1st Samuel 1:1-20 "The Faith of Hannah"

Photo by Christian Begeman

Last Sunday's sermon was over the beginning verses of the Old Testament book entitled "1st Samuel".  Here we meet Hannah who is in a very difficult place as far as things can go for a married woman in the ancient Hebrew world.  She has no son, or daughter for that matter, she is one of two wives and her rival has multiple children.  The name Hannah in Hebrew means 'attractive' so she is as we can read the favored wife by her husband Elkanah, her rival is Peninnah whose name means 'fertile'.  In the ancient Hebrew world a married woman's worth depended upon their ability to have children, and beyond that their very survival once their husband had passed away depended upon having a son to provide for them.  Wives did not inherit property in that time and the woman was dependent upon their male children for support in their old age.

Hannah goes to worship and asks for a male child but then she does the unexpected and vows to pledge the child to the Lord.  To give the boy up to God in this fashion would mean the boy would not be able to provide for Hannah when the time had come that Elkanah had passed and she was left alone.  Hannah has done something remarkable here.  She is blessed by God through the blessing of Eli and we learn in Chapter 2 that she is blessed not only with Samuel but with more children.

Hers is a wonderful story of faith, and the role that she, Eli, and her son Samuel play in the history of the Hebrew Nation is one of great, great significance... take a listen to the sermon to find out more about Hannah and her faith in her God.

Be a blessing to someone today!

In Christ,
Roy

1 Samuel 1:1-20 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Samuel’s Birth and Dedication
1 There was a certain man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite[a] from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 Now this man used to go up year by year from his town to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. 4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; 5 but to Hannah he gave a double portion,[b] because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. 6 Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 So it went on year by year; as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. 8 Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”

9 After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the Lord.[c] Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. 10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord, and wept bitterly. 11 She made this vow: “O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite[d] until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants,[e] and no razor shall touch his head.”

12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 14 So Eli said to her, “How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time.” 17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him.” 18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” Then the woman went to her quarters,[f] ate and drank with her husband,[g] and her countenance was sad no longer.[h]

19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 20 In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I have asked him of the Lord.”

Footnotes:
a) 1 Samuel 1:1 Compare Gk and 1 Chr 6.35–36: Heb Ramathaim-zophim
b) 1 Samuel 1:5 Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain
c) 1 Samuel 1:9 Gk: Heb lacks and presented herself before the Lord
d) 1 Samuel 1:11 That is one separated or one consecrated
e) 1 Samuel 1:11 Cn Compare Gk Q Ms 1.22: MT then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life
f) 1 Samuel 1:18 Gk: Heb went her way
g) 1 Samuel 1:18 Gk: Heb lacks and drank with her husband

h) 1 Samuel 1:18 Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain