is still by the use of the sexual ingredients.
2. Gill, “ And they rose up in the morning early,.... Partly for devotion, and partly for the
sake of their journey: and worshiped before the Lord; went up to the tabernacle, and
prayed with their faces towards that part of it, the western part, where stood the ark of the
Lord, the symbol of the divine Presence; and when they no doubt gave thanks for all the
favours they had received there, and prayed for a safe and prosperous journey home,
committing themselves to the care of divine Providence: and returned, and came to their
house to Ramah; or "Ramatha", the same with Ramathaim, 1Sa_1:1. Abarbinel thinks that
Elkanah had two houses, one at Ramah for Peninnah, and another at Ramatha for
Hannah; and that this was Hannah's house, to which they returned and came: and Elkanah
knew Hannah his wife: cohabited with her as a man with his wife; it is a modest expression
of the conjugal act; see Gen_4:1 and is observed to show that the conception and birth of
Samuel were not in a supernatural way, but in the ordinary way and manner of generation:
and the Lord remembered her; the prayer she had made to him, opened her womb, as he
had before shut it, and gave her power to conceive.”
3. Henry, “The return of Elkanah and his family to their own habitation, when the days

84. appointed for the feast were over, 1Sa_1:19. Observe how they improved their time at the
tabernacle. Every day they were there, even that which was fixed for their journey home,
they worshipped God; and they rose up early to do it. It is good to begin the day with God.
Let him that is the first have the first. They had a journey before them, and a family of
children to take with them, and yet they would not stir till they had worshiped God
together. Prayer and provender do not hinder a journey. They had spent several days now
in religious worship, and yet they attended once more. We should not be weary of well-doing.”
20 So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave
birth to a son. She named him Samuel, [3] saying,
"Because I asked the LORD for him."
1. Jamison, “called his name Samuel — doubtless with her husband’s consent. The names
of children were given sometimes by the fathers, and sometimes by the mothers (see
Gen_4:1, Gen_4:26; Gen_5:29; Gen_19:37; Gen_21:3); and among the early Hebrews, they
were commonly compound names, one part including the name of God.”
2. Barnes, “Samuel - i. e. heard of God, because given in answer to prayer. The names
“Ishmael” and “Elishama” have the same etymology.”
3. Gill, “ Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about, after Hannah had
conceived,.... Or, "at the revolutions of days" (b); at the end of a year, of a complete year, as
Ben Melech, from their return from Shiloh; for it might be some time after their return
that she conceived; or rather the sense is, that at nine months' end, the usual time of a
woman's going with child from her conception, which is the date here given: that she bare a
son: was brought to bed of a son:
and called his name Samuel, saying, because I have asked him of the Lord; one would think
rather his name should have been Saul, for the reason given; but, as Ben Gersom observes,
givers of names are not always grammatically strict and critical in them, or in the
etymology of them, as in the names of Reuben and

85. oah, in which he instances; and this
may be the rather overlooked in a woman, than in a man of learning. According to Kimchi,
it is as if it was Saulmeel; that is, "asked of God", and by contraction Samuel; but Hillerus
(c) gives a better account of this name, and takes it to be composed of Saul-mul-el, "asked
before God", "in the sight of God", "before the ark of God". This name Hannah gave her
son (for sometimes the father, and sometimes the mother, gave the name) in memory of the
wonderful favour and goodness of God in granting her request; and to impress her own
mind with a sense of the obligation she lay under, to perform her vow, and to engage her
son the more readily to give up himself to the service of God, when he reflected on his

86. name, and the reason of it.”
4. Henry, “The birth and name of this desired son. At length the Lord remembered
Hannah, the very thing she desired (1Sa_1:11), and more she needed not desire, that was
enough, for then she conceived and bore a son. Though God seem long to forget his people's
burdens, troubles, cares, and prayers, yet he will at length make it to appear that they are
not out of his mind. This son the mother called Samuel, 1Sa_1:20. Some make the
etymology of this name to be much the same with that of Ishmael - heard of God, because
the mother's prayers were remarkably heard, and he was an answer to them. Others,
because of the reason she gives for the name, make it to signify asked of God. It comes
nearly to the same; she designed by it to perpetuate the remembrance of God's favour to
her in answering her prayers. Thus she designed, upon every mention of his name, to take
the comfort to herself and to give God the glory of that gracious condescension.

87. ote,
Mercies in answer to prayer are to be remembered with peculiar expressions of
thankfulness, as Psa_116:1, Psa_116:2. How many seasonable deliverances and supplies
may we call Samuels, asked of God; and whatever is so we are in a special manner engaged
to devote to him. Hannah intended by this name to put her son in mind of the obligation he
was under to be the Lord's, in consideration of this, that he was asked of God and was at
the same time dedicated to him. A child of prayer is in a special manner bound to be a good
child. Lemuel's mother reminds him that he was the son of her vows, Pro_31:2.”
5. He was an asked for child, and so they called him asked. He was an answer to prayer,
and prayer is primarily asking and receiving. His name would be a constant reminder that
he was a gift they received by asking God for him.
Hannah Dedicates Samuel
21 When the man Elkanah went up with all his family
to offer the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill
his vow,
1. Henry, “Elkanah agrees to what she proposes (1Sa_1:23): Do what seemeth thee good. So
far was he from delighting to cross her that he referred it entirely to her. Behold how good
and pleasant a thing it is, when yoke-fellows thus draw even in the yoke, and accommodate
themselves to one another, each thinking well of what the other does, especially in works of
piety and charity. He adds a prayer: Only the Lord establish his word, that is, “God preserve
the child through the perils of his infancy, that the solemn vow which God signified his
acceptance of, by giving us the child, may be performed in its season, and so the whole
matter may be accomplished.”

88. ote, Those that have in sincerity devoted their children to
God may with comfort pray for them, that God will establish the word sealed to them at

89. the same time that they were sealed for him.”
2. Clarke, “The man Elkanah and all his house - He and the whole of his family, Hannah
and her child excepted, who purposed not to go up to Shiloh till her son was old enough to
be employed in the Divine service. And his vow - Probably he had also made some vow to
the Lord on the occasion of his wife’s prayer and vow; in which, from his love to her. he
could not be less interested than herself.”
22 Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, "After
the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him
before the LORD , and he will live there always."
1. Henry, “ The close attendance Hannah gave to the nursing of him, not only because he
was dear to her, but because he was devoted to God, and for him she nursed him herself,
and did not hang him on another's breast. We ought to take care of our children, not only
with an eye to the law of nature as they are ours, but with an eye to the covenant of grace as
they are given up to God. See Eze_16:20, Eze_16:21. This sanctifies the nursing of them,
when it is done as unto the Lord.”
Elkanah went up every year to worship at the tabernacle, and particularly to perform his
vow, perhaps some vow he had made distinct from Hannah's if God would give him a son
by her, 1Sa_1:21. But Hannah, though she felt a warm regard for the courts of God's house,
begged leave of her husband to stay at home; for the women were not under any obligation
to go up to the three yearly feasts, as the men were. However Hannah had been accustomed
to go, but now desired to be excused, 1. Because she would not be so long absent from her
nursery. Can a woman forget her sucking child? We may suppose she kept constantly at
home, for, if she had gone any where, she would have gone to Shiloh.

90. ote, God will have
mercy and not sacrifice. Those that are detained from public ordinances by the nursing and
tending of little children may take comfort from this instance, and believe that, if they do
that with an eye to God, he will graciously accept them therein, and though they tarry at
home they shall divide the spoil. 2. Because she would not go up to Shiloh till her son was
big enough, not only to be taken thither, but to be left there; for, if once she took him
thither, she thought she could never find in her heart to bring him back again.

91. ote, Those
who are stedfastly resolved to pay their vows may yet see good cause to defer the payment
of them. Every thing is beautiful in its season.

92. o animal was accepted in sacrifice till it had
been for some time under the dam, Lev_22:27. Fruit is best when it is ripe.”
2. Gill, “Weaning took place very late among the Israelites. According to 2 Macc. 7:28, the
Hebrew mothers were in the habit of suckling their children for three years.
But Hannah went not up,.... For women, though they might go if they pleased to the yearly
feasts, yet they were not obliged to it; whether she went up at the time for her purification,

93. and for the presenting and redemption of the firstborn, is not certain; some say the Levites
were not obliged by that law, the perquisites of it falling to them, and so did not go up;
others that she did, though it is not expressed, the Scriptures not relating all facts that were
done; though by what follows it looks as if she did not:
for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned: which, according
to Jarchi, was at the end of twenty two months; but others say at the end of twenty four
months, or two years, as Kimchi and Ben Melech; and sometimes a child was three years
old before it was weaned, and sometimes longer, which very probably was the case here;
See Gill on Gen_21:8. Comestor (d) observes, there was a three fold weaning of children in
old times; the first from their mother's milk, when three years old; the second from their
tender age, and care of a dry nurse, when seven years old; the third from childish manners,
when at twelve years of age; and that it is this last and metaphorical weaning which is here
meant, when Samuel was twelve years of age, and fit to serve in the temple; but the proper
sense is best, since she is said to bring him when weaned: her reason for it seems to be this,
because had she went up with her sucking child, she must have brought him back again,
since he would not be fit to be left behind, and would be entirely incapable of any kind of
service in the sanctuary; and according to the nature of her vow, she could not think of
bringing him back again, after she had once entered him there:
and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord; and minister in the service
of the sanctuary in what might be suitable to his age; there and then she would present
him, and give him up to the Lord, as she had promised she would:
and there abide for ever; that is, as long as he lived; for her vow was that he should be a

94. azarite all the days of his life, and be separated to the service of God as long as he had a
being in the world.”
23 "Do what seems best to you," Elkanah her husband
told her. "Stay here until you have weaned him; only
may the LORD make good his [4] word." So the
woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she
had weaned him.
1. Henry, “The solemn entering of this child into the service of the sanctuary. We may take
it for granted that he was presented to the Lord at forty days old, as all the first-born were
(Luk_2:22, Luk_2:23): but this is not mentioned, because there was nothing in it singular;
but now that he was weaned he was presented, not to be redeemed. Some think it was as

95. soon as he was weaned from the breast, which, the Jews say, was not till he was three years
old; it is said she gave him suck till she had weaned him, 1Sa_1:23. Others think it was not
till he was weaned from childish things, at eight or ten years old. But I see no inconvenience
in admitting such an extraordinary child as this into the tabernacle at three years old, to be
educated among the children of the priests. It is said (1Sa_1:24), The child was young, but,
being intelligent above his years, he was no trouble.

96. one can begin too soon to be religious.
The child was a child, so the Hebrew reads it, in his learning-age. For whom shall he teach
knowledge but those that are newly weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts?
Isa_28:9.”
2. Gill, “And Elkanah her husband said unto her, do what seemeth thee good,.... He spake
like a kind and indulgent husband, knowing that she would not thereby break any law of
God; and it might be more for her own health, and the health of the child, to stay longer:
tarry till thou have weaned him; when he would be more fit for the journey, and to be left
behind:
only the Lord establish his word; which some understand of the prophecy of Eli that God
would grant her request, which being delivered under the direction of the Spirit of God, is
called his word; but this was already fulfilled, and established by Hannah's bearing a son:
or the word "his" refers not to the Lord, but to Samuel, and so may respect the word which
his mother spake concerning him; either when she made her vow, as Abendana, that he
should be a perpetual