1 NOW there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:
2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.
4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:
5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the Lord had shut up her womb.
6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb.
7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
8 Then said Elkanah her husband 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?
9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.
10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.
11 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 rasor come upon his head.
12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth.
13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.
16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her.
20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord.
21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide for ever.
23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the Lord establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh: and the child was young.
25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.
26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord.
27 For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him:
28 Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.

1Now there was a certaine man of Ramathaim Zophim, of mount Ephraim, & his name was Elkanah, the sonne of Ieroham, the sonne of Elihu, the sonne of Tohu, the sonne of Zuph, an Ephrathite;

2And he had two wiues, the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3And this man went vp out of his citie yeerely, to worship and to sacrifice vnto the Lord of hostes in Shiloh; and the two sonnes of Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas, the Priests of the Lord, were there.

4 And when the time was, that Elkanah offered, he gaue to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sonnes, and her daughters, portions.

5But vnto Hannah he gaue a worthy portion: (for he loued Hannah, but the Lord had shut vp her wombe.

6And her aduersary also prouoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut vp her wombe.)

7And as he did so yeere by yeere, when she went vp to the house of the Lord, so she prouoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

8Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieued? Am not I better to thee, then ten sonnes?

9 So Hannah rose vp after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunke; (now Eli the Priest sate vpon a seat by a poste of the Temple of the Lord. )

10And shee was in bitternesse of soule, and prayed vnto the Lord, and wept sore.

11And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hostes, if thou wilt indeed looke on the affliction of thine handmayd, and remember me, and not forget thine handmayd, but wilt giue vnto thine handmayd a man childe, then I will giue him vnto the Lord all the dayes of his life, and there shall no rasor come vpon his head.

12And it came to passe as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth.

13Now Hannah, shee spake in her heart; onely her lippes mooued, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had beene drunken.

14And Eli said vnto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

15And Hannah answered, and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowfull spirit: I haue drunke neither wine nor strong drinke, but haue powred out my soule before the Lord.

16Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and griefe, haue I spoken hitherto.

17Then Eli answered, and said, Goe in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition, that thou hast asked of him.

18And she said, Let thine handmaid finde grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eate, and her countenance was no more sad.

19¶ And they rose vp in the morning early, and worshipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knewe Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembred her.

20Wherefore it came to passe when the time was come about, after Hannah had conceiued, that shee bare a sonne, and called his name Samuel, saying; Because I haue asked him of the Lord.

21And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went vp to offer vnto the Lord the yeerely sacrifice, and his vowe.

22But Hannah went not vp; for shee said vnto her husband, I will not goe vp vntill the childe be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appeare before the Lord, and there abide for euer.

23And Elkanah her husband said vnto her, Do what seemeth thee good, tary vntill thou haue weaned him, only the Lord establish his word: so the woman abode, and gaue her sonne sucke vntill she weaned him.

24 And when shee had weaned him, shee tooke him vp with her, with three bullocks, and one Ephah of floure, and a bottle of wine, and brought him vnto the house of the Lord in Shiloh: and the childe was young.

25And they slew a bullocke, and brought the childe to Eli.

26And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soule liueth, my lord, I am the woman, that stood by thee heere, praying vnto the Lord.

27For this childe I prayed, and the Lord hath giuen me my petition, which I asked of him:

28Therefore also I haue lent him to the Lord as long as hee liueth, he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.

I == Ruth 1:2 ; 1st Chr 6:27 , 34

 

 

 

 

 

III == Ez 23:14 ; Deut 12:5-7 ; 16:16 ; Josh 18:1 ; Luke 2:41

 

 

IV == Deut 12:17-18 ; 16:11

 

V == Gen 30:2

 

VI == Job 24:21

 

 

 

 

VIII == Ruth 4:15

 

 

IX == 1st Sam 3:3

 

X == Job 7:11 ; 10:1

XI == Gen 8:1 ; 28:20 ; 29:32 ; 30:22 ; Ex 4:31 ; Num 6:5 ; 30:3 ; Judg 11:30 ; 13:5 ; 2nd Sam 16:12 ; Ps 25:18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XV == Ps 62:8 ; 142:2

 

 

XVI == Deut 13:13

 

XVII == Judg 18:6 ; Ps 20:4-5 ; Mark 5:34 ; Luke 7:50 ; 8:48

XVIII == Gen 33:15 ; Ruth 2:13 ; Eccl 9:7

 

XIX == Gen 4:1 ; 30:22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXI == 1sst sam 1:3

 

XXII == Ex 21:6 ; 1st Sam 1:11 , 28 ; 2:11 , 18 ; 3:1 ; Luke 2:22

 

XXIII == Num 30:7 ; 2nd Sam 7:25

 

 

XXIV == Deut 12:5-6 , 11 ; Josh 18:1

 

 

XXV == Luke 2:22

XXVI == Gen 42:15 ; 2nd Kings 2:2 , 4 , 6

 

XXVII == Gen 24:26 , 52 ; 1st Sam 1:11 , 22

 

 

1 There was a certain man from Rama-thaim, Elkanah by name, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

2. He had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah; Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.

3 This man regularly went on pilgrimage from his city to worship the LORD of hosts and to sacrifice to him at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were ministering as priests of the LORD.

4 When the day came for Elkanah to offer sacrifice, he used to give a portion each to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters,

5 but a double portion to Hannah because he loved her, though the LORD had made her barren.

6 Her rival, to upset her, turned it into a constant reproach to her that the LORD had left her barren.

7 This went on year after year; each time they made their pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the LORD, Peninnah would approach her, and Hannah would weep and refuse to eat.

8 Her husband Elkanah used to ask her: "Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you refuse to eat? Why do you grieve? Am I not more to you than ten sons?"

9 Hannah rose after one such meal at Shiloh, and presented herself before the LORD; at the time, Eli the priest was sitting on a chair near the doorpost of the LORD'S temple.

10 In her bitterness she prayed to the LORD, weeping copiously,

11 and she made a vow, promising: "O LORD of hosts, if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid, if you remember me and do not forget me, if you give your handmaid a male child, I will give him to the LORD for as long as he lives; neither wine nor liquor shall he drink, and no razor shall ever touch his head."

12 As she remained long at prayer before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth,

13 for Hannah was praying silently; though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli, thinking her drunk,

14 said to her, "How long will you make a drunken show of yourself? Sober up from your wine!"

15 "It isn't that, my lord," Hannah answered. "I am an unhappy woman. I have had neither wine nor liquor; I was only pouring out my troubles to the LORD.

16 Do not think your handmaid a ne'er-do-well; my prayer has been prompted by my deep sorrow and misery."

17 Eli said, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."

18 She replied, "Think kindly of your maidservant," and left. She went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and no longer appeared downcast.

19 Early the next morning they worshiped before the LORD, and then returned to their home in Ramah. When Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, the LORD remembered her.

20 She conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son whom she called Samuel, since she had asked the LORD for him.

21 The next time her husband Elkanah was going up with the rest of his household to offer the customary sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vows,

22 Hannah did not go, explaining to her husband, "Once the child is weaned, I will take him to appear before the LORD and to remain there forever; I will offer him as a perpetual nazirite."

23 Her husband Elkanah answered her: "Do what you think best; wait until you have weaned him. Only, may the LORD bring your resolve to fulfillment!" And so she remained at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

24 Once he was weaned, she brought him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and presented him at the temple of the LORD in Shiloh.

25 After the boy's father had sacrificed the young bull, Hannah, his mother, approached Eli

26 and said: "Pardon, my lord! As you live my lord, I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the LORD.

27 I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request.

28 Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD." She left him there;

 

v 1. Elkanah was an Ephraimite living at Ramah, a Levite and Kohathite, 1 Chron. 6:33-35, which allowed Samuel to serve in the Tabernacle. Like others of his day who were doing what was right in his own eyes, he wasn’t living in a Levite city, Num. 35, but was for the most part faithful unto God, compared to those about him.

v 3. He went at least annually, even though Hophni and Phinehas were evil. We must not stay away from church because of hypocrites or inadequate pastors in it. 

v 4,5. Elkanah’s error - partiality. gave a worthy or double portion to Hannah. Joseph gave a five times as much to Benjamin Gen. 43:34. How did they eat it? It was of the choice part, not whole meal.

v 6,7 Result - embarrassment to Hanna. Penninah irritated and provoked her all the more, to tears, for childlessness, which was considered a reproach Gen. 30:23. On the 10 mile walk to Shiloh, she was probably ridiculed in front of other women. 

v 8. Elkanah tried to be a comforter, but that didn’t take away her reproach.

v 9,10. Only God could give the comfort she needed. This was a tearful prayer from bitterness of soul. Tears are not required, but are spontaneous in stress. Weeping for lost souls shows deep concern, Ps. 126:6, but there are differences in personalities so don’t condemn those who don’t weep.v 11. This is an extreme vow, and vows must be kept, Eccl. 5:4. (Except. Num. 30)

v 12-14. Only her lips moved, and since she had just come from eating and drinking, Eli assumed her drunk. Our pastor encourages us to speak the words, at least quietly as she did. We can visualize a beautiful rainbow, but to express it to another, we must even think in words. We may only think the words when we pray, but vocalizing them helps to keep our minds on track and adequately expressed.

v 15,16. She informs Eli that she is not a wicked drunk, but was pouring out her soul in great sorrow, grief and bitterness.

 

 

 

v 17-19. She went to the Lord, is encouraged by the priest, went home in peace. v 20,21. She had to be spiritually ready before God would answer her prayer with the boy, Samuel. Samuel means “Asked of God.” Her vow was also Elkanah’s, because he did not annul it. He was responsible to see it was performed, Num. 30:6-8. At leasr Elkanah went three times a year, but all would have come to Feast if Taberbackes with offerings. 

 

 

 

v 22,23. This was common sense to get the child old enough to leave his mother, which weaning age according to Jews was three years. It is not unreasonable that if she had been teaching Samuel in preparation, he would have been ready to leave on the beginning of a life with the priest. Isa 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

v 24. Some say that the three bullocks were one for each year she had missed the yearly sacrifice. Better translation, it was one three year old bullock. Notice also in v 25, they only killed one bullock. The bullock was perhaps necessary to the vow, but according to Leviticus, the flour and wine would have been a voluntary offering.

v 25-28. What heart rending to part with the small child, but she could rejoice and worship because he was given to the Lord. They kept the vow exactly as promised. Many battlefield conversions or vows are not kept, but if you promise God, do it. “Lent” or granted to the Lord. At perhaps 3 yr. 3 mo., Samuel also worshiped the Lord.